Florida is 2 FULL

Orlando’s housing prices, traffic, and lost culture have locals fed up. Is the city growing too fast for its own good?

Every day, more people flood into Orlando—not for Disney, but to chase a dream they saw on social media. Sunshine, "cheap" living, and endless opportunities. For the locals who grew up here, the city is becoming unrecognizable.

I know everyone deserves a fresh start. But when I see the comments on my latest TikTok, I can feel the frustration of long-time residents—my people—watching the city change in ways we never asked for.

I posted a series of tiktok videos (located at the end of this newsletter) regarding the disdain and frustrations towards transplants, and well….

Now, I understand that everyone deserves a fresh start. But when I see the comments on my latest TikTok, I can feel the frustration of long-time residents—my people—who are watching the city change in ways we never asked for.

🗣 "We are FULL. We don’t want transplants or tourists here anymore, for real. GTFO."

🗣 "I’m tired of the traffic caused by all the out-of-state plates. Please leave, expeditiously."

🗣 "If you don’t know 102 Jamz or Magic Mall, you gotta go."

These aren’t just complaints. This is a city reaching its breaking point.

The city is booming, but at what cost?

Orlando’s population has steadily climbed for over a century, but recent decades have seen an explosion in growth.

Orlando has experienced significant population growth in recent years. Between 2020 and 2023, the city's population increased by approximately 12,908 people, marking a 4.19% growth rate during that period. This surge is largely attributed to domestic migration, with nearly 46% of new residents coming from other parts of the United States. (Neilsberg)

A lot of those transplants can afford to pay the skyrocketing prices while locals are being priced out of our own homes, watching as houses that used to be affordable for working-class families are now out of reach. It’s no longer about building a life here—it’s about surviving the inflation and endless development that’s pushing us out.

As of May 2024, median home prices in Orlando have jumped 8.2% year over year, reaching $405,000. What was once a city known for affordable housing is now becoming increasingly inaccessible for those who have lived here for decades. (realwealth.com)

The Numbers Don’t Lie: Orlando’s Rapid Growth

Orlando’s population has been on a steady rise for over two decades, with a significant jump post-2020. As of July 1, 2022, the city’s estimated population reached 316,081, a 4.19% increase from 2020 to 2023—driven largely by domestic migration.

Between 2010 and 2020, Florida’s population grew by nearly 15%, with Orlando being one of the fastest-growing metro areas in the country. And while some of this growth brings economic opportunities, it has also drastically reshaped daily life for locals.

Orlando’s population has surged in recent years, increasing pressure on housing, roads, and infrastructure.

Cultural Erasure: What We Lose in the Name of Growth

Orlando’s boom isn’t just about numbers—it’s about who benefits and who gets left behind.

📈 12,908 new residents moved in between 2020-2023—a 4.19% increase. (Neilsberg)
🏡 Home prices jumped 8.2% in 2024, hitting $405,000. (RealWealth.com)
🚙 46% of newcomers are from expensive states like NY & CA.

For them, Orlando is a steal. But for locals? It’s pushing us out.

The city’s **culture—the local music, mom-and-pop shops, community events—**is fading fast. Small businesses are struggling, replaced by chains and luxury apartments. Even Orlando’s iconic orange groves and green spaces are vanishing, making way for endless developments.

People move here for the space and sunshine—yet the very things that made Orlando special are disappearing.

Orlando’s Growth: Who’s Really Benefiting?

Orlando’s roads are more congested than ever, with traffic backups becoming a daily struggle for locals. As transplants flood into the city, highways like I-4 and 408 are seeing record-breaking gridlock, making commutes unbearable.

Orlando has always been a growing city, but the last few years have taken it to another level.

📈 12,908 new residents arrived between 2020-2023—a 4.19% increase in just three years. (Neilsberg)
🏡 Home prices jumped 8.2% in 2024, reaching $405,000. (RealWealth.com)
🚙 46% of newcomers are from expensive states like NY & CA.

For them, Orlando is affordable—but for locals? We’re being priced out.

Small businesses are disappearing, replaced by chains. Historic neighborhoods are being bulldozed for luxury apartments no one can actually afford. Even the orange groves and green spaces are vanishing, despite being one of the reasons people move here in the first place.

And let’s talk about traffic—because Orlando isn’t built for this many people.

🚗 I-4, 408, and 528 are packed by 11 AM instead of 5 PM.
🚗 Accidents have surged, making Orange County one of the most accident-prone areas in Florida.
🚗 A drive from Davenport to Winter Park now takes 90 minutes instead of 60.

Many transplants never knew Orlando before the congestion, corporate takeovers, and disappearing culture. But locals remember. And while some may call this “progress,” to us, it feels like watching our home get erased.

Central Floridians: we see each other!

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Transplants: If You’re Here, Have Some Manners

You just moved here. And that’s fine. But you don’t get to rewrite Orlando’s culture.

🗣 "Saw a Nevada plate on I-4 yesterday. What are you doing here??"
🗣 "If you don’t remember what Fashion Square used to be, you gotta go."
🗣 "I’ve been visiting since 1990. Don’t worry, I can’t wait to never come back."

Feeling like a local and being a local aren’t the same. Longtime residents remember:

✔ When gas was under $2.
✔ When I-4 wasn’t a parking lot.
✔ When Orlando’s radio stations had the hottest music playing every morning on our morning commutes.

Now? We’re drowning in a transplant takeover that doesn’t care about the city’s history.

I won’t sugarcoat it—we are exhausted. But if you’re a newcomer reading this, I’m not saying you have to leave (despite my TikTok).

I am saying:

🔹 Respect the locals. Learn the history of the city you just moved to.
🔹 Support small businesses. Stop eating at chains and go to a local spot.
🔹 Acknowledge the struggle. Locals are getting pushed out—don’t pretend it’s not happening.

Orlando doesn’t have to lose its soul. But if people keep moving here, changing everything, and acting like they built this city— soon, it won’t be Orlando anymore.

This city isn’t just an Instagrammable moment. It’s home to people who built their lives here.

📢 To all my fellow Orlando locals—let’s fight for our city.

💬 Drop a comment below: How has Orlando’s growth impacted you?

Click below to watch the videos that started the conversation:

@jazzenaiStay away from Orlando please and thank you #maybeitsmepod #orlando #stayaway #moveout #leave #floridacheck #fypシ

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@jazzenaiReplying to @Luna 🪷 I got a little too deep into this conversation about how much the gentrification of Florida has affected our communities and especially has enabled the deforestation that is taking place in our state, which is kind of ironic when one of the main reasons people wanna move to Florida is for the land and to have their own space, yet we’re literally taking away all this land to make high rises in New community that have $500,000 houses and it’s just all very fake and disappointing to see. It’s not that I don’t want community to grow, but all this money you guys are making and yet it’s not even benefiting the city in a proper way. We don’t even we will never have the capability of being even a walkable city. because we’re becoming a city that’s overly saturated like Los Angeles or NYC. ##maybeitsmepod##centralflorida##florida##kissimmee##orlando##boysandgirlsclub##321##407##gentrification##deforestation##fypシ

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@jazzenaiReplying to @Sherad I almost want to get into city planning #maybeitsmepod #cityplanning #orlando #centralflorida #321 #407 #ktown #construction #florida #traffic #kissimmee #fypシ #foryourpage

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