Florida’s population has hit a major new record as the Sunshine State now has more than 23 million residents for the first time.
This increase in residents comes as many people from other states — most notably California and New York — have flocked to Florida for a variety of reasons.
An Increase in Florida’s Population
New estimates released by Florida’s Demographic Estimating Conference have revealed that Florida has 23,002,597 residents as of April 1, 2024.
This data has also revealed that the Sunshine State added about 359,000 people last year alone, which helped the state reach this momentous milestone.
Yearly Growth
Estimates have also shown how Florida has grown steadily over the last decade, as more and more people have flocked to live in the state.
Florida’s population has increased by about 350,000 to 375,000 each year over the past decade, according to these records.
The Third Most Populous State
Thanks to this growth seen over the past 10 years, Florida is easily considered the third most populous state in all of the United States.
California reigns at the top, with 39.5 million residents. Meanwhile, Texas takes the second spot, as the Lone Star State has 30.5 million people.
Will This Growth Continue?
Analysts have taken a close look at Florida’s growing population — and they’ve anticipated what Floridians can expect in the next few years.
Experts have explained that more people will likely move to Florida, increasing the state’s overall population. However, the growth will peak this year. Eventually, every year’s growth will get smaller.
Why Will People Stop Moving to Florida?
Americans have flocked to Florida for a variety of reasons over the past decade. However, many senior citizens have chosen to move to the Sunshine State when they retire.
Estimates have concluded that, as the final round of baby boomers retire, the number of people moving to Florida will also decrease.
Florida’s Senior Citizens
Florida has long been known as one of the best states for Americans to retire in. As a result, the state has quite a large amount of senior citizens living within its borders.
About 10% of Florida’s population is 75 years old or older. This rate is only second to Puerto Rico, another hot spot for retirees, when comparing all U.S. territories and states.
Florida’s Growth Rate Will Fall
This ultimately will mean that the influx of new residents in Florida will eventually slow down in the coming years.
For example, this data predicts that Florida’s growth rate will be under 1% by the early 2030s. By comparison, the growth rate this year is 1.6%.
Californians Flee the Golden State for Florida
Various Americans from different states have chosen to move to Florida over the last decade. However, a notable trend began during the pandemic when many Californians chose to leave the Golden State behind and moved to Florida.
This California Exodus helped Florida’s population increase over the last few years.
Why Californians Have Moved to Florida
There are a variety of reasons why many Californians have chosen to move away from their home state and start anew in Florida.
California’s high cost of living has driven many people out, especially as housing prices have skyrocketed in just the last few years alone.
New Yorkers Flock to Florida
Californians aren’t alone in leaving behind their home to move to Florida. Many people from New York have also made this decision, as many parts of their home state have also increased in overall cost of living.
This has led to many New Yorkers now calling Florida home.
Florida’s High Cost of Living
Unfortunately, many longtime Florida locals have stated that the Sunshine State is now too expensive to live in — and many Floridians are blaming the new residents from California and New York for why housing has surged in price.
Florida may have to figure out how to deal with their own high cost of living soon, before more Floridians decide to flee their own state.
