Florida was home to the nation’s fastest growing metro area from 2013 to 2014, according to new U.S. Census Bureau metropolitan statistical area, micropolitan statistical area and county population estimates released today.
The Villages, located to the west of the Orlando metro area, grew by 5.4 percent between July 1, 2013, and July 1, 2014, to reach a population of about 114,000. State population estimates released in December revealed that Florida had become the nation’s third most populous state. Today’s estimates show Florida’s growth to reach this milestone was propelled by numerous metro areas and counties within the state.
Florida contained seven of the nation’s top 50 numerically gaining metro areas between July 1, 2013, and July 1, 2014, and these areas accounted for more than three-quarters of the state’s population gain over the period:
- Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach (with a one-year gain of about 66,000).
- Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford (about 50,000).
- Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater (about 41,000).
- Jacksonville (about 23,000).
- Cape Coral-Fort Myers (about 18,000).
- North Port-Sarasota-Bradenton (about 16,000).
- Lakeland-Winter Haven (about 11,000).
In addition, eight counties within these metro areas were among 50 counties nationwide that gained the most population between 2013 and 2014. Collectively, these counties accounted for more than half of the state’s population gain over the period:
All three counties in the Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach metro area: Broward (with a population gain of about 24,000 over the period), Palm Beach (about 22,000) and Miami-Dade (about 21,000).
Two counties in the Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford metro area: Orange (about 26,000) and Osceola (about 11,000).
One county in the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater metro area: Hillsborough (about 22,000).
The single counties that comprise the Cape Coral-Fort Myers and Lakeland-Winter Haven metro areas: Lee (18,000) and Polk (11,000), respectively.
Furthermore, six metro areas in Florida were among the 20 fastest-growing in the nation between 2013 and 2014. In addition to The Villages, they were Cape Coral-Fort Myers (sixth), Naples-Immokalee-Marco Island (10th), Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford (16th), North Port-Sarasota-Bradenton (18th) and Panama City (19th).
Escambia County added 2,788 more people (0.9 percent growth); Santa Rosa 2,611 (1.62 percent); Okaloosa 2,606 (1.34 percent)