Florida
This Southern state shatters records with all-time population high — 350K new residents yearly
Move over, California and Texas — there’s a new heavyweight in town.
Florida’s population has officially crossed the 23 million mark — an all-time high — thanks to a massive influx of new residents flocking to the Sunshine State from other parts of the US and abroad.
As of April 1, Florida boasts 23,002,597 residents, according to the latest estimates from the state Demographic Estimating Conference, as reported by the Sun Sentinel. This milestone makes Florida the third most populous state in the nation, trailing only California’s 39.5 million and Texas’ 30.5 million.
The surge is nothing new — Florida has been adding between 350,000 to 375,000 people each year for more than a decade, with nearly 359,000 newcomers last year alone. However, the growth rate is expected to peak this year at 1.6% before slowing down in the coming years, as the baby boomer generation ages out of the workforce.
Interestingly, Florida’s population boom is entirely driven by migration. Since just before the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020, deaths have outpaced births in the state, a trend that is expected to continue. Almost 10% of Florida’s residents are 75 and older, second only to Puerto Rico among US states and territories.
Other Republican southern states have seen similar growth spurts, while liberal northern states like New York experienced declines. The country’s population grew by 1.6 million over the past year, with 87% of that increase concentrated in Texas, Florida and South Carolina, according to new Census Bureau data.
Texas led the nation in population growth between July 2022 and July 2023, adding nearly half a million new residents amid the ongoing migrant crisis at the border. Following closely behind were Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and Tennessee, all benefiting from outmigration from other states.
“The growth in 2023 can largely be attributed to the region’s migration patterns,” the report explained, noting that 706,266 people were added via net domestic migration, while net international migration contributed almost 500,000 to the total.
States like New York, California and Illinois saw their populations shrink as residents fled high taxes and the soaring cost of living. California lost 338,371 residents to other states, New York shed 216,778, and Illinois saw 83,839 leave. While these losses have been offset by new migrants crossing the US-Mexico border, the overall populations of these states still declined due to the exodus.
The South, however, is now facing a potential housing market crisis. The post-2020 rush to build new homes in Florida, Georgia, Tennessee and Texas has led to a glut in supply.
Homebuilders went into overdrive during the pandemic, meeting the demand from Americans seeking cheaper living and remote work opportunities. This has created a potential bubble that could spell trouble ahead.
But unlike the 2008 financial crisis, today’s homeowners have substantial equity in their properties, particularly in the South. “Historically, Florida has a high share of homeowners that own their home outright,” Danielle Hale, chief economist at Realtor.com, said in that previous report.
“There’s a lot more equity in housing right now, which makes it less likely we’ll see the kind of price declines that led to trouble in the mid-2000s.”
ORLANDO, Fla. – Strong thunderstorms continue to push across Central Florida Thursday evening, with a few storms capable of producing gusty winds, frequent lightning, torrential rainfall and isolated damage before activity gradually winds down later tonight.
The strongest storms are expected through about 10 p.m., with most of the activity weakening and moving offshore by around 11 p.m. Storms are being fueled by sea breeze collisions and abundant moisture across the state. In addition to strong wind gusts, torrential downpours could lead to ponding of water on roads and minor flooding in low-lying and poor-drainage areas.
While storms remain the immediate concern this evening, another round of impactful weather is expected Friday.
The News 6 Weather Team has designated Friday as a Weather Aware Day due to the combination of dangerous heat and the threat for strong to severe thunderstorms.
Before storms develop, temperatures will climb into the low to mid-90s Friday afternoon. Combined with high humidity, it will feel more like 102 to 107 degrees across much of Central Florida. Some locations could once again approach or exceed Heat Advisory criteria.
Scattered thunderstorms are expected to develop during the afternoon and evening hours. The atmosphere will be loaded with tropical moisture, allowing storms to produce frequent lightning, damaging wind gusts, and torrential rainfall.
The Storm Prediction Center has placed all of Central Florida under a Level 1 out of 5 risk for severe weather Friday. While widespread severe weather is not expected, a few storms could become strong enough to produce damaging winds.
In addition, the Weather Prediction Center has highlighted portions of Central Florida for a Level 1 out of 4 risk of excessive rainfall. Any storm will be capable of producing very heavy rain in a short amount of time, which could lead to localized flooding.
The unsettled pattern continues into the weekend. Storm coverage is expected to increase Saturday, and some locations could see multiple rounds of heavy rain. While a few stronger storms remain possible, the flooding threat may become a greater concern by Saturday afternoon and evening.
Looking ahead to next week, rain chances are expected to gradually decrease, but the heat is not going anywhere. High temperatures will remain in the low to mid-90s, with heat index values frequently climbing above 100 degrees. Forecast guidance suggests a higher heat risk could develop once again across Central Florida as we head deeper into next week.
At the beaches, a moderate risk of rip currents continues. Make sure you swim near a lifeguard if you’re heading to the beach.
Copyright 2026 by WKMG ClickOrlando – All rights reserved.
SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA)— A Florida mental health counselor walked into a surprising number of bats inside her office last week.
“We had about 50 bats. In the toilet, in the sink. All over,” Shaltala Boss, a licensed mental health counselor, said.
Boss has since moved her office due to maternity season, when it is illegal to exclude or remove bats from April 16 to August 14, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
“Any form of eviction during this time period will result in baby bats being trapped along with adult bats that may not have emerged. Trapped bats will attempt to escape and may end up in the living space of buildings,” FWC said.
Video provided by Boss showed a bat lying on the ground.
“You definitely didn’t want to come to counseling that day,” Boss said.
Boss has since moved to another location and said it is bat-free.
“Most bats will avoid humans at all costs and use natural roosting structures for shelter during the day. However, bats sometimes find their way into our homes and structures, which can present a health hazard,” FWC said.
Republican Congressman Byron Donalds is trailing Democratic candidate David Jolly in the race to become Florida’s next governor, according to a new poll from Change Research, a Democratic-aligned polling firm.
The survey could be an encouraging sign for Florida Democrats, who have not won a statewide election since 2018 and have struggled as the state shifted steadily toward Republicans in recent election cycles.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, a Republican who is term-limited and cannot seek reelection in 2026, won a second term by nearly 20 percentage points in 2022, while Republicans have expanded their voter registration advantage and maintained control of every statewide elected office.
Still, some recent polling has suggested the push to replace DeSantis could be a bit more competitive than many have expected.
President Donald Trump last month again vocalized his support for Donalds, saying in part, “I know Byron well, have seen him tested at the highest and most difficult levels, and he is a TOTAL WINNER!” The president added, “Byron Donalds will be a truly Great and Powerful Governor for Florida, and has my Complete and Total Endorsement — HE WILL NOT LET YOU DOWN!”
Trump won the Sunshine State by 13 points in 2024 against then-Vice President Kamala Harris and no Democrat has won the Florida governorship in more than 20 years.
When reached for comment regarding the new poll, Donalds’ campaign referred Newsweek to the X post of Gates McGavick, the team’s communications director. McGavick said in reaction to the poll, “I hear Change Research also sells tremendous ocean front property in Arizona.”
The campaign also referred Newsweek to Ryan Smith’s post on X, while saying he is also affiliated with the campaign. Smith said, “This is a push poll by Democrats for Democrats. The truth is, Florida Democrats will be crying in their kombucha on November 3 when @ByronDonalds is elected governor.”
What To Know
The Change Research survey found Jolly, a former Republican congressman who switched parties and entered the race as a Democrat, leading Donalds in a hypothetical general-election matchup.
Jolly has centered his campaign on affordability issues surrounding insurance costs, housing and healthcare, while Donalds has campaigned as a conservative successor who will attempt to enact Trump’s agenda and fight illegal immigration.
According to the poll, Jolly leads Donalds 47 percent to 42 percent and has a slightly larger margin among likely voters with 49 percent compared to 43 percent.
The poll surveyed 1,273 registered voters of which 1,015 said they will likely vote in the 2026 midterm election. The survey’s margin of error is 2.8 percent.
Also in the poll, Jolly garners 94 percent support from Democrats compared to Donalds’ 77 percent among Republicans.
What Other Polls Show
Another recent Change Research poll shows Jolly leading Donalds 46 percent to 42 percent. The poll was taken from May 13 to May 16 among 2,070 registered voters, of whom 1,593 say they will likely vote in the midterm election. The poll has a margin of error of 2.3 percent.
In a survey at the end of March by Emerson College Polling, Donalds landed 44 percent of the vote compared to Jolly’s 39 percent. The poll shows that 17 percent are undecided. It was taken from March 29 to March 31 among 1,125 likely voters and has a margin of error of 2.8 percent.
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