Florida
‘Adding a city:’ Millions more could flock to Florida. Here’s when to expect it
Florida has been a hotspot in the U.S. for many people over the past few years, with more than 1 million people moving to the state in 2022.
U.S. Census Bureau data shows that a large chunk of Florida’s incoming residents have moved from states like New York, California or foreign countries.
The state’s population has been on an incline for decades, though it saw an explosion of new residents beginning back in 2016.
In fact, inbound migration to Florida has been so high that the state’s population has passed 23 million people for the first time ever, according to the state’s Demographic Estimating Conference.
Earlier this month, the DEC announced that the record figure had been reached back in April, though rapid population growth is expected to continue for the foreseeable future.
To be precise, Florida is set to see well over 300,000 people move in annually through 2026 — just under 900 people per day on average.
“These increases are analogous to adding a city slightly smaller than Orlando, but larger than St. Petersburg every year,” the DEC report reads.
By these estimates, Florida will reach 24 million residents by 2027; 25 million residents by 2031; and 26 million residents by 2036.
| Fiscal Year | Population (End of Fiscal Year) | Growth Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2023-2024 | 23,088,994 | 1.59% |
| 2024-2025 | 23,411,344 | 1.40% |
| 2025-2026 | 23,719,175 | 1.31% |
| 2026-2027 | 24,015,118 | 1.25% |
| 2027-2028 | 24,300,771 | 1.19% |
| 2028-2029 | 24,574,248 | 1.13% |
| 2029-2030 | 24,836,074 | 1.07% |
| 2030-2031 | 25,086,130 | 1.01% |
| 2031-2032 | 25,324,175 | 0.95% |
| 2032-2033 | 25,549,255 | 0.89% |
| 2033-2034 | 25,761,882 | 0.83% |
| 2034-2035 | 25,964,259 | 0.79% |
| 2035-2036 | 26,156,254 | 0.74% |
| 2036-2037 | 26,336,762 | 0.69% |
| 2037-2038 | 26,507,435 | 0.65% |
| 2038-2039 | 26,670,769 | 0.62% |
This huge influx of people into Florida is also set to bolster the state’s GDP and job growth, according to UCF economist Sean Snaith earlier this year.
“Florida is going to keep cruising at a higher altitude than the rest of the country,” Snaith predicted. “That’s because the ‘twin engines’ of a robust labor market and population growth are propelling us forward.”
Snaith explained that many of the people moving into Florida are retirees, which means more jobs are being created to meet their needs and wants.
However, this population growth could have other consequences.
With more people moving into the state, there are more people seeking goods and services like housing, food, gas and insurance — among many other products.
As a result, Florida’s cost of living is becoming inflated, outpacing wage growth in the state. This is despite having predicted average growth higher than the rest of the nation.
“Florida should enjoy the ride through these economically friendly skies with seatbelts fastened — just in case,” Snaith said.
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ORLANDO, Fla. – Ahead of the coldest temperatures in years for Central Florida, the National Weather Service has issued a freeze watch for Friday morning.
A freeze watch means temperatures of 32 degrees or lower are possible.
Exterior pipes should be protected in Marion, Sumter and northern Lake counties where temperatures could be below freezing for four to six hours.
Plants sensitive to the cold should be covered or brought inside by Thursday evening.
It’s also a good idea to bring pets inside.
A strong Arctic cold front is expected to arrive Thursday morning. Temperatures top out in the upper 50s and lower 60s early in the day, but are expected to fall for most of the afternoon.
Temperatures will bottom out in the 20s and 30s across Central Florida.
This does not include the wind.
Parts of Central Florida could again dip below freezing Saturday morning.
A reinforcing shot of cold air arrives Sunday which could send parts of Central Florida back below freezing Monday morning.
A big warmup arrives late next work week and into the following weekend.
Copyright 2026 by WKMG ClickOrlando – All rights reserved.
TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — A cruise ship that departed Florida has been hit by a norovirus outbreak, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The CDC reported that 94 people fell ill on the Holland America Line cruise ship Rotterdam during its voyage between Dec. 28, 2025, and Jan. 9, 2026.
Those affected by the norovirus outbreak showed the typical symptoms of vomiting and diarrhea.
The virus, which is highly contagious, is the number 1 cause of foodborne illnesses in the United States, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Symptoms appear between 12 and 48 hours after exposure and can include other symptoms like stomach pain, headaches, and fevers.
According to the CDC, 85 passengers out of 2,593 reported being sick. Nine of the 1,005 crew members reported being ill as well.
The CDC said Holland America Line and the Rotterdam crew increased cleaning and disinfection measures and quarantined those who fell ill to prevent the disease from spreading further.
CruiseMapper.com showed that the ship departed Fort Lauderdale on Dec. 28. The cruise line’s website also has several future voyages out of Fort Lauderdale as well.
8 On Your Side has reached out to Holland America for more information on the outbreak.
After a push to nearly the end of the launch window, a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket took off on Florida’s third launch of 2026.
The rocket lifted off at 4:08 p.m. Monday, January 12 from Launch Complex 40 in Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. It had originally been scheduled for earlier in the afternoon, but the launch time was repeatedly pushed back. SpaceX did not give a reason for the change in timing.
The Falcon 9 carried 29 Starlink internet satellites to orbit on the booster’s 25th mission. No sonic booms were heard in Brevard County, as the booster landed on the Just Read the Instructions drone ship in the Atlantic Ocean.
Next SpaceX rocket launch from Cape Canaveral
The next Falcon 9 rocket launch from Florida is scheduled for no earlier than 1:01 p.m. Wednesday, January 14 from Launch Complex 40 in Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
The mission is the next batch of SpaceX Starlink internet satellites, titled Starlink 6-98.
Brooke Edwards is a Space Reporter for Florida Today. Contact her at bedwards@floridatoday.com or on X: @brookeofstars.
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