One American county, known as “the heart of the citrus industry,” now has many people flocking to it in groves.

Haines City in Polk County, Florida — located between Tampa and Orlando — joins a list of several other southern communities experiencing a population boom. Haines City has seen an increase of 30,000 new residents last year, according to US Census Bureau data, snagging the title as one of the “hottest migration destination[s] in the entire country.”

Labeled as “ex-burbs,” these areas are usually 40-60 miles away from major metropolitan cities and can offer more peaceful ways of life and “affordable housing” options. 

Anna, Texas, Fort Mill, South Carolina, and Lebanon, Tennessee, are among the other hot spots that are being lauded for witnessing high population increases. 

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Increasing its population by a third since 2020, and located 45 miles north of Dallas, the city dubbed as “your hometown,” Anna, Texas, shared in a press release earlier this year that its growth could be attributed to location, housing options, and development plans for both residential and commercial.

The population in Fort Mill, South Carolina — home to PuckerButt Pepper Company, the original producer of the world’s hottest peppers — once sat at 24,514, but has seen an increase of 37.2% since 2020, according to a local paper. 

Fort Mill, South Carolinia, has seen its population increase by 37.2% since 2020, according to a local paper.  (Logan Cyrus/AFP via Getty Images)

In the middle of Tennessee, Lebanon grew from 8.9% from July 2023 to July 2024, the population now sitting around 48,000 residents. 

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Katie Worthington Decker, senior vice president of the Lakeland Economic Development Council, offered her explanation as to why “ex-burbs” are booming, specifically in Polk County. 

“The Lakeland-Winter Haven MSA which includes all of Polk County, Florida, has experienced significant growth for many years, but it accelerated over the last four years. We believe that the expedited growth is in part due to pandemic-era policies to expedite the reopening of Florida in comparison to other parts of the country. The diversity of the types of business in Polk County also contributed to our economy bouncing back quickly after 2020, as we aren’t reliant on tourism as many other areas of Florida are,” Decker shared. 

Decker continued, “Polk County’s location in the center of the state offers the same moderate Florida weather but with comparative affordability (median home price is ~100K less than Tampa and Orlando) to our surrounding metro markets, low tax rates, connectivity to other metro market by car, rail or commercial air service, and diverse quality of life offerings from the urban downtown lifestyle in Lakeland, to 55+ communities, to 554 lakes, to numerous areas of farmland acreage.”

COVID-19 brought on the trend of more migration to different communities for anyone who could work from home or anywhere else, in search of lower housing and living costs.  (Stefan Wermuth/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Cited as one of the reasons by the U.S. Census Bureau, COVID-19 brought on the trend of more migration to different communities for anyone who could work from home or anywhere else, in search of lower housing and living costs. 

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Called at the time “zoom towns,” several American cities — like Bend, Oregon, and Asheville, North Carolina — saw large population increases as workers were able to use tools like Zoom to connect with their company and colleagues. 

However, as some major companies reinstate a return to office policy, it’s unknown what the future of working from home, and living in the “ex-burbs,” hold. 

“While return to the office policies could certainly impact those individuals who have chosen to live somewhere and work remote to take advantage of the quality of life, I think Polk County and Central Florida are well-positioned to offer employment to those individuals should they decide to stay,” Decker explained.

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Decker continued, sharing her thoughts on whether returning to the office would be beneficial to both the company and the employer. 

“We personally believe that return to work policies are favorable for the company’s culture as well as for the employees’ long-term career growth. We do, however, also believe employees will continue to demand flexibility and a greater focus on work-life balance when deciding where they work. Those employers that realize that will be more competitive in their recruitment efforts. Polk County has a very limited number of companies who are still fully remote. Even our largest employers competing for national talent quickly reverted back to a full-time or hybrid schedule in the office within a year of the pandemic beginning,” Decker concluded.

With millions of people living in SoFlo, there have to be a few who are going to make it big in Hollywood. Barry Jenkins is one of those few shooting stars. The award-winning director is at the helm of Disney’s newest flick — “Mufasa: The Lion King” — and he even knows our little show!

Barry Jenkins: “I know Deco Drive. I grew up in Miami. I know Deco Drive. Woo!”

Yay! We love you!

Oscar-winning director Barry Jenkins knows a thing or two about the 305 life, and now he’s the leader of the pack in Disney’s “Mufasa: The Lion King.”

Barry Jenkins: “You know, it’s interesting. When I first read the script, I was trying to figure out how this fit with the stories I tell, and ‘Moonlight,’ which we made in Miami and is about Miami, is a perfect example.”

Barry Jenkins: “If I told you I was making a film about a child who has an almost biblical experience in water and then loses a sort of parent figure and must go on this journey and rebuild their lives, I could be talking about ‘Moonlight,’ or I could be talking about ‘Mufasa.’”

“Moonlight,” of course, is the film he directed and won an Academy Award for!

There are similarities with both films, especially with the eyes!

Barry Jenkins: “You know, ‘Moonlight,’ a very Miami movie, involves quite a few close-ups. We didn’t want to shy away from allowing the audience the same intimacy with these lions. We worked with the animators and told them, ahead of time, and told the studio, ‘This is going to be a film where, sometimes, the eyes of these characters really have to communicate nonverbally.’”

Teamwork makes the dream work, and Barry feels Mufasa’s coming-of-age journey.

Barry Jenkins: “It takes a village to raise a child. That was my experience of growing up in our wonderful city, Dade County, the 305.”

OK, what’s your favorite place to eat, like ever?

Barry Jenkins: “Mandolin Aegean Bistro, this little tiny, like this little Mediterranean restaurant. Just on the edge of the Design District. I remember when it was like five tables, and now it’s like this massive courtyard patio. But still, you go in, and the flavors are the same. Get some of that grilled octopus and some plantains. So yeah, I love Mandolin; I highly recommend it.”

“Mufasa: The Lion King” is now playing in theaters.

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