Is being in an area of Florida that’s growing quickly a good thing or a bad thing?
Depends on who you ask.
Some want bigger, more exciting cities like Jacksonville and Miami, while others want peace and quiet like in Kenneth City and Daytona Beach Shores, thank you very much.
But today, we’re going to put opinions aside and look at the cold, hard facts — since 2010, which cities in Florida have grown the fastest.
After getting knee-deep in the Census’s American Community Survey using Saturday Night Science, we emerged with this set of cities in the Sunshine State that have people climbing over each other to get in.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The 10 Fastest Growing Cities In Florida For 2024
What’s the fastest growing city in Florida for 2024? Based on the most recent ACS data, Freeport ranks as the fastest-growing city in Florida. If you happen to be a resident of Freeport, you’re probably not surprised to find it on our list.
If you’re surprised — and you’re wondering why these places are a big deal — keep reading. We’ll tell you what makes each of these 10 places in Florida grow like weeds.
For more Florida state reading:
- Best Places To Live In The United States
- Fastest Growing States In The United States
- Best Places To Live In Florida
- Cheapest Places To Live In Florida
- Most Dangerous Places In Florida
The 10 Fastest Growing Cities In Florida For 2024
1. Freeport
/10
Population: 5,858
Population 2010: 1,330
Percent Growth 340.5%
Absolute Growth: 4,528
More on Freeport: Data | Real Estate
2. Davenport
/10
Population: 10,246
Population 2010: 2,805
Percent Growth 265.3%
Absolute Growth: 7,441
More on Davenport: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
3. Wildwood
/10
Population: 15,735
Population 2010: 6,285
Percent Growth 150.4%
Absolute Growth: 9,450
More on Wildwood: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
4. Groveland
/10
Population: 19,240
Population 2010: 7,935
Percent Growth 142.5%
Absolute Growth: 11,305
More on Groveland: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
5. Fruitland Park
/10
Population: 8,219
Population 2010: 4,062
Percent Growth 102.3%
Absolute Growth: 4,157
More on Fruitland Park: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
6. Doral
/10
Population: 74,891
Population 2010: 41,148
Percent Growth 82.0%
Absolute Growth: 33,743
More on Doral: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
7. St. Cloud
/10
Population: 59,851
Population 2010: 33,742
Percent Growth 77.4%
Absolute Growth: 26,109
More on St. Cloud: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
8. Clermont
/10
Population: 43,266
Population 2010: 26,141
Percent Growth 65.5%
Absolute Growth: 17,125
More on Clermont: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
9. Panama City Beach
/10
Population: 18,281
Population 2010: 11,364
Percent Growth 60.9%
Absolute Growth: 6,917
More on Panama City Beach: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
10. Minneola
/10
Population: 14,406
Population 2010: 9,003
Percent Growth 60.0%
Absolute Growth: 5,403
More on Minneola: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Methodology: How We Measured The Fastest Growing Cities In the Sunshine State for 2024
To figure out which cities are growing the most, we used Saturday Night Science to look at the growth rates for cities since the beginning of the decade, according to the American Community Survey put out by the census every year. Specifically:
- Current Population
- Population in 2010
- Growth rate from 2010 to Current (The latest available data which came out in Dec 2022)
We ranked all 219 Florida cities with a population over 5,000 people from highest growth rate to lowest.
The city with the highest growth rate during this time was crowned the fastest-growing city in the Sunshine State.
And for those of you who are a little rusty with their statistics, you can calculate the growth rate by the following formula:
[Current Population – Population 2010] / [Population 2010]
The data has been updated for 2024. This report is our tenth time ranking the fastest growing cities in Florida.
Here’s a graph of the cities in Florida with the most significant percent increase in population:
Summary: These Places Grew Up So Fast In Florida, You Know?
So there you have it, the fastest growing cities in Florida are led by Freeport which has been growing at a blistering pace this decade relative to other cities and towns around the state.
The fastest-growing cities in Florida are Freeport, Davenport, Wildwood, Groveland, Fruitland Park, Doral, St. Cloud, Clermont, Panama City Beach, and Minneola.
It’ll be interesting to see if these places can keep growing at the same rate over the next couple of years. We’ll be here to let you know!
These places have been growing (or shrinking) the slowest (fastest):
- Fort Myers Beach
- Fort Meade
- Springfield
For more Florida reading, check out:
Fastest Growing Places In Florida For 2024
| Rank | City | Population | Population 2010 | Growth | Absolute Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Freeport | 5,858 | 1,330 | 340.5% | 4,528 |
| 2 | Davenport | 10,246 | 2,805 | 265.3% | 7,441 |
| 3 | Wildwood | 15,735 | 6,285 | 150.4% | 9,450 |
| 4 | Groveland | 19,240 | 7,935 | 142.5% | 11,305 |
| 5 | Fruitland Park | 8,219 | 4,062 | 102.3% | 4,157 |
| 6 | Doral | 74,891 | 41,148 | 82.0% | 33,743 |
| 7 | St. Cloud | 59,851 | 33,742 | 77.4% | 26,109 |
| 8 | Clermont | 43,266 | 26,141 | 65.5% | 17,125 |
| 9 | Panama City Beach | 18,281 | 11,364 | 60.9% | 6,917 |
| 10 | Minneola | 14,406 | 9,003 | 60.0% | 5,403 |