Palm Coast Adds More Residents than Miami over the Last Seven Years

Recent reports of Florida’s stagnated or negative growth are just not true according to a University of Florida study.

November 8, 2007 – Palm Coast, FL – Florida’s population growth has slowed considerably, but remains relatively strong, according to the University of Florida (UF). The UF study also predicts that Florida’s population growth will remain relatively strong for the next few years. After a four years annual population growth of about 400,000, Florida’s population growth dipped to 331,000 additional residents between April 2006 and April 2007.

Stan Smith, director of UF’s Bureau of Economic & Business Research says, “There have been a number of news articles lately focusing on the idea that population growth has fallen off the table top in Florida and practically come to a standstill, and that simply isn’t true. Florida has a strong economy and adds jobs every year. That is a major factor in last year still being a big year for population growth, even though it was less than in the previous three years.” Contributing factors were job growth and the continuing influx of retirees and immigrants. Florida attracts about 8 or 9 percent of total immigrants yearly.

The figures released this week show Florida’s recent annual growth estimates as:

• 331,000 between 2006 and 2007
• 431,000 between 2005 and 2006
• 402,000 from 2004 to 2005
• 448,000 between 20003 and 2004

As of April, 2007, Florida’s population was estimated to be 18,680,367.

Flagler County grew the fastest over the seven years, increasing 88 percent from 49,832 in 2000 to 93,568. Next in rank were Sumter, which grew 68 percent and Osceola, which was up 54 percent.

Palm Coast ranked sixth on the list of Florida cities that added the most residents between April 2000 and April 2007. Palm Coast’s 37,644 additional residents positioned it above Miami, Tampa, and Fort Lauderdale on the list. Palm Coast’s April 2007 population was estimated to be 70,376.