41 counties · Boom Town Index

Florida

Avg BTI Score
48 / 100
Population
21.8M
+2.4% avg growth
National Rank
#30 of 51

State Overview

Florida's economy in 2025-2026 is experiencing a moderation in its rapid growth, transitioning from a post-pandemic surge to a more sustainable pace. The state's gross domestic product reached $1.85 trillion in the third quarter of 2025, making it the top state for economic growth nationally. However, forecasts indicate a slowdown in GDP growth to 2.7% in 2026, further decreasing to 1.9% by 2035. This shift is influenced by factors such as moderating consumer spending, a softening labor market, and strains on housing affordability. Despite this, Florida continues to attract corporate relocations, particularly in South Florida, driven by the absence of a state personal income tax and a business-friendly regulatory environment.

The housing market is evolving from a seller's market towards a more balanced environment, with expanding inventory and stabilizing, or in some cases slightly softening, median prices. Mortgage rates, while still elevated, have shown some stabilization, which may encourage more buyers to enter the market. Population growth remains a key driver, with Florida ranking second nationally for inbound moves in 2025, according to U-Haul data, trailing only Texas. Cities like Ocala, North Port, and Kissimmee are experiencing significant inbound migration. Infrastructure projects, particularly in transportation and aerospace, are receiving substantial investment to support this continued population and economic expansion.

Median Household Income
$73,533
State median across 41 counties
Median Home Value
$351,200
Income-to-home ratio: 0.22
Building Permits
174,893
Total residential permits
Natural Amenity
9.5 / 10
#8 of 49 · USDA scale

Florida Counties

41 counties
Rank County BTI Score Safety Proj. Growth GDP Pop Growth Income Ratio Home Price Climate P/R
01 Martin County 99 B- -0.0% — +1.1% +2.8% 14.5x -0.4% 5.3 16x
02 Palm Beach County 99 C +0.3% — +1.8% +3.0% 12.5x +1.2% 5.1 14x
03 Monroe County 93 B- +0.2% — +0.0% +6.4% 21.7x +1.1% 6.0 18x
04 Walton County 89 B- -1.9% — +3.9% +3.4% 16.8x +0.4% 2.2 18x
05 St. Lucie County 88 C -1.3% — +4.1% +3.5% 24.8x -1.3% 5.0 12x
06 Sumter County 86 B -1.2% — +4.3% +4.4% 21.7x -0.8% 2.8 19x
07 Flagler County 84 B+ -1.2% — +4.0% +6.1% 30.6x -1.0% 2.7 16x
08 Columbia County 82 D +0.1% — +1.5% +7.5% 10.6x +0.1% 0.6 11x
09 Pinellas County 80 C+ -1.6% — +0.3% +3.4% 10.9x -0.8% 5.0 15x
10 Collier County 73 B+ -1.7% — +2.7% +4.5% 17.8x -2.4% 5.0 18x
11 Seminole County 72 B- -0.9% — +1.4% +3.3% 12.8x -0.8% 3.1 17x
12 Polk County 63 C+ -2.4% — +3.9% +3.7% 13.8x -2.4% 4.0 12x
13 Orange County 62 C -0.9% — +2.2% +3.5% 8.5x -1.2% 3.0 17x
14 Volusia County 61 C+ -1.1% — +2.0% +5.2% 17.0x -0.9% 3.5 15x
15 Hernando County 58 B- -1.8% — +2.7% +4.5% 21.8x -2.0% 3.7 12x
16 Escambia County 56 D -0.7% — +0.8% +2.7% 9.1x +1.4% 2.3 13x
17 Broward County 54 C -1.6% — +1.6% +4.2% 12.7x -2.1% 5.0 14x
18 Citrus County 52 B -2.1% — +2.4% +2.1% 22.4x -1.1% 3.4 12x
19 Osceola County 51 B- -2.3% — +5.0% +5.7% 23.3x -3.2% 4.5 15x
20 Leon County 49 C -0.1% — +0.8% +1.9% 8.4x +1.4% 1.8 17x
21 Charlotte County 48 A -1.5% — +3.1% +5.7% 20.9x -4.9% 5.1 15x
22 Highlands County 47 C -1.9% — +1.8% -1.2% 13.8x -1.5% 4.1 11x
23 St. Johns County 46 B+ -1.2% — +5.0% +3.5% 23.9x -1.5% 3.0 20x
24 Lake County 45 C+ -1.7% — +3.6% +4.6% 20.5x -2.3% 3.4 13x
25 Miami-Dade County 43 D +0.2% — +2.0% +4.5% 12.1x -0.0% — 14x
26 Indian River County 38 B- -1.6% — +1.9% +3.4% 16.1x -1.5% 4.7 14x
27 Okaloosa County 33 C+ -0.9% — +1.1% +3.7% 13.3x +0.7% 2.0 15x
28 Duval County 27 F -1.3% — +1.6% +4.1% 7.3x -0.7% 2.3 16x
29 Brevard County 25 C -1.2% — +2.0% +3.5% 12.5x -0.9% 3.9 15x
30 Nassau County 23 C+ -0.4% — +3.4% +1.0% 22.8x +0.2% 2.0 15x
31 Bay County 22 C+ -1.9% — +2.8% +4.8% 12.5x -0.4% 2.1 15x
32 Santa Rosa County 22 B -0.6% — +2.5% +3.3% 27.6x +1.3% 1.9 14x
33 Manatee County 21 B- -2.5% — +3.3% +3.5% 18.1x -3.4% 4.7 16x
34 Alachua County 18 C+ -1.4% — +1.3% +3.8% 8.9x -1.2% 2.4 15x
35 Putnam County 16 D -1.0% — +1.2% +1.4% 12.7x +0.7% 2.4 10x
36 Marion County 14 D -2.9% — +3.2% +4.2% 14.6x -2.3% 2.6 13x
37 Clay County 12 B- -1.2% — +1.9% +2.0% 20.2x -0.6% 2.0 14x
38 Sarasota County 12 B+ -2.4% — +2.4% +3.5% 14.4x -3.0% 4.8 16x
39 Hillsborough County 9 C+ -2.6% — +2.2% +6.0% 9.1x -1.4% 4.3 16x
40 Pasco County 6 B -3.0% — +3.9% +4.6% 21.0x -2.1% 3.4 12x
41 Lee County 5 C+ -3.3% — +3.1% +4.1% 15.4x -4.4% 5.2 16x

Capital Investment in Florida

Tracked Projects · Public Records
$78.6B
Total tracked investment
27,343
Jobs announced
188
Projects across 38 counties

Where the money is going

Data Centers $30.8B 39%
Energy $26.6B 34%
Infrastructure $8.3B 11%
Commercial/Residential $6.2B 8%
Manufacturing $2.7B 3%
Healthcare $1.5B 2%
Other $1.3B 2%
Industrial/Logistics $883M 1%

Top counties by investment

  1. 01 St. Lucie County $14.5B
    6 projects · 1,500 jobs
  2. 02 Seminole County $8.8B
    6 projects · 3,400 jobs
  3. 03 Marion County $6.3B
    6 projects · 245 jobs
  4. 04 Putnam County $4.4B
    6 projects · 1,502 jobs
  5. 05 Polk County $3.7B
    6 projects · 1,000 jobs
  6. 06 Broward County $3.3B
    6 projects

Largest projects in Florida

Project County Amount Status
Sentinel Grove Technology Park (Proposed Data Center)
Timberline Real Estate Partners · Data Centers · 300 jobs
 St. Lucie County $13.5B Proposed
Seminole Electric Cooperative Solar and Storage Projects
Seminole Electric Cooperative, Sumter Electric Cooperative Energy, Suwannee Valley Electric Cooperative · Energy · 3,400 jobs
 Seminole County $7.3B Planned
Stream Data Centers Campus (Project Liberty)
Stream Data Centers · Data Centers · 125 jobs
 Marion County $6.0B Proposed
Fort Meade Data Center Campus
Bohler Places LLC (developer, end-user undisclosed) · Data Centers · 1,000 jobs
 Polk County $2.7B Planned
Outer Beltway Extension & New Shands Bridge
State of Florida · Infrastructure
 Putnam County $2.0B Planned
First Coast Expressway (FCX) - Phase 3
Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) · Infrastructure
 Clay County $1.9B Under Construction
JEA Natural Gas-Fired Power Plant
JEA · Energy
 Duval County $1.6B Planned
Lee Health Capital Improvements
Lee Health · Healthcare · 6,536 jobs
 Lee County $1.5B Planned
→ Methodology · How We Tracked $4T Across 858 Counties

Source: public records, corporate announcements, state EDC filings. Tracking projects with $25M+ in announced investment or 500+ jobs. Some figures are estimates where exact totals weren't disclosed.

Florida shaded relief terrain map
SRTM 30m shaded relief
State Spotlight · 2026-04-29

Florida's growth moderates as housing market rebalances

What's driving growth

Corporate relocations continue to bolster Florida's economy, with companies like Palantir Technologies moving headquarters to Miami and D-Wave Quantum Inc. choosing Boca Raton for its corporate home. These moves are often concentrated in South Florida, including Palm Beach County, and are driven by the state's lack of personal income tax and business-friendly regulations. Northeast Florida, particularly Jacksonville, saw over 2,400 new jobs and nearly $1 billion in capital investment in 2025, with companies like Otto Aerospace and Swisher expanding operations.

Housing market right now

The Florida housing market is shifting toward a more balanced environment in 2025-2026, with expanding inventory and stabilizing median prices. Single-family inventory reached approximately 5.1–5.3 months of supply, nearing market equilibrium, while condo-townhouse inventory is higher, indicating a buyer's market for these properties. The median Florida home price in March 2026 was $420,000, representing a 1.8% year-over-year increase.

Migration patterns

Florida ranked second nationwide for inbound moves in 2025, according to U-Haul's Growth Index, with significant migration from Northeastern and Midwestern states. Ocala maintained its position as the top U.S. growth city in 2025, with North Port and Kissimmee also experiencing high inbound migration. The state's population is projected to increase by approximately 2.6 million people between 2025 and 2035.

Headwinds

Florida's economic growth is forecast to moderate in 2026, aligning more closely with the national average, due to a softening labor market and strains on housing affordability. The unemployment rate is projected to increase from 3.9% in 2025 to a peak of 4.4% in 2027. Some Floridians are leaving the state for economic reasons, including high property and auto insurance costs and unaffordable housing.

Key facts

  • Florida's economy reached $1.85 trillion in Q3 2025, making it the top state for economic growth nationally. (Florida TaxWatch, March 2026)
  • Florida ranked second nationwide for inbound moves in 2025. (U-Haul, January 2026)
  • The median Florida home price in March 2026 was $420,000. (Florida Realtors, April 2026)
  • The state fully repealed the business rent tax, effective October 1, 2025. (FloridaCommerce, January 2026)
  • The Florida Department of Transportation's program for FY 2025-26 totals $13.7 billion for highway, bridge, freight, aviation, and seaport-related work. (The Birmingham Group, March 2026)
Updated 2026-04-29 · grounded research
14 sources
  1. floridapolitics.com
  2. comerica.com
  3. inkl.com
  4. hco.com
  5. iheart.com
  6. cleared4takeoff.com
  7. floridarealtors.org
  8. fdot.gov
  9. govmarketnews.com
  10. jaxusa.org
  11. movingtofloridaguide.com
  12. floridajobs.org
  13. stinson.com
  14. thebirmgroup.com

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