41 counties · Boom Town Index

Florida

Avg BTI Score
35 / 100
Population
21.8M
+2.4% avg growth
National Rank
#44 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 Bay County 94 C+ -1.8% — +2.8% +4.8% 12.5x -1.9% 2.1 15x
02 Putnam County 91 D -0.6% — +1.2% +1.4% 12.7x +1.1% 2.4 10x
03 Leon County 86 C -0.6% — +0.8% +1.9% 8.4x +0.6% 1.8 16x
04 Monroe County 86 B- -0.0% — +0.0% +6.4% 21.8x -2.2% 6.0 19x
05 Okaloosa County 85 C+ -2.1% — +1.1% +3.7% 13.3x -0.6% 2.0 15x
06 Walton County 78 B- -3.2% — +3.9% +3.4% 16.8x -2.2% 2.2 17x
07 Escambia County 70 D -1.2% — +0.8% +2.7% 9.1x +0.7% 2.3 13x
08 Palm Beach County 59 C -0.6% — +1.8% +3.0% 12.5x -2.8% 5.1 14x
09 Alachua County 53 C+ -1.3% — +1.3% +3.8% 8.9x -1.9% 2.4 14x
10 St. Lucie County 46 C -1.2% — +4.1% +3.5% 24.8x -3.1% 5.0 12x
11 Santa Rosa County 46 B -1.1% — +2.5% +3.3% 27.6x +0.1% 1.9 14x
12 Brevard County 42 C -1.4% — +2.0% +3.5% 12.4x -2.6% 3.9 15x
13 Volusia County 42 C+ -1.6% — +2.0% +5.2% 17.0x -3.2% 3.5 15x
14 Flagler County 40 B+ -2.0% — +4.0% +6.1% 30.7x -3.2% 2.7 16x
15 Nassau County 40 C+ -1.0% — +3.4% +1.0% 22.9x -1.6% 2.0 14x
16 Duval County 39 F -2.2% — +1.6% +4.1% 7.3x -2.5% 2.3 16x
17 Miami-Dade County 36 D -1.2% — +2.0% +4.5% 12.1x -2.7% — 13x
18 Seminole County 36 B- -1.3% — +1.4% +3.3% 12.8x -2.8% 3.1 17x
19 Broward County 34 C -1.2% — +1.6% +4.2% 12.7x -4.6% 5.0 14x
20 Polk County 31 C+ -1.7% — +3.9% +3.7% 13.8x -3.5% 4.0 12x
21 Indian River County 30 B- -1.4% — +1.9% +3.4% 16.1x -3.8% 4.7 14x
22 Lake County 27 C+ -1.6% — +3.6% +4.6% 20.5x -3.4% 3.4 13x
23 Martin County 24 B- -0.8% — +1.1% +2.8% 14.5x -4.2% 5.3 16x
24 Sumter County 22 B -2.1% — +4.3% +4.4% 21.8x -1.1% 2.8 18x
25 Clay County 20 B- -2.1% — +1.9% +2.0% 20.1x -1.4% 2.0 14x
26 Columbia County 19 D -1.2% — +1.5% +7.5% 10.6x +0.3% 0.6 11x
27 St. Johns County 18 B+ -1.1% — +5.0% +3.5% 23.9x -3.1% 3.0 19x
28 Pasco County 16 B -2.8% — +3.9% +4.6% 21.0x -3.5% 3.4 13x
29 Hernando County 14 B- -2.7% — +2.7% +4.5% 21.8x -2.8% 3.7 12x
30 Osceola County 14 B- -1.3% — +5.0% +5.7% 23.3x -4.3% 4.5 14x
31 Marion County 13 D -2.4% — +3.2% +4.2% 14.6x -2.7% 2.6 12x
32 Citrus County 12 B -2.5% — +2.4% +2.1% 22.5x -3.0% 3.4 12x
33 Highlands County 11 C -2.5% — +1.8% -1.2% 13.8x -1.8% 4.1 10x
34 Charlotte County 10 A -3.2% — +3.1% +5.7% 21.0x -10.7% 5.1 14x
35 Pinellas County 8 C+ -3.1% — +0.3% +3.4% 11.0x -4.7% 5.0 15x
36 Collier County 7 B+ -2.7% — +2.7% +4.5% 17.8x -5.4% 5.0 16x
37 Lee County 5 C+ -2.7% — +3.1% +4.1% 15.4x -8.1% 5.2 16x
38 Sarasota County 5 B+ -2.8% — +2.4% +3.5% 14.4x -6.9% 4.8 16x
39 Hillsborough County 5 C+ -3.0% — +2.2% +6.0% 9.1x -3.2% 4.3 16x
40 Manatee County 4 B- -2.8% — +3.3% +3.5% 18.2x -6.5% 4.7 16x
41 Orange County 3 C -2.5% — +2.2% +3.5% 8.5x -3.0% 3.0 17x

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