A vibrant economy and an influx of news residents and news businesses have helped Florida become the top state for new residents in 2022, according to the latest report from the U.S. Census. Florida’s population increased by 1.9% to 22.2 million between 2021 and 2022, the data show, surpassing Idaho, which led last year. Florida had the second-largest numeric gains, behind Texas.
“For the third most-populous state to also be the fastest growing is notable because it requires significant population gains,” the US Census bureau’s Marc Perry, Luke Rogers and Kristie Wilder said in a press release.
In addition to the influx of new residents, the Sunshine State also touts one of the top states for company relocations, and Florida led the country in new business formations from January 2021 to January 2022, accounting for almost 12% of all new business starts nationwide. Florida also ranked as the top states for foreign business, with Miami and Orlando ranking first and second, respectively, in Financial Times-Nikkei ranking of best US cities for foreign businesses. Florida also touts one of the lowest unemployment rates in the country, with the latest statewide report showing an unemployment rate of only 2.6 percent.
Ron DeSantis announced that Florida’s unemployment rate dropped to 2.6 percent in November, down from 2.7 percent in October. The national unemployment rate stood at 3.7 percent.
“Florida’s private sector employment increased by 28,100 jobs over the month in November 2022, an increase of 0.3 percent. Florida’s total private sector employment increased by 5.2 percent (+420,700 jobs) over the year in November 2022, faster than the national private sector job growth rate of 3.6 percent over the same time period. Florida employers have added jobs for 31 consecutive months in November 2022,” the governor’s office noted.“Florida’s continued success over the past two years is no accident. No matter the challenges, we have stayed on offense,” said DeSantis. “Florida’s economy is outpacing the nation for the second consecutive year because we have invested in our workforce and prioritized keeping Floridians at work and businesses open. As the new year approaches, we will continue investing in our workforce and infrastructure to create jobs and keep our economy moving forward.”
“While D.C. liberals and blue states are still exacerbating their self-inflicted inflation and supply chain woes, Governor DeSantis has continued his charge for Freedom First policies, and as a result Florida is literally hedging against a recession, growing its workforce, supporting new businesses and innovation, and leading the nation’s economic recovery,” said outgoing Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) Sec. Dane Eagle. “People vote with their feet, and folks are running to the free state of Florida as fast as they can.”
Colony Capital relocated its corporate headquarters from Los Angeles to Boca Raton, and despite Disney’s public disagreements with Governor DeSantis on state education reforms, Disney is expected to finalize the transfer of its entire Disney Parks, Experiences and Products division from California to Orlando’s Lake Nona region.
Since 2004, O’Hern has worked with political campaigns in roles ranging from major projects involving nationwide digital marketing for U.S. Presidential candidates, U.S. Congressmen, state governors, and state representatives. O’Hern’s journalism background includes news reporting and editing for various organizations and news publications in Alabama and Florida since 2002. O’Hern graduated from Samford University in Birmingham, Ala with a degree in journalism and a minor in political science.