Florida is the third-most populous state in the United States. Its residents include people from a wide variety of ethnic, racial, national and religious backgrounds. The state has attracted immigrants, particularly from Latin America.[8] Florida's majority ethnic group are European Americans, with approximately 65% of the population identifying as White. National ethnic communities in the state include Cubans, who migrated en masse following the revolution in the mid 20th century. They have been joined by other immigrants from Latin America, and Spanish is spoken by more than 20% of the state's population, with high usage especially in the Miami-Dade County area.
Between the 2010 and 2020 census, the population of the state overall did increase. 50 counties in Florida would experience population growth while 17 counties saw their populations decline. Most of Florida's population lives in urban areas as in the 2020 census, close to 97% of people in Florida resided in metropolitan areas.[9] Florida in the 2022 US Census estimate was the fastest growing state in terms of population and the first time it was the fastest growing since 1957.[10] In the 2020 census Florida had a population density of 401.4 people per square mile.[11]
Population
Florida's metropolitan areas and major citiesFlorida's population density per square mileFlorida ancestry map
With a population getting close to 23 million people according to the 2023 US Census estimates,[7][12] Florida is the most populous state in the Southeastern United States, and the second-most populous state in the South behind Texas. Within the United States, it contains the highest percentage of people over 65 (17.3%), and the 8th fewest people under 18 (21.9%).[13][bettersourceneeded] Florida's population growth primarily comes from those moving to the state. The rate of natural change of births and deaths is "typically flat" and actually had negative natural population change in 2020.[12] The 2022 US Census estimate found the largest age group moving to Florida were those from 60 and 69 years old with the second largest age group being those from 50 to 59 years old.[14]
The 2020 Census reported there were 9,865,350 housing units in Florida. Most housing units (86.5%) were reported as being occupied and 13.5% were reported as being vacant.[16]
Of those which were occupied, 65.1% were occupied by owners while 34.9% by renters.[16]
For homes which were vacant the most common category was "For seasonal, recreational, or occasional use" which made up 6.8% of all homes categorized as vacant. Most homes which were for sale or for rent were still occupied.[16]
Housing in Florida by occupancy classification according to the 2010 and 2020 US Censuses
There were 8,529,067 households in Florida in the 2020 Census and they were most commonly married couples which made up 45.6% of households in Florida.[16]
Political
According to the Florida Department of State, as of June 30, 2025, Republicans have a majority over Democrats in voter registration, with 5,509,500 registered voters compared to the 4,192,786 registered voters that are registered Democrat, while 3,438,211 are registered identify as having no party affiliation.[19]
According to the 2020 census, the racial distributions was as follows; 51.5% Non-Hispanic White, 26.6% of the population are Hispanics or Latino (of any race), 14.5% African American, 0.4% Native American, 3.0% Asian, 0.6% 'some other race,' and 3.7% multiracial.
Map of counties in Florida by racial plurality, per the 2020 US Census
Non-Hispanic White
30–40%
40–50%
50–60%
60–70%
70–80%
80–90%
Hispanic or Latino
50–60%
60–70%
Black or African American
50–60%
2010 census
According to the 2010 census, the racial distributions was as follows; 57.9% Non-Hispanic White, 22.5% of the population were Hispanic or Latino (of any race), 15.2% African American (includes Afro-Caribbeans), 2.4% Asian, 0.3% Native American, 0.3% "some other race," and 1.5% multiracial.[20] Florida has the second largest African-American population in the country, after Texas, & has the highest Latino population on the East Coast. Its ethnic Asian population has grown rapidly since the late 1990s; the majority are Indians (222,576), Filipinos (188,834), Vietnamese (108,825) and ethnic Chinese (142,652). The state has some federally recognized Native American tribes, such as the Seminoles in the southeastern part of the state.[21]
According to the 2021 US Census Bureau estimates, Florida's population was 56.1% White (51.1% Non-Hispanic White), 15.1% Black or African American, 2.9% Asian, 0.3% Native American and Alaskan Native, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 6.5% Some Other Race, and 19.1% from two or more races.[22] The White population continues to remain the largest racial category as a high percentage of Hispanics in Florida identify as White (18.4%) with others identifying as Some Other Race (21.9%), Multiracial (57.0%), Black (1.7%), American Indian and Alaskan Native (0.2%), Asian (0.1%), and Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (0.1%).[22] By ethnicity, 26.8% of the total population is Hispanic-Latino (of any race) and 73.2% is Non-Hispanic (of any race). If treated as a separate category, Hispanics are the largest minority group in Florida. The White Non-Hispanic Percent of the Population of the State of Florida per 2024 ACS Data is 49.072%, making Florida a Majority-Minority State. [22]
Florida residents identify as mostly of various Protestant groups. Roman Catholics make up the single largest denomination in the state. Florida residents' current religious affiliations are shown in the table below:[47]
There were 1.6 million veterans in Florida in 2010, representing 8% of the total population.[48] Florida has one of the largest veteran populations in the United States, ranking third nationally behind California and Texas. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs suggests there were 1,430,000 veterans in Florida during 2023 with the majority of the veteran population being male, being 1,265,000 male veterans to 168,000 female veterans.[49]
Homelessness
The Florida Council on Homelessness reported that in 2023, the state had 30,809 individuals experiencing homelessness on a single night. Approximately half of this population was unsheltered, not fit for suitable living conditions. According to The Florida Council on Homelessness there is a significant disparity among the Black population being represented in the homelessness population.[50]
Migration
In 2013, most net migrants come from 1) New York, 2) New Jersey, 3) Pennsylvania, and 4) the Midwestern United States; emigration is higher from these same states. For example, about 50,000 moved to New York; but more than 50,000 people moved from New York to Florida.[51] Florida's population growth is influenced by international migration, as of 2021, over 21% of the state's population was foreign-born, with 60.2% being naturalized U.S. citizens. The largest number of international migration residents come from from Latin America, making up over 75% of this population. [52]
Education
In 2023, approximately 34.9% of Florida's population aged 25 years and older held a bachelor's degree or higher. This figure is slightly below the national average at 36.2%, while 66.2% students over the age of 3 years and older were enrolled in school, being slightly below the national average at 67.8%.[53] Educational attainment among Florida's adult population has shown a slow increase over the years as in 2023, 33.2% of Florida's population aged 25 and older had earned a Bachelor's degree or higher, representing an upward trend in educational attainment, although the increase varies significantly across different counties.[54]
References
↑ "Census Counts: 1830-2020". Florida County Population Census Counts: 1830 to 2020. Office of Economic and Demographic Research, The Florida Legislature. 2023. Archived from the original on April 4, 2022. Retrieved June 11, 2023.
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