Not too long ago, you could comfortably say that Florida was growing by 1,000 people a day. You could say that because it was true. When the pandemic hit, Florida became the fastest-growing state in the country.
Not anymore. From July 1, 2024, to June 30, 2025, if you combine net foreign and domestic migration and subtract deaths from births, Florida came in second behind Texas in growth with 196,680 additional people per year — or 539 people a day, according to the U.S. Census.
Compared to a few years ago, fewer Americans are moving to Florida, and more Floridians are leaving. As recently as 2022, Florida saw a net domestic migration high of 310,892. But between July 2024 and June 2025, Florida saw a gain of only 22,517 in net domestic migration. That was good enough only for eighth nationally for a state that's usually No. 1 or close to it. (In net foreign migration, Florida was still first among the states with 178,674, according to the Census.)
"We agree that growth is starting to slow down," says Rich Doty, a demographer with the University of Florida's Bureau of Economic and Business Research, but not to the degree the Census found. "Florida is no longer the bargain it once was. The cost of housing, in particular, is driving young people and retirees to other states. Also, insurance is higher in Florida than most other states."
Other causes: The return-to-office trend crimps the number of people from out-of-state employers working remotely from Florida. The political vibe attracts some to Florida but repels others.
Doty, anecdotally, sees hurricanes — even after a season without a storm — leading some to exit. "I personally know quite a few folks who have sold or are in the process of selling their homes (or vacant lots since their homes were destroyed) long after Helene, Ian, Michael and other catastrophic storms. They waited until they could get a reasonable price for their home/lot."