Is being in an area of Florida that’s growing quickly a good thing or a bad thing?
Depends on who you ask.
Some want bigger, more exciting cities like Jacksonville and Miami, while others want peace and quiet like in Kenneth City and South Bay, thank you very much.
But today, we’re going to put opinions aside and look at the cold, hard facts — since 2010, which cities in Florida have grown the fastest.
After getting knee-deep in the Census’s American Community Survey using Saturday Night Science, we emerged with this set of cities in the Sunshine State that have people climbing over each other to get in.
402.9% growth since 2010 · 5,359 net new residents
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
371.9% growth since 2010 · 10,433 net new residents
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
180.2% growth since 2010 · 11,323 net new residents
Located in
Sumter County, Florida
Wildwood is a city in Sumter County, Florida, United States. The population was 3,924 at the 2000 census. According to the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2004 estimates, the city had a population of 3,598.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
177.4% growth since 2010 · 14,077 net new residents
Located in
Lake County, Florida
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
115.2% growth since 2010 · 4,678 net new residents
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
93.0% growth since 2010 · 31,388 net new residents
Located in
Osceola County, Florida
St. Cloud is a city in northern Osceola County, Florida, United States. It is located on the southern shore of East Lake Tohopekaliga in Central Florida, approximately 26 miles southeast of Orlando. The city population was 35,183 in the 2010 census, and 40,918 in the 2013 census estimate. The city is part of the Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford metropolitan area.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
92.5% growth since 2010 · 38,068 net new residents
Located in
Miami-Dade County, Florida
Doral is a city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. One of thirty-four municipalities in the county, it is located just one mile from Miami International Airport and thirteen miles from Downtown Miami. The city regularly hosts in excess of 100,000 people who work in Miami. The City of Doral occupies a land area of 15 square miles bordered on the west by the Ronald Reagan Turnpike, to the north by the Town of Medley, to the east by the Palmetto Expressway and to the South by the City of Sweetwater.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
84.4% growth since 2010 · 7,595 net new residents
Located in
Lake County, Florida
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
79.2% growth since 2010 · 20,712 net new residents
Located in
Lake County, Florida
Clermont is a city in Lake County, Florida, United States, about 22 miles west of Orlando and 22 miles southeast of Leesburg. The population was 30,201 in 2013. The city is residential in character and its economy is centered in retail trade, lodging, and tourism-oriented restaurants and bars. It is part of the Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
72.9% growth since 2010 · 14,439 net new residents
Haines City is a city in Polk County, Florida, United States. Its population was 13,174 at the 2000 census and 20,535 at the 2010 census. It is the third most populous city in Polk County. It is part of the Lakeland-Winter Haven Metropolitan Statistical Area, which, in turn, is considered part of the Tampa Bay Area for some purposes.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
The receipts
Compare the top ten
Pick a metric. The bars rescale. The red line is Florida’s statewide median.
On the map
Where Florida’s growth is happening
Saturday Night Science
Methodology: How We Measured The Fastest Growing Cities In the Sunshine State for 2026
To figure out which cities are growing the most, we used Saturday Night Science to look at the growth rates for cities since the beginning of the decade, according to the American Community Survey put out by the census every year. Specifically:
- Current Population
- Population in 2010
- Growth rate from 2010 to Current (the latest available data, which came out in Dec 2024)
We ranked all 221 Florida cities with a population over 5,000 people from highest growth rate to lowest.
The city with the highest growth rate during this time was crowned the fastest-growing city in the Sunshine State.
And for those of you who are a little rusty with their statistics, you can calculate the growth rate by the following formula: [Current Population – Population 2010] / [Population 2010].
The data has been updated for 2026. This report is our eleventh time ranking the fastest growing cities in Florida.
The full plate
Fastest Growing Places In Florida For 2026
Click any column to sort. Search by city name.
| Rank | City | Population | Population 2010 | Growth | Absolute Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Freeport | 6,689 | 1,330 | 402.9% | 5,359 |
| 2 | Davenport | 13,238 | 2,805 | 371.9% | 10,433 |
| 3 | Wildwood | 17,608 | 6,285 | 180.2% | 11,323 |
| 4 | Groveland | 22,012 | 7,935 | 177.4% | 14,077 |
| 5 | Fruitland Park | 8,740 | 4,062 | 115.2% | 4,678 |
| 6 | St. Cloud | 65,130 | 33,742 | 93.0% | 31,388 |
| 7 | Doral | 79,216 | 41,148 | 92.5% | 38,068 |
| 8 | Minneola | 16,598 | 9,003 | 84.4% | 7,595 |
| 9 | Clermont | 46,853 | 26,141 | 79.2% | 20,712 |
| 10 | Haines City | 34,234 | 19,795 | 72.9% | 14,439 |
| 11 | West Melbourne | 28,795 | 17,170 | 67.7% | 11,625 |
| 12 | Panama City Beach | 18,971 | 11,364 | 66.9% | 7,607 |
| 13 | Winter Haven | 55,200 | 33,127 | 66.6% | 22,073 |
| 14 | Parkland | 37,178 | 22,442 | 65.7% | 14,736 |
| 15 | Mascotte | 7,949 | 4,835 | 64.4% | 3,114 |
| 16 | Newberry | 7,865 | 4,828 | 62.9% | 3,037 |
| 17 | North Port | 84,605 | 51,985 | 62.7% | 32,620 |
| 18 | Dundee | 5,863 | 3,630 | 61.5% | 2,233 |
| 19 | DeLand | 41,611 | 26,444 | 57.4% | 15,167 |
| 20 | Leesburg | 30,807 | 20,138 | 53.0% | 10,669 |
| 21 | Fort Myers | 95,051 | 62,362 | 52.4% | 32,689 |
| 22 | Winter Garden | 47,872 | 31,480 | 52.1% | 16,392 |
| 23 | Homestead | 82,807 | 55,090 | 50.3% | 27,717 |
| 24 | Port St. Lucie | 232,491 | 155,004 | 50.0% | 77,487 |
| 25 | Tavares | 20,463 | 13,682 | 49.6% | 6,781 |
| 26 | Green Cove Springs | 10,044 | 6,774 | 48.3% | 3,270 |
| 27 | Lake Alfred | 7,277 | 4,921 | 47.9% | 2,356 |
| 28 | Zephyrhills | 19,668 | 13,315 | 47.7% | 6,353 |
| 29 | Sweetwater | 20,085 | 13,599 | 47.7% | 6,486 |
| 30 | Apopka | 58,232 | 39,482 | 47.5% | 18,750 |
| 31 | Palm Springs | 27,356 | 18,668 | 46.5% | 8,688 |
| 32 | Cape Coral | 215,536 | 149,787 | 43.9% | 65,749 |
| 33 | Ocoee | 49,033 | 34,134 | 43.6% | 14,899 |
| 34 | Crestview | 28,773 | 20,175 | 42.6% | 8,598 |
| 35 | New Smyrna Beach | 31,974 | 22,540 | 41.9% | 9,434 |
| 36 | Mount Dora | 17,278 | 12,367 | 39.7% | 4,911 |
| 37 | Orange City | 14,372 | 10,316 | 39.3% | 4,056 |
| 38 | Palm Coast | 98,258 | 70,916 | 38.6% | 27,342 |
| 39 | Auburndale | 18,530 | 13,391 | 38.4% | 5,139 |
| 40 | Kissimmee | 81,479 | 59,339 | 37.3% | 22,140 |
| 41 | Orlando | 319,758 | 233,707 | 36.8% | 86,051 |
| 42 | Venice | 27,479 | 20,687 | 32.8% | 6,792 |
| 43 | Palm Beach Gardens | 60,959 | 46,712 | 30.5% | 14,247 |
| 44 | Palm Bay | 130,132 | 100,644 | 29.3% | 29,488 |
| 45 | Niceville | 16,544 | 12,809 | 29.2% | 3,735 |
| 46 | Eustis | 24,119 | 18,689 | 29.1% | 5,430 |
| 47 | Bonita Springs | 55,904 | 43,353 | 29.0% | 12,551 |
| 48 | Belleview | 5,805 | 4,516 | 28.5% | 1,289 |
| 49 | High Springs | 6,544 | 5,189 | 26.1% | 1,355 |
| 50 | Daytona Beach | 78,992 | 62,905 | 25.6% | 16,087 |
| 51 | Royal Palm Beach | 40,344 | 32,209 | 25.3% | 8,135 |
| 52 | Oviedo | 40,599 | 32,439 | 25.2% | 8,160 |
| 53 | West Palm Beach | 122,290 | 97,798 | 25.0% | 24,492 |
| 54 | Lake Mary | 16,860 | 13,553 | 24.4% | 3,307 |
| 55 | Lakeland | 119,961 | 96,623 | 24.2% | 23,338 |
| 56 | Sanford | 63,730 | 51,446 | 23.9% | 12,284 |
| 57 | Maitland | 19,469 | 15,742 | 23.7% | 3,727 |
| 58 | Sebastian | 26,262 | 21,238 | 23.7% | 5,024 |
| 59 | Key Biscayne | 14,791 | 11,982 | 23.4% | 2,809 |
| 60 | Macclenny | 7,748 | 6,279 | 23.4% | 1,469 |
| 61 | Milton | 10,733 | 8,699 | 23.4% | 2,034 |
| 62 | Alachua | 10,743 | 8,708 | 23.4% | 2,035 |
| 63 | Belle Isle | 7,444 | 6,072 | 22.6% | 1,372 |
| 64 | Punta Gorda | 20,278 | 16,570 | 22.4% | 3,708 |
| 65 | Greenacres | 44,373 | 36,261 | 22.4% | 8,112 |
| 66 | Tamarac | 73,019 | 59,796 | 22.1% | 13,223 |
| 67 | Florida City | 12,943 | 10,605 | 22.0% | 2,338 |
| 68 | Miramar | 138,600 | 113,707 | 21.9% | 24,893 |
| 69 | Dade City | 8,152 | 6,707 | 21.5% | 1,445 |
| 70 | Cooper City | 34,660 | 28,657 | 20.9% | 6,003 |
| 71 | Lake Wales | 16,785 | 13,884 | 20.9% | 2,901 |
| 72 | West Miami | 7,162 | 5,934 | 20.7% | 1,228 |
| 73 | Boynton Beach | 81,435 | 67,581 | 20.5% | 13,854 |
| 74 | Tampa | 401,618 | 333,327 | 20.5% | 68,291 |
| 75 | Jacksonville | 977,670 | 811,833 | 20.4% | 165,837 |
| 76 | Brooksville | 9,457 | 7,884 | 20.0% | 1,573 |
| 77 | DeBary | 22,869 | 19,068 | 19.9% | 3,801 |
| 78 | Daytona Beach Shores | 5,188 | 4,336 | 19.6% | 852 |
| 79 | Davie | 108,346 | 90,648 | 19.5% | 17,698 |
| 80 | Plant City | 40,887 | 34,219 | 19.5% | 6,668 |
| 81 | St. Augustine | 15,351 | 12,899 | 19.0% | 2,452 |
| 82 | Riviera Beach | 38,657 | 32,487 | 19.0% | 6,170 |
| 83 | Rockledge | 29,133 | 24,503 | 18.9% | 4,630 |
| 84 | Stuart | 18,520 | 15,589 | 18.8% | 2,931 |
| 85 | Ocala | 66,584 | 56,051 | 18.8% | 10,533 |
| 86 | Bartow | 20,438 | 17,230 | 18.6% | 3,208 |
| 87 | Lady Lake | 16,675 | 14,074 | 18.5% | 2,601 |
| 88 | Lantana | 12,256 | 10,348 | 18.4% | 1,908 |
| 89 | Aventura | 39,885 | 33,772 | 18.1% | 6,113 |
| 90 | Boca Raton | 100,234 | 85,084 | 17.8% | 15,150 |
| 91 | Miami | 459,745 | 391,458 | 17.4% | 68,287 |
| 92 | Cutler Bay | 45,070 | 38,409 | 17.3% | 6,661 |
| 93 | Fernandina Beach | 13,420 | 11,445 | 17.3% | 1,975 |
| 94 | Gainesville | 145,702 | 124,271 | 17.2% | 21,431 |
| 95 | Jupiter | 61,883 | 52,854 | 17.1% | 9,029 |
| 96 | Winter Springs | 38,951 | 33,283 | 17.0% | 5,668 |
| 97 | Deerfield Beach | 88,093 | 75,276 | 17.0% | 12,817 |
| 98 | Port Orange | 64,767 | 55,497 | 16.7% | 9,270 |
| 99 | Marathon | 9,914 | 8,498 | 16.7% | 1,416 |
| 100 | Longwood | 16,337 | 14,039 | 16.4% | 2,298 |
Source: U.S. Census ACS, 2010-current. 221 Florida cities with more than 5,000 residents.
Summary
Summary: These Places Grew Up So Fast In Florida, You Know?
So there you have it, the fastest growing cities in Florida are led by Freeport which has been growing at a blistering pace this decade relative to other cities and towns around the state.
The fastest-growing cities in Florida are Freeport, Davenport, Wildwood, Groveland, Fruitland Park, St. Cloud, Doral, Minneola, Clermont, and Haines City.
It’ll be interesting to see if these places can keep growing at the same rate over the next couple of years. We’ll be here to let you know!
