Today’s Floridians

Florida’s diversity is becoming even greater today. According the U.S. census, in the past decade Florida has grown by over 23%, faster than anyone had ever anticipated.

Compare this to other states.

Only a small percentage of Florida’s population growth has come from its domestic population. The majority of Florida’s growth is attributed to people moving to Florida from other states, followed closely by people moving from other countries.

The percentage of Floridians born in other countries in increasing a rapid rate.

The vast majority of Florida’s foreign-born population comes from the Caribbean, Mexico, Central and South America. Recent history has shown Cuba as having been the greatest contributor to Florida’s population.

The future of the state, while still indicating a high level of immigration from Cuba, indicates that Florida’s immigration may no longer be heavily concentrated in Caribbean.

Florida is currently the 4th most populous state in the country. Projections show Florida will increase to the 3rd most populous state by 2025, with over 20.7 million people. Education, crime, and social welfare issues are sure to become crucial in the growth and development of the state.

Issues such as these have Floridians very concerned about growth. It is ironic that in a state where almost 20% of the population was foreign-born, a recent survey of Floridians* found that roughly 59% of voters felt that the current immigration levels were too high. The majority of respondents stated that they would support a candidate who in turn supported immigration reduction. While a diverse population brings with it a rich resource of culture, it also brings new challenges to a rapidly growing state.

*1999, The Polling Company