TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Over the past 10 years, Florida’s seen a population boom. In 2010, the Sunshine State was already a large state. Now, it’s grown more diverse as more and more Americans move to the Sunshine State.
In 2010, Florida had 18,801,310 residents. As of 2020, the U.S. Census Bureau says that number grew to 21,538,187, causing the state to gain a congressional seat as the time to redraw the political map arrives. While the population has grown, the state’s racial make-up has also shifted.
The Census Bureau data, when it comes to race and ethnicity, is a lot like the rest of the personal information it holds: Answers are user-submitted. Since the answers are given by each respondent, it’s based on how people describe themselves.
Keeping that in mind, from 2010 to 2020, the United States and Florida’s populations grew more diverse, Florida even more than the U.S.
In 2010, the U.S. was 54.9% diverse according to the Census data available. Florida was 59.1% diverse by comparison. As shown in the data from the 2020 Census, the U.S. was 61.1% diverse, and Florida was 64.1% diverse, still more than the national percentage.
Breaking it down by the races and ethnicities used in the Census Survey, here’s how Florida’s population changed over the past 10 years.
| Race/Ethnicity | 2010 Population percentage | 2020 Population percentage |
|---|---|---|
| White alone (not Hispanic or Latino) | 57.9% | 51.5% |
| Black or African American alone (not Hispanic or Latino) | 15.2% | 14.5% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone (not Hispanic or Latino) | 0.3% | 0.2% |
| Asian alone (not Hispanic or Latino) | 2.4% | 2.9% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone (not Hispanic or Latino | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| Some Other Race alone (not Hispanic or Latino) | 0.3% | 0.6% |
| Two or more races alone (not Hispanic or Latino) | 1.5% | 3.7% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 22.5% | 26.5% |
In the 10 years between the two Censuses, which counties are the most diverse in Florida has also changed, though the three most diverse counties are unchanged.
| Ranking | 2010 Counties | 2020 Counties |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Broward County | Broward County |
| 2 | Orange County | Orange County |
| 3 | Hillsborough County | Hillsborough County |
| 4 | Osceola County | Duval County |
| 5 | Hendry County | Palm Beach County |
| 6 | Duval County | St. Lucie County |
| 7 | DeSoto County | Polk County |
| 8 | Hamilton County | Seminole County |
| 9 | Palm Beach County | Alachua County |
| 10 | Gadsden County | Leon County |
Overall, the census data shows that across Florida, the number of Hispanic or Latino residents has increased over the last decade, while the number of African American and White Floridians has comparatively decreased.
Metropolitan, big city areas and counties have typically been more diverse, historically. The new 2020 Census data shows that the diversity is not only increasing in counties where it was already present, but spreading across as other counties draw in new residents from across Florida, and from around the U.S.