Florida's population grows to 18 million

Here is an interesting article from the front page of the Sarasota Herald Tribune today - according to new estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau Florida added another 321,697 people from 2005 to 2006, pushing the population past 18 million.

Among those fastest growing areas were Sarasota and Manatee counties, which between them have added nearly 93,000 more residents in the past six years. Manatee County's population surged to 313,298, up 7,044 in a year, while Sarasota's reached 369,535, an increase of 4,418.

"Fundamentally, in terms of climate -- even with the hurricanes, insurance rates -- (Florida) is still an attractive location," said Sean Snaith, a business professor and director of the Institute for Economic Competitiveness at the University of Central Florida. "It's not the only place in the country where people are retiring, but it's going to remain a popular place for retirees."

It is interesting to see that despite the higher property insurance rates and property taxes the population of Florida still increased by almost 900 people a day. It looks as though the state government will find a way to provide property insurance and tax relief. This coupled with a 20-25% decline in property values, Florida will again become a great place to move to for people that could not previously afford it.