Florida leads the nation in the number of fast-growing “boomtowns,” with 19 cities in the state included among the 75 highest-ranked communities in a new SmartAsset analysis.
The study examined more than 400 U.S. cities with populations of at least 65,000 and ranked them based on five-year changes in housing units, labor force size and inflation-adjusted economic output. Florida placed ahead of Texas, which had 18 cities on the list.
Palm Coast was Florida’s highest-ranked city, placing sixth nationally. The city recorded a 27% increase in housing units and a 21% increase in its labor force between 2019 and 2024. Flagler County, which was used as a proxy for the city’s economic output, posted compound annual real gross domestic product growth of 6.7%.
North Port ranked 12th nationally after its labor force increased 78%, the largest increase among Florida cities included in the report. The city also recorded a 42% increase in housing units and annual county-level economic growth of 4.8%. Palm Bay followed at No. 14, with housing growth of 19%, labor force growth of 27% and annual economic growth of 5.7%.
Other Florida cities on the list included Fort Myers, Cape Coral, West Palm Beach, Doral, Homestead, Daytona Beach, Tampa, Jacksonville, Lakeland, Kissimmee, Orlando and Melbourne.
Doral recorded some of the strongest growth figures in the state, with housing units increasing 51% and the labor force expanding 54%. Homestead reported housing growth of 47% and labor force growth of 36%.
SmartAsset used Census Bureau data from 2019 and 2024 to calculate labor force and housing growth. County-level economic data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis served as a substitute for city-level output. The report noted that boomtown status reflects expanding economic capacity but does not necessarily mean the benefits of growth are shared equally among residents.
