ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — State demographers estimate Florida’s population will surpass 22 million residents as soon as 2022.
Forecasts released earlier this month by the Demographic Estimating Conference estimate that Florida will grow an average of 330,000 people a year over the next five years.
With 21.3 million people, Florida is the nation’s third most populous state, trailing only California and Texas.
The U.S. Census Bureau said Florida had the second-biggest population gain in 2018, growing by more than 322,000 residents. Only Texas had bigger growth by adding 379,000 residents.
The bureau uses a methodology different from the Demographic Estimating Conference in Florida.
The Florida demographers says most of the growth to the Sunshine States is coming from people moving to Florida as opposed to a natural increase from births.
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