IN THE KNOW

In the Know: New 2020 census data has SWFL among fastest growing in US; how many live here now?

Phil Fernandez
Naples Daily News

Earlier this week, we reported that Southwest Florida led the state with in-migration during the pandemic.

Now, new U.S. Census data shows that two of our metro areas are among the nine fastest growing in the nation, at least partly fueled by the surge of residents moving from larger cities during the coronavirus crisis.

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Lee County slotted fifth by swelling 2.5% in 2020 from 2019, and Sarasota placed ninth with 2%, according to a New York Times analysis.

The Austin, Texas area's 3% led the nation, followed by Boise City, Idaho (2.7%) and Polk County (2.7%), the only other Florida spot in the Top 10, among metros with at least 500,000 people in 2019.

Collier County, which based on this week's fresh census stats now has 392,973 inhabitants, falls short of that minimum threshold. However, its 1.8% growth compares to the Charleston, South Carolina area that landed 10th on the list with the same percentage. Working off a smaller base, Charlotte County had about a 2.7% pop.

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Lee topped Southwest Florida with an increase of 18,499 for a total of 790,767. Here's information for the region, which with its 49,790 addition — larger than two cities of Naples — was responsible for about 21% of the state's overall jump in population, based on In the Know research:

► Lee, 790,767 total; 18,499 rise.

► Sarasota, 443,465; 8,459.

► Manatee, 411,219; 8,242.

► Collier, 392,973; 7,056.

► Charlotte, 194,711; 5,042.

► Highlands, 106,639; 749.

► Hendry, 42,813; 744.

► DeSoto, 38,250; 699.

► Glades, 14,198; 284

► Hardee, 26,822; 16.

► Florida, 21.7 million; 241,256.

Residents leaving New Jersey, New York and other states have helped drive the growth in Southwest Florida and the rest of the Peninsula during the pandemic. In the Know previously reported that 19,000 alone moved from Manhattan to the Sunshine State in that time.

Note that the census also revised its 2019 figures. For example, last year, it had Collier's tally at 384,902. It updated that by more than 1,000 to 385,917.

Southwest and Central Florida are outpacing the rest of the Peninsula.

Disney World's home of Central Florida including Orange, Lake, Osceola and Polk counties grew 23.7% the past 10 years, according to a review of the newest figures by Florida International University and NBC.

For Southwest Florida, including Lee and Collier, that's 22.9%. Northeast Florida, including Saint John, Nassau and Duval, 16.3%. And South Florida (Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade), 10.8%.

In the Know found that in the decade, Lee has gained almost 175,000 from 618,754; Collier more than 70,000 from 321,520; Sarasota, just under 65,000 from 379,448; and Charlotte, about 35,000 from 159,978.

In the Know's new columnist, Phil Fernandez. The photo was shot in Naples Daily News studio Thursday, September, 12, 2019.

Lee's current nearly 800,000 isn't that far from the 1990 count of 875,963 for the four I-75 coastal counties combined. Today, they together have almost a million more at 1,821,916. The latter easily exceeds the 2 million mark if you add in Manatee, which has more than doubled in that period.

Look for more census news and other coverage in the Naples Daily News, The News-Press and the rest of the USA TODAY NETWORK in the coming days and weeks.

Based at the Naples Daily News, Columnist Phil Fernandez (pfernandez@gannett.com) writes In the Know as part of the USA TODAY NETWORK. Support Democracy and subscribe to a newspaper.