As 2023 inches closer, records and data show the Sunshine State changed a lot in the past year. From overall population to housing and politics, 2022′s impact on Florida was significant.
One of the biggest changes people have probably noticed is housing costs. Data from Zillow shows the typical home price in Florida is now about $400,000.
Rent prices have spiked in most major Florida cities, and so has the average cost of a home. According to Zillow, as of October, the average home price increased by about $60,000 in 2022.
In 2021, the typical home price went up by roughly $68,000 over the course of that year.
The good news is more homes are becoming available for potential buyers, according to Federal Reserve Economic Data.
It’s not just housing that’s changed. Florida, once considered to be the most crucial swing state, is now solid red. For the first time, Republicans outpaced Democrats for voter registration, according to the Florida Division of Elections.
As of this past September, there were roughly 5.2 million registered Republicans, about 4.9 million registered Democrats, and 3.9 million unaffiliated voters.
Records also show more Republicans than Democrats showed up at the polls. For the 2022 general election, about two-thirds of Republicans cast ballots compared to about half of registered Democrats.
Then there’s unemployment. The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity shows the unemployment rate is about 2.6%, which is nearly a full point below the national rate of 3.7%
Florida’s population is also up, with the current numbers standing at over 22,000,000, according to the Florida Office of Economic and Demographic Research.
