Another region of the United States, known as the “heart of the citrus industry,” now has many people flocking to it trees.
Haines City in Polk County, Florida — located between Tampa and Orlando — joins the list of several other southern communities facing population growth. The city of Haines saw an increase of 30,000 new residents last year, according to US Census Bureau data, snagging the title as a “hot spot for immigration.[s] cross country.”
(The city of Haines saw an increase of 30,000 new residents last year, according to US Census Bureau data.)
Labeled the “ex-burbs,” these areas are typically 40-60 miles from major cities and can offer quiet lifestyles and “affordable housing” options.
Anna, TX, Fort Mill, SC and Lebanon, TN are among other hot spots touted for seeing more population growth.
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Increasing its population by a third from 2020, and located 45 miles north of Dallas, the city called “your city,” Anna, TX, shared in a press release earlier this year that its growth may be due to location, housing options, and residential and commercial development plans.
In terms of population growth in Fort Mill, SC – also known as the home of the PuckerButt Pepper Company, the world’s first hot pepper producer – which once stood at 24,514, is now up 37.2% as of 2020, according to the local paper.
Fort Mill, SC, saw its population increase by 37.2% as of 2020, according to the local paper. (LOGAN CYRUS/AFP via Getty Images)
In Middle Tennessee, Lebanon grew by 8.9% from July 2023 to July 2024, the population now sits around 48,000 residents.
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Katy Worthington Decker, Executive Vice President of the Lakeland Economic Development Council, offered her explanation for why the “burbs” are growing, especially in Polk County.
“The Lakeland-Winter Haven MSA that includes all of Polk County, Florida, has experienced significant growth for many years, but has accelerated over the past four years. Florida’s reopening compared to other parts of the country Polk County’s diversity of business types has also contributed to the recovery our economy as soon as 2020, as we are. are not as dependent on tourism as many other areas of Florida are,” Decker said.
Decker continued, “Polk County’s central location offers the same moderate Florida climate but with relative affordability (median home price ~100K less than Tampa and Orlando) in our metro markets, low tax rates, connectivity in another municipality, marketing by car, rail or commercial air service, and the different quality of life offered from urban life in the city. in Lakeland, to 55+ communities, to 554 lakes, so more farmland.”
COVID-19 has brought about a trend of mass migration to different communities for anyone who can work from home or elsewhere, looking for lower housing and living costs. (Stefan Wermuth/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Cited as one of the reasons by the US Census Bureau, COVID-19 has brought a trend of migration to different communities for anyone who can work from home or elsewhere, looking for lower housing and living costs.
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Dubbed at the time “zoom cities,” several American cities – such as Bend, OR and Asheville, NC – saw an increase in population as workers were able to use tools like Zoom to communicate with their company and colleagues.
However, as some large companies are returning to the office policy, it is not known what the future of working from home, and living in the “ex-burbs,” holds.
“While going back to office routines would have an impact on those people who chose to live in one place and work remotely to achieve a better quality of life, I think Polk County and Central Florida are in a good position to provide employment to those people if they decide to. stay,” Decker explained.
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Decker continued, sharing his thoughts on how returning to the office can be beneficial for both the company and the employer.
“We personally believe that return-to-work policies are beneficial to company culture and long-term employee growth. However, we believe that employees will continue to seek flexibility and focus more on work-life balance when deciding where to work. Those employers who realize that they will be able to be more competitive in their recruiting efforts -Polk County has a limited number of companies that have yet to fully transition back to a full-time or mixed-office system within a year of the start of the pandemic,” he concluded. Decker.
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