A Century of Florida's Largest Counties
The Florida landscape has changed dramatically over the last 114 years. Here's a brief look at how the state's major counties have grown over the last century.
1900
Intersection of Bridge (now Broad) and West Bay Streets in Jacksonville in 1900. State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory, https://floridamemory.com/items/show/10986
The 20th Century arrives with Duval and Hillsborough in a race as Florida's largest county. Outside of Key West and Tampa, the state's most populated counties are primarily located in the Panhandle and Northeast Florida.
1. 39,733 - Duval
2. 36,013 - Hillsborough
3. 32,245 - Alachua
4. 28,313 - Escambia
5. 24,403 - Marion
6. 19,887 - Leon
7. 18,006 - Monroe
8. 17,094 - Columbia
9. 16,195 - Jefferson
10. 15,446 - Madison
1910
Tampa's Ybor City in 1910. State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory, https://floridamemory.com/items/show/41939
Despite the rapid rebuilding of Jacksonville in Duval County after the Great Fire of 1901, cigars, phosphate, and citrus provide enough economic push for Hillsborough to become Florida's largest county. Polk County, Hillsborough's neighbor, also cracks the top 10 list for the first time.
1. 78,374 - Hillsborough
2. 75,163 - Duval
3. 38,029 - Escambia
4. 34,305 - Alachua
5. 26,941 - Marion
6. 24,148 - Polk
7. 23,377 - Jackson
8. 22,198 - Gadsden
9. 21,563 - Monroe
10. 19,427 - Leon
1920
Jacksonville's Forsyth Street, looking east from Julia Street, in 1920. State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory, https://floridamemory.com/items/show/41939
Duval County becomes Florida's first to crack 100,000 residents. Hillsborough suffers a set back as the western portion of the county becomes Pinellas. The Panhandle's dominance declines as railroads built by Henry Flagler and Henry Plant fuel rapid population growth in Central and South Florida. Miami-Dade comes out of nowhere, becoming the state's 4th largest county by 1920.
1. 113,540 - Duval
2. 88,257 - Hillsborough
3. 49,386 - Escambia
4. 42,753 - Miami-Dade
5. 38,661 - Polk
6. 31,689 - Alachua
7. 29,821 - Jackson
8. 28,265 - Pinellas
9. 25,434 - Desoto
10. 23,968 - Marion
1930
Pensacola's Plaza Ferdinand in 1930. State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory, https://floridamemory.com/items/show/40411
The Florida land boom fuels rapid growth in Duval County, Central and South Florida, at the expense of the Panhandle. Palm Beach, Orange and Volusia Counties are now on the 10 ten list.
1. 155,503 - Duval
2. 153,519 - Hillsborough
3. 142,955 - Miami-Dade
4. 72,291 - Polk
5. 62,149 - Pinellas
6. 53,594 - Escambia
7. 51,781 - Palm Beach
8. 49,737 - Orange
9. 42,757 - Volusia
10. 34,365 - Alachua
1940
Miami's Bayfront Park in 1940. State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory, https://floridamemory.com/items/show/39987
Miami-Dade pushes past Duval to become Florida's most populous county, heading into World War II and the automobile era. Broward replaces Alachua County as the 10th largest in the state.
1. 267,739 - Miami-Dade
2. 210,143 - Duval
3. 180,148 - Hillsborough
4. 91,852 - Pinellas
5. 86,665 - Polk
6. 79,989 - Palm Beach
7. 74,667 - Escambia
8. 70,074 - Orange
9. 53,710 - Volusia
10. 39,794 - Broward
1950
A monorail proposal for Miami Beach in 1950 that never got off the ground. State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory, https://floridamemory.com/items/show/55347
The age of autocentric suburbia has overtaken the state. Miami-Dade's rapid growth continues, creating a significant gulf between the size of it and Duval County, the state's second largest.
1. 495,084 - Miami-Dade
2. 304,029 - Duval
3. 249,894 - Hillsborough
4. 159,249 - Pinellas
5. 123,997 - Polk
6. 114,950 - Orange
7. 114,688 - Palm Beach
8. 112,706 - Escambia
9. 83,933 - Broward
10. 74,229 - Volusia
1960
Democrat gubernatorial candidate Farris Bryant in lead car in downtown Daytona Beach in 1960. State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory, https://floridamemory.com/items/show/40479
Miami-Dade's population jumps 89% as Fidel Castro's rise to power in Cuba leads to Cubans seeking refuge in Miami. Duval appears to have a firm grasp as the state's second largest county.
1. 935,047 - Miami-Dade
2. 455,411 - Duval
3. 397,788 - Hillsborough
4. 374,665 - Pinellas
5. 333,946 - Broward
6. 263,540 - Orange
7. 228,106 - Palm Beach
8. 195,139 - Polk
9. 173,829 - Escambia
10. 125,319 - Volusia
1970
Downtown Orlando in 1969. State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory, https://floridamemory.com/items/show/97134
Fueled by sprawl, Broward nearly doubles in size over a 10 year period to overtake Duval as Florida's second largest county. Rapid growth in neighboring Miami-Dade continues, as it becomes Florida's first to crack the one million mark. Pinellas, of Florida's smallest counties in land area, surpasses neighbor Hillsborough, becoming the 4th largest. Escambia, home to Pensacola, one of Florida's largest cities 70 years earlier, prepares to fall off the top 10 list.
1. 1,267,792 - Miami-Dade
2. 620,100 - Broward
3. 528,865 - Duval
4. 522,329 - Pinellas
5. 490,265 - Hillsborough
6. 348,753 - Palm Beach
7. 344,311 - Orange
8. 230,006 - Brevard
9. 227,222 - Polk
10. 205,334 - Escambia
1980
The Sunshine Skyway Bridge accident near St. Petersburg in 1980. State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory, https://floridamemory.com/items/show/32083
The 1970's may have been Duval's shakiest decade of the 20th century. While the rest of the state continues to rapidly add residents, growth slows in Duval and it is surpassed by Pinellas, Hillsborough, and Palm Beach Counties. Broward County becomes the second to hit the one million mark and the opening of Disney leads to a jump in Orange County's growth.
1. 1,625,781 - Miami-Dade
2. 1,018,200 - Broward
3. 728,531 - Pinellas
4. 646,960 - Hillsborough
5. 576,863 - Palm Beach
6. 571,003 - Duval
7. 471,016 - Orange
8. 321,652 - Polk
9. 272,959 - Brevard
10. 258,762 - Volusia
1990
Downtown Fort Lauderdale in 1991. State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory, https://floridamemory.com/items/show/244622
The 1990s arrive with Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach, Pinellas, and Hillsborough further distancing themselves from Duval. 19 years after the opening of Walt Disney World, Orange also passes a maturing Duval, despite Duval recovering from the shaky 1970s.
1. 1,937,094 - Miami-Dade
2. 1,255,488 - Broward
3. 863,518 - Palm Beach
4. 851,659 - Pinellas
5. 834,054 - Hillsborough
6. 677,491 - Orange
7. 672,971 - Duval
8. 405,382 - Polk
9. 398,978 - Brevard
10. 370,712 - Volusia
2000
Tampa's city hall in 2008.
The 21st arrives with Miami-Dade becoming Florida's first to crack the 2 million mark. Palm Beach joins Broward in the 1 million club, while Hillsborough comes in a skip and a hop away. Hillsborough surpasses it's neighbor, Pinellas, which is now largely built-out. Volusia falls out of the top 10 list due to a new boomer, Southwest Florida's Lee County.
1. 2,253,362 - Miami-Dade
2. 1,623,018 - Broward
3. 1,131,184 - Palm Beach
4. 998,948 - Hillsborough
5. 921,482 - Pinellas
6. 896,344 - Orange
7. 778,879 - Duval
8. 483,924 - Polk
9. 476,320 - Brevard
10. 440,888 - Lee
2010
Downtown Jacksonville in 2010
Florida now has five counties over the one million mark. Built-out and now home to miles of aging suburbia, Pinellas drops in population, opening a door for slow growing Duval to possibly surpass it by the 2020 census. Booming top 10 newcomer Lee County rapidly passes Polk and Brevard Counties.
1. 2,496,435 - Miami-Dade
2. 1,748,066 - Broward
3. 1,320,134 - Palm Beach
4. 1,229,226 - Hillsborough
5. 1,145,956 - Orange
6. 916,542 - Pinellas
7. 864,263 - Duval
8. 618,754 - Lee
9. 602,095 - Polk
10. 543,376 - Brevard
2013
Downtown Miami in 2013.
While 10 ten positions remain the same, two races are clearly on for the 2020 census. Orange continues to gain on Hillsborough and Duval continues to inch closer to surpassing Pinellas, to become Florida's next county to hit one million.
1. 2,617,176 - Miami-Dade
2. 1,838,844 - Broward
3. 1,372,171 - Palm Beach
4. 1,291,578 - Hillsborough
5. 1,225,267 - Orange
6. 929,048 - Pinellas
7. 885,855 - Duval
8. 661,115 - Lee
9. 623,009 - Polk
10. 550,823 - Brevard
Article by Ennis Davis, AICP. Contact Ennis at edavis@moderncities.com
Intersection of Bridge (now Broad) and West Bay Streets in Jacksonville in 1900. State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory, https://floridamemory.com/items/show/10986
The 20th Century arrives with Duval and Hillsborough in a race as Florida's largest county. Outside of Key West and Tampa, the state's most populated counties are primarily located in the Panhandle and Northeast Florida.
1. 39,733 - Duval
2. 36,013 - Hillsborough
3. 32,245 - Alachua
4. 28,313 - Escambia
5. 24,403 - Marion
6. 19,887 - Leon
7. 18,006 - Monroe
8. 17,094 - Columbia
9. 16,195 - Jefferson
10. 15,446 - Madison
1910
Tampa's Ybor City in 1910. State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory, https://floridamemory.com/items/show/41939
Despite the rapid rebuilding of Jacksonville in Duval County after the Great Fire of 1901, cigars, phosphate, and citrus provide enough economic push for Hillsborough to become Florida's largest county. Polk County, Hillsborough's neighbor, also cracks the top 10 list for the first time.
1. 78,374 - Hillsborough
2. 75,163 - Duval
3. 38,029 - Escambia
4. 34,305 - Alachua
5. 26,941 - Marion
6. 24,148 - Polk
7. 23,377 - Jackson
8. 22,198 - Gadsden
9. 21,563 - Monroe
10. 19,427 - Leon
1920
Jacksonville's Forsyth Street, looking east from Julia Street, in 1920. State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory, https://floridamemory.com/items/show/41939
Duval County becomes Florida's first to crack 100,000 residents. Hillsborough suffers a set back as the western portion of the county becomes Pinellas. The Panhandle's dominance declines as railroads built by Henry Flagler and Henry Plant fuel rapid population growth in Central and South Florida. Miami-Dade comes out of nowhere, becoming the state's 4th largest county by 1920.
1. 113,540 - Duval
2. 88,257 - Hillsborough
3. 49,386 - Escambia
4. 42,753 - Miami-Dade
5. 38,661 - Polk
6. 31,689 - Alachua
7. 29,821 - Jackson
8. 28,265 - Pinellas
9. 25,434 - Desoto
10. 23,968 - Marion
1930
Pensacola's Plaza Ferdinand in 1930. State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory, https://floridamemory.com/items/show/40411
The Florida land boom fuels rapid growth in Duval County, Central and South Florida, at the expense of the Panhandle. Palm Beach, Orange and Volusia Counties are now on the 10 ten list.
1. 155,503 - Duval
2. 153,519 - Hillsborough
3. 142,955 - Miami-Dade
4. 72,291 - Polk
5. 62,149 - Pinellas
6. 53,594 - Escambia
7. 51,781 - Palm Beach
8. 49,737 - Orange
9. 42,757 - Volusia
10. 34,365 - Alachua
1940
Miami's Bayfront Park in 1940. State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory, https://floridamemory.com/items/show/39987
Miami-Dade pushes past Duval to become Florida's most populous county, heading into World War II and the automobile era. Broward replaces Alachua County as the 10th largest in the state.
1. 267,739 - Miami-Dade
2. 210,143 - Duval
3. 180,148 - Hillsborough
4. 91,852 - Pinellas
5. 86,665 - Polk
6. 79,989 - Palm Beach
7. 74,667 - Escambia
8. 70,074 - Orange
9. 53,710 - Volusia
10. 39,794 - Broward
1950
A monorail proposal for Miami Beach in 1950 that never got off the ground. State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory, https://floridamemory.com/items/show/55347
The age of autocentric suburbia has overtaken the state. Miami-Dade's rapid growth continues, creating a significant gulf between the size of it and Duval County, the state's second largest.
1. 495,084 - Miami-Dade
2. 304,029 - Duval
3. 249,894 - Hillsborough
4. 159,249 - Pinellas
5. 123,997 - Polk
6. 114,950 - Orange
7. 114,688 - Palm Beach
8. 112,706 - Escambia
9. 83,933 - Broward
10. 74,229 - Volusia
1960
Democrat gubernatorial candidate Farris Bryant in lead car in downtown Daytona Beach in 1960. State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory, https://floridamemory.com/items/show/40479
Miami-Dade's population jumps 89% as Fidel Castro's rise to power in Cuba leads to Cubans seeking refuge in Miami. Duval appears to have a firm grasp as the state's second largest county.
1. 935,047 - Miami-Dade
2. 455,411 - Duval
3. 397,788 - Hillsborough
4. 374,665 - Pinellas
5. 333,946 - Broward
6. 263,540 - Orange
7. 228,106 - Palm Beach
8. 195,139 - Polk
9. 173,829 - Escambia
10. 125,319 - Volusia
1970
Downtown Orlando in 1969. State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory, https://floridamemory.com/items/show/97134
Fueled by sprawl, Broward nearly doubles in size over a 10 year period to overtake Duval as Florida's second largest county. Rapid growth in neighboring Miami-Dade continues, as it becomes Florida's first to crack the one million mark. Pinellas, of Florida's smallest counties in land area, surpasses neighbor Hillsborough, becoming the 4th largest. Escambia, home to Pensacola, one of Florida's largest cities 70 years earlier, prepares to fall off the top 10 list.
1. 1,267,792 - Miami-Dade
2. 620,100 - Broward
3. 528,865 - Duval
4. 522,329 - Pinellas
5. 490,265 - Hillsborough
6. 348,753 - Palm Beach
7. 344,311 - Orange
8. 230,006 - Brevard
9. 227,222 - Polk
10. 205,334 - Escambia
1980
The Sunshine Skyway Bridge accident near St. Petersburg in 1980. State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory, https://floridamemory.com/items/show/32083
The 1970's may have been Duval's shakiest decade of the 20th century. While the rest of the state continues to rapidly add residents, growth slows in Duval and it is surpassed by Pinellas, Hillsborough, and Palm Beach Counties. Broward County becomes the second to hit the one million mark and the opening of Disney leads to a jump in Orange County's growth.
1. 1,625,781 - Miami-Dade
2. 1,018,200 - Broward
3. 728,531 - Pinellas
4. 646,960 - Hillsborough
5. 576,863 - Palm Beach
6. 571,003 - Duval
7. 471,016 - Orange
8. 321,652 - Polk
9. 272,959 - Brevard
10. 258,762 - Volusia
1990
Downtown Fort Lauderdale in 1991. State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory, https://floridamemory.com/items/show/244622
The 1990s arrive with Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach, Pinellas, and Hillsborough further distancing themselves from Duval. 19 years after the opening of Walt Disney World, Orange also passes a maturing Duval, despite Duval recovering from the shaky 1970s.
1. 1,937,094 - Miami-Dade
2. 1,255,488 - Broward
3. 863,518 - Palm Beach
4. 851,659 - Pinellas
5. 834,054 - Hillsborough
6. 677,491 - Orange
7. 672,971 - Duval
8. 405,382 - Polk
9. 398,978 - Brevard
10. 370,712 - Volusia
2000
Tampa's city hall in 2008.
The 21st arrives with Miami-Dade becoming Florida's first to crack the 2 million mark. Palm Beach joins Broward in the 1 million club, while Hillsborough comes in a skip and a hop away. Hillsborough surpasses it's neighbor, Pinellas, which is now largely built-out. Volusia falls out of the top 10 list due to a new boomer, Southwest Florida's Lee County.
1. 2,253,362 - Miami-Dade
2. 1,623,018 - Broward
3. 1,131,184 - Palm Beach
4. 998,948 - Hillsborough
5. 921,482 - Pinellas
6. 896,344 - Orange
7. 778,879 - Duval
8. 483,924 - Polk
9. 476,320 - Brevard
10. 440,888 - Lee
2010
Downtown Jacksonville in 2010
Florida now has five counties over the one million mark. Built-out and now home to miles of aging suburbia, Pinellas drops in population, opening a door for slow growing Duval to possibly surpass it by the 2020 census. Booming top 10 newcomer Lee County rapidly passes Polk and Brevard Counties.
1. 2,496,435 - Miami-Dade
2. 1,748,066 - Broward
3. 1,320,134 - Palm Beach
4. 1,229,226 - Hillsborough
5. 1,145,956 - Orange
6. 916,542 - Pinellas
7. 864,263 - Duval
8. 618,754 - Lee
9. 602,095 - Polk
10. 543,376 - Brevard
2013
Downtown Miami in 2013.
While 10 ten positions remain the same, two races are clearly on for the 2020 census. Orange continues to gain on Hillsborough and Duval continues to inch closer to surpassing Pinellas, to become Florida's next county to hit one million.
1. 2,617,176 - Miami-Dade
2. 1,838,844 - Broward
3. 1,372,171 - Palm Beach
4. 1,291,578 - Hillsborough
5. 1,225,267 - Orange
6. 929,048 - Pinellas
7. 885,855 - Duval
8. 661,115 - Lee
9. 623,009 - Polk
10. 550,823 - Brevard
Article by Ennis Davis, AICP. Contact Ennis at edavis@moderncities.com