In 2007, before the Great Recession, voters began to notice the rapid growth of their local counties due to the housing boom.
The “not my backyard” attitude, often referred to as “Nimby,” began among Floridians, and then the housing market crashed.
But now, Florida sees a huge influx of newcomers, and the “Nimby” crowd has been fully revived.
In 2024, in some “red” counties, voters even ousted county commissioners in the GOP primary, even those supported by Trump and DeSantis. This may be a factor in the 2026 local race.
New Building Permit Survey (BPS) figures obtained from the US Census show that several Florida communities have the fastest growing new construction projects in the United States, including construction spending and the number of housing permits issued in each region.
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Here is a list of Florida’s fastest growing regions in 2025.
Number one was Cape Coral Fort Myers. Number 2, okra. The third were Punta Gorda, Lakeland Winter Haven, Napoli Marco Island, Port St. Lucie, Crest Beau Fort Fort Walton Beach Destin and Orlando Kisim Mee Sanford.
Ten or 20 years ago, places like the Walton Beach Destin area of Ocala, Port St. Lucie, Sanford, Lakeland and Crest Beau Fort Fort were known as more rural communities rather than hotspots for people out of town to travel. However, commercial general contractor S-Line contractors see it as positive news that increases the local tax base and provides economic vitality.
“You may feel that the housing market is currently stagnating in many parts of the US, but these cities are opposed to this trend. Many new homes reflect both an increase in housing demand and a willingness to devote the funds needed to develop these areas.”
