Author: Andy

The population of France (2021) is 67,413,000. This estimate was produced in May 2021 by the French National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies (Insee).

France is the 20th largest country in the world, the fourth largest country in Europe, and the second largest country in the European Union.

France’s population is growing steadily, and it is today the fastest growing country in the European Union.

How many people live in France today?

When considering how many people live in France, it is important to understand that France itself is divided into two parts – Metropolitan France and the Overseas Departments and Territories of France.

Source: Godefroy

The largest part is known as Metropolitan France. This is the part of France that is actually in Europe. It has a population of 64,570,000.

The other part of France is its overseas departments which, despite being scattered all around the world (see: What Continent is France in?), are considered integral parts of France. Their residents are citizens of France, use the Euro as their currency, and are represented in the French parliament and the European Parliament.

There are five main French overseas departments, which, together with a small number of overseas territories, have a population of 2,119,000. The five French territories are:

Because parts of France are scattered across the world, it is what is known as a Trans-Continental country. See our article ‘What continent is France in?’ for more details.

Population growth in France

France has one of the highest natural population growth rates in the European Union. Although population growth was flat during the first half of the 20th century, its population has been growing steadily ever since and is currently growing at around 0.6% per annum.

France’s population is projected to rise steadily in the next few decades. By 2030, the population is expected to rise to over 70 million and, by 2055 there are likely to be more people living in France than there are living in Germany.

Because of the first and second world wars and the impact of the 1930s Depression in Europe, the population of France did not grow significantly between 1900 and 1945.

The population of France in 1914 was 41.6 million , a high that it was not to reach again until 1950.

The population of France fell by more than 2.5 million during the First World War, to 38.6 million. Although it recovered briefly in the 1920s and early 1930s to 41.5 million, the population was to be decimated again in the late 1930s and during the Second World War.

By 1945, the population of France had dropped again to just 39.6 million people. Renewed confidence after the end of the war saw a dramatic rise in birth rates, and France’s baby boom generation was born.

Ethnic groups in France

Since 1872 a law has been in place which prevents the French Government from collecting data on ethnicity, so official data is not available.

INSEE does, however, collect data on nationality. This showed that, in 2010, 89.7% of people in France were French by birth.

A further 4.4% of people in France were French by acquisition, 5.9% were foreign, and 8.6% were immigrants.

Ethnic French people are descended from a number of European peoples, including Celts, Iberians, Italians, Germans and Greeks. Immigrants into France over the past century mainly come from its former colonies and, more recently, from around the European Union and the globe.

An Institut Montaigne estimate, published in the Economist, argues that the the population of France in 2004 was made up of the following ethnic groups:

Religions in France

France is a secular country, and does not collect data on religion in its census.

However, a number of surveys have been conducted which demonstrate that Christianity remains, by far, the largest religion in France, followed by Islam as France’s second religion.

One of the most recent surveys, undertaken in 2012 by the Institut CSA (Consumer Science & Analytics) reported that 56% of French people regarded themselves as Christians, 32% had no religion, and 6% were Muslims.

This is broadly in line with other surveys undertaken in recent years.

Almost all of the reported Christians in France are Roman Catholic.

Languages in France

French is the official state language of France, and the most widely spoken language. It’s status is protected in the French constitution and it must by law be used in all official communications, as well as in any workplace or commercial communication.

France also has a wide range of regional languages, although none of them have official status. These are spoken as secondary languages, alongside French. They include Celtic languages (such as Breton), German languages (such as Alsatian and French Flemish) and Gallo-Romance languages (such as Languedocien).

Language map of France (source).

A number of additional languages have been introduced into France by immigrants, including Arabic, which is the most widely spoken second language in France, and Berber, a North African language.

There is not much data available about the number of people who speak various languages in France. The most recent available is a 1999 survey by the Institut national de la statistique et des études économiques (INSEE) which indicated that French was the mother tongue of 39.36 million people in France, followed by German dialects (0.97 million) and Arabic (0.94 million)

There are also a number of languages spoken alongside French in its overseas departments.

Education and literacy rate

The public education system in France is divided into primary, secondary and higher education. It is regulated centrally by the Ministry of National Education and teachers and university professors are all state employees.

Attendance at school is compulsory from the age of 6 until the age of 16, although most French children will also attend nursery school from the age of 3 or 4.

Most higher (university) education is state funded, although students do often have to pay a small tuition fee. The fees are set by the state, and the average is €190 per year. Some courses charge slightly higher fees, for example engineering (€620/year) and medicine (€452/year).

There are approximately 2.3 million students in tertiary education in France, a number that is roughly comparable with the UK (2.6 million) and Germany (2.4 million).

Literacy rate in France

Literacy rates in France have not been collected by INSEE since 2004.

Figures from 2003 show that France’s literacy rate is one of the highest in the world, at 99% for both male and female.

There is no reason to suggest that there has been a significant change in these figures since 2003.

Population Density in France

Although France is the second largest country by population in the European Union, it is also the largest country by area in the European Union.

Source: Der Statistiker

This means that France is less densely populated than other European countries with a comparable population, such as the UK or Germany.

The area of Metropolitan France (the part of France in Europe) is 551,695 square kilometres. So, with a total 2016 population of 64,750,000 in Metropolitan France, we can see that Metropolitan France has a population density of 117.37 people per square kilometre.

If we include France’s overseas departments and territories, the area of France increases to 643,801 square kilometres. The population (2016) also increases, to 66,689,000. By dividing 66,689,000 by 643,801, we see that the overall population density of France is 103.57 people per square kilometer.

The population density of France’s overseas departments and territories is far lower than the population of Metropolitican France. It’s population density is just 21.05 people per square kilometer.

Largest cities in France

Paris is the largest city in France. The population of Paris (2012) is 2,240,621 people. It is the fifth largest city in the European Union (after London, Berlin, Madrid and Rome) and the ninth largest city in the tt of Europe.

This is lower than the highest population recorded in Paris, which was 2.9 million people in 1921.

In the wider Paris urban area there is a much larger population of 10,550,350 people. The Paris urban area includes the built up suburbs and areas around the city of Paris, and is the most populous urban area in the European Union.

In the Paris metropolitan area (which includes the city proper, its suburbs, and other urban areas within commenting distance of Paris) there is a population of 12,405,426. This is the second largest metro area in the EU, after London which has a population of 14 million.

Other major cities in France include Marseille (population 852,516), Lyon (496,343), Toulouse (453,317), and Nice (343,619). Here is a list of the ten largest cities in France by population (based on 2012 data).

Saint-Denis, in Réunion, is the largest city in France’s overseas departments and the 21st largest city in France overall. It has a population of 142,244.

(Saint-Denis in Réunion should not be confused with Saint-Denis in Île-de-France, which is home to 108,274 people and is France’s 37th largest city.)

St Pierre in Reunion is second largest overseas city. It has a population of 81,415.

Other French demographic data

Sex ratio

The overall sex ratio (the ratio of males to females) in France is 0.96 males to every female (2015 estimate).

At birth there are 1.05 males to every female. Aged 65 or over there are 0.75 males to every female.

This is roughly similar to the EU average.

Life expectancy

Overall life expectancy in France is 82 years. This is the highest life expectancy in the European Union and the ninth highest in the world.

Life expectancy for men in France is 78.7 years (sixteenth in the world) and life expectancy for women in France is 85.2 years (fourth in the world).

Median age

The median age in France is 40.9 years.

For French men, the median age is 39.3 years and for French women the median age is 42.4 years.

Birth and death rate

The birth rate and fertility rate in France are both among the highest in the European Union.

The 2015 birth rate in France is 11.9 births per 1,000 population. This is higher than the EU average of 10.1 births per 1,000 population (2014 data).

The 2015 death rate is 9.2 deaths per 1,000 population. This is slightly lower than the EU average of 9.9 deaths per 1,000 population.

Fertility rate

The fertility rate in France is also one of the highest in the European Union. After many years of decline during the 20th century, the fertility rate in 2012 was 2.01 children per woman.

This is considerably higher than the EU average of 1.6 children per woman, and is close to what is known as the replacement rate – the number of children needed to ensure that the population remains stable.

France Diplomatie puts this down to family friendly government policies in France, including benefits and tax allowances for families, and generous maternity and paternity leave policies.

French population pyramid

Here is a French population pyramid, based on 2016 data.

China is home to more than 1.3 billion people, making it the most populous country in the world. That’s roughly one in every five people on the planet.

The population of Tallahassee is 190,894 (latest US Census Bureau data). This makes Tallahassee the 7th largest city in Florida and the 126th largest city in the US. 

Tallahassee is the state capital of Florida, and the county seat of Leon County. Located in North West Florida, the Tallahassee population has grown by 4.7% in the last five years, which is slightly more than the US average of 4.1% but a long way below the Florida average of 7.8%.

The wider Tallahassee metropolitan area, which includes four of Florida’s counties (Gadsden, Jefferson, Leon and Wakulla) has a population of 375,571 people (2014 data).

Tallahassee Population Growth

Although population growth in Tallahassee has slowed over the past five years, it was a boom town in the 1980s, 1990s and early 2000s. In the 1980s, for example, the population grew by 53% – from 81,548 people in 1980 to 124,773 people in 1990.

This was followed by two consecutive decades where growth was more than 20%.

Growth has been slower in recent years (4.7% between 2010 and 2015) and is likely to be slightly over 10% for the period 2010 to 2020.

The table below lists the Tallahassee population for each census year since 1860.

Tallahassee Race Statistics

When it comes to race, the population of Tallahassee differs from the US and Florida averages.

The US Census Bureau reported that in 2010 the White and Hispanic population of Tallahassee was significantly lower than the state average (and national average). By contrast the Black or African American population was significantly higher (around double) the state and national averages.

The table below provides detailed statistics on race in Tallahassee, and compares them to data from the State of Florida and the US as a whole.

Tallahassee Economy / Income Statistics

Per capita income and household income in Tallahassee are both slightly below the Florida average – which, in turn, is slightly below the US average.

Poverty rates, however, are more than double the state and national averages.

Tallahassee Demographics – Education

Tallahassee has the most educated population in Florida – almost half of all residents have a Bachelors degree or higher. This is partly because the city is home to Florida A&M University, and partly because it is the state capital and home to the Florida state government.

The Puerto Rico population is 3,474,182 (latest U.S. Census Bureau data). The number of people living in Puerto Rico has fallen by more than 250,000 people in the last five years.

Puerto Rico is a territory of the United States and not a state in itself. However if Puerto Rico were a state it would be the 30th largest state by population in the USA, sandwiched between Connecticut and Iowa.

The Commonwealth of Puerto Rico is a collection of islands in the eastern Caribbean. It is located to the east of the Dominican Republic, Haiti and Cuba. The capital of Puerto Rico, and its largest city, is San Juan.

People born in Puerto Rico are US citizens, although they do not have voting representation in Congress and are not able to vote in US Presidential elections while they are living in Puerto Rico.

How many people live in Puerto Rico today?

The latest Puerto Rico population data comes from the U.S. Census Bureau. They report that on 1 July 2015 the population was 3,474,182. Data on the 2016 Puerto Rico population will be released in June 2017.

After strong population growth in the 1980s and 1990s the Puerto Rico population has begun to decline.

Puerto Rico Population Decline

The number of people living in Puerto Rico fell by 2.2% between the 2020 10 censuses. Since the 2010 census the rate of population decline has increased further and in the last five years the population has fallen by an additional 6.8%.

CNN puts the rate of migration out of Puerto Rico at 230 people per day.

Today’s population of just under 3.5 million people is still considerably higher than the 3.2 million population of 1980. But, if the population of Puerto Rico continues to fall at anticipated rates, experts believe that the population will fall below 3 million people by 2050.

Research by the Pew Foundation shows that the majority of Puerto Ricans who left for the US mainland went either for job related reasons or for family reasons.

Puerto Rico’s economy has struggled in recent years and its level of debt is high. Analysts are concerned that such a high level of outmigration will make Puerto Rico’s economic and debt problems worse over time.

Largest cities in Puerto Rico

San Juan is the largest city in Puerto Rico. In 2015 the population of San Juan was 355,074 people.

The population of San Juan has, like the rest of Puerto Rico, fallen in recent years. Since the 2010 census it has fallen from 395,136 people to just 355,074 today. That’s a decline of more than 10%.

Other major cities (also known as municipalities) in Puerto Rico include Bayamon (pop: 208,116), Carolina (pop: 176,762), Ponce (166,327) and Caguas (pop: 142,893).

Of these cities only Ponce is outside of the wider San Juan Metropolitan area. Around one in every three people living in Puerto Rico live in the wider San Juan metropolitan area.

Here is a list of the 10 largest cities in Puerto Rico. Population data is from 2010.

Puerto Rican population in US

Today there are more Puerto Rican people living in the rest of the USA than there are living in the islands of Puerto Rico.

The latest US Census bureau estimates (2014) indicate that there are 5,266,738 people of Puerto Rican origin in the United States outside of Puerto Rico. This includes people born in Puerto Rico who emigrated and the descendants of earlier emigrants.

As you can see from the map the New York/New Jersey area and Florida have a high density of Puerto Ricans. Each dot on the map represents 1,000 Puerto Ricans.

At the time of the 2010 census there were 1,070,558 people of Puerto Rican origin in the state of New York (23.15% of Puerto Ricans in the continental USA) and 847,550 people of Puerto Rican origin in Florida (18.33%).

New York City is the city with the largest Puerto Rico population in the world. In 2010 there were 723,621 Puerto Ricans in New York City. The next largest Puerto Rican communities in the continental US are Philadelphia (121,643) and Chicago (102,703).

(Source: Puerto Ricans in the United States).

Puerto Rico population density

Based on the 2015 population estimate, population density in Puerto Rico is 988 people per square mile or 382 people per km².

This makes Puerto Rico the fourth most densely populated state or territory in the USA. It is behind only Washington DC (10,589 people per square mile), New Jersey (1,210 people per square mile) and Rhode Island (1,006 people per square mile).

Puerto Rico is 10 times more densely populated than the United States as a whole.

Puerto Rico demographics

Race in Puerto Rico

The latest available data on the ethnic composition of Puerto Rico is from the 2010 census. This indicated that 99.0% of people living in Puerto Rico were Hispanic or Latino.

A more detailed breakdown from the census clarifies that 75.8% of people in Puerto Rico consider themselves to be white and 12.4% consider themselves to be Black or African-American. A further 8.5% consider themselves to be from another group and 3.3% consider themselves to be of mixed race.

Before Spanish colonists began to colonise the islands in the early 16th century, Puerto Rico was inhabited by the Taino Indians. Historians estimate that the Taino population of Puerto Rico was somewhere between 20,000 and 50,000 people in 1508. Just 40 years later less than a hundred remained on the island.

Religion in Puerto Rico

Because of its historic links to Spain, Roman Catholicism is by far the largest religion in Puerto Rico. However, more recent links with the United States mean that there is a substantial and increasing number of Protestants in Puerto Rico.

Estimates of the breakdown of religious groups in Puerto Rico vary but a recent (2014) study by the Pew Research Centre reported that 56% of Puerto Ricans are Catholic and 33% are Protestant. A further 8% are other Christians and 2% follow another religion.

Puerto Rico is believed to be home to approximately 5,000 Muslims and 3,000 Jews. Puerto Rico has the largest Jewish community in the Caribbean.

Reliable data on the number of people in Puerto Rico who are not religious is not available, although the percentage is believed to be much lower than in other parts of the United States – probably in the range of 2% to 5%.

Languages in Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico has two official languages – Spanish and English.

Spanish is the primary language spoken by the vast majority of people in Puerto Rico. The U.S. Census Bureau reports that, in 2010, 94.9% of people spoke a language other than English at home.

Because of this almost all business, including government business, and education in Puerto Rico is conducted in the Spanish language.

Although many people – perhaps a majority – in Puerto Rico can speak English to some degree the U.S. Census Bureau reports that only around 30% can speak English very well.

In an attempt to improve the territory’s economic prospects and build closer links with the rest of the United States, the government in Puerto Rico is increasing the number of services and documents it provides in English and increasing the amount of English language education.

Although there are obvious practical benefits from increasing the use of English in Puerto Rico, such plans are also controversial. Opponents are concerned that, if not handled well, they could lead to a decline in the use of Spanish.

Puerto Rico life expectancy

Average life expectancy in Puerto Rico is 79.22 years, according to the UN. Female life expectancy in Puerto Rico is 83.17 years. Male life expectancy is 75.19 years.

This average life expectancy is slightly higher than the average US life expectancy, which the UN puts at 78.88 years.

If Puerto Rico were an independent country it would have the 39th highest life expectancy in the world. If Puerto Rico were a US state it would have the 23rd highest life expectancy in the USA.

Sources and further reading

Unless otherwise noted data in this article comes from the US Census Bureau.

The Pew Research Centre has a section on Hispanic trends on its website which often contains interesting articles and data about Puerto Rico.

Another website we recommend visiting is Welcome to Puerto Rico, which provides plenty of background information about the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

Finally the Institute of Statistics of Puerto Rico (Instituto de Estadísticas de Puerto Rico) contains a wealth of demographic information. Note: this site is in Spanish only.

This list of countries by population (2021) contains details of the population of every country and dependent territory in the world today.

The table also predicts what the population of each country will be in 2050. This list of the most populous countries in 2050 was compiled using data from the UN (see below for source).

Countries and territories by population (full table)

If you want to read more about the population of countries in this list, click on the country name to go to a more detailed article. You can also sort the table if you want to see which are the most populated countries in each year, or to see the projected percentage increase between 2016 and 2050.

Source: Data for this list comes from the official UN World Population Prospects Report 2015. They produce regular reports detailing how many people live in each country, and projections for population growth. In compiling this table, we have used the UN’s medium fertility variant to rank the most populated countries in 2017.

The Florida population is 20,612,439 (latest US Census Bureau data). This makes Florida the third largest state in the US by population, after California and Texas.

Florida is a State in the South East of the United States, a peninsula on the Gulf of Mexico. Florida is the fifth fastest growing US state, and the 8th most densely populated state in the US. Its largest city is Jacksonville (population 880,619) and its state capital is Tallahassee (population 190,894).

How many people live in Florida today

The latest US Census Bureau estimate (published in December 2016) puts the population of Florida at 20,612,439. Details of the Florida population 2017 will be published in December 2017.

This is based on data from the 2010 census, when the Florida state population was 18,801,310. Since the census was undertaken, Florida’s population has grown by 7.82%, the fifth largest rate of population growth in the country (see below for more details).

Florida is known as a retirement state and, today, almost one in five (19.1%) of people living in Florida are aged over 65 – that’s the highest proportion of retirees in the country. In one county – Sumter County – more than half of residents are aged over 65!

On the flip side, Florida also has the 8th lowest percentage of young people of any state in the US – only 21.9% of Floridians are aged under 18.

During 2014, Florida passed New York to become the third most populous state in the USA. Assuming that the two states relative positions don’t change, Florida stands to gain an additional seat in the US House of Representatives after the 2020 census.

Largest Cities in Florida

Jacksonville is the largest city in Florida by population, as well as the most populous city in the Southeast USA and the 12th largest city in the United States. In 2016, the population of Jacksonville was 880,619.

Jacksonville, which is spread out over 747 square miles, also holds the distinction of being the largest city by area in the continental United States. (Four Alaskan cities are technically larger because they are part of massive administrative boroughs – Sitka, for example, is four times larger than Jacksonville, covering 2,870.3 square miles).

Other major cities in Florida with a population of more than 500,000 people are Miami, Tampa, Orlando, and St Petersburg. Tallahassee, the state capital of Florida is only its seventh largest city.

The table below contains a list of the largest Florida cities by population.

For more detailed statistics and a full list of the state’s 214 most populous cities, read our article on the largest cities in Florida.

Largest Counties in Florida

Miami-Dade County is the largest county in Florida by population (2,662,874) and Palm Beach County is the largest county by area (2,026 square miles).

The smallest county by population in Florida is Liberty County (pop: 8,331 people) and the smallest county by area is Union County (240 square miles).

St Johns is the richest county in Florida $36,836 per capita income, 2013), while Union County is the poorest ($13,590).

The table below lists the five most populous counties in Florida. If you click on the county name you will be taken to an article about the population of that county.

>>CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT FLORIDA COUNTIES

Florida Population Growth

Florida is one of the fastest growing states in the USA. In the past five years Florida has been the fifth fastest growing state in the nation. Its recent population growth rate of 7.8% is almost double the national average of 4.1%.

In the ten years between the last two censuses, the number of people living in Florida increased by nearly three million people – from 12,982,378 people in 2000 to 18,801,310 people in 2010. That’s an increase of 17.6% over just ten years.

Florida’s impressive growth rate shows no sign of slowing – in the first five years after the 2010 census, Florida has added another million and a half people (that’s a Florida population growth rate of 7.8% win just five years) and moved past 20 million people for the first time.

The table below lists the population of Florida at the time of each US Census since 1830.

Florida Population Density

Florida’s population density (2015) is 378 people per square mile (145 people per km2). Florida’s total land area (which is needed to calculate population density) is 53,625 square miles (138,888 km2).

This makes Florida the 8th most densely populated state in the USA. Pinellas County is the most densely populated county in Florida (3,427 people per square mile).

As you can see from the Florida population density map below, the majority of people in Florida are clustered in a few major cities or along the coast. Unsurprisingly for a state which has the longest coastline in the continental US, more than 75% of the people in Florida live within ten miles of the coast.

Image source: JimIrwin at the English language Wikipedia

Florida Demographics

Ethnicity / Race in Florida

The largest single racial or ethnic group in Florida is White (non-Hispanic) which makes up 55.3% of the population.

This percentage has been decreasing steadily for several decades – down from 77.9% in 1970. If this trend continues, it is likely that Florida will become a non-white majority state within the next decade.

Hispanic or Latino is the next largest single group within Florida (24.5%). Florida’s Hispanic population has been steadily increasing (up from 6.6% in 1970) although growth has slowed since the 2010 census.

Black or African American (16.8%) is the third largest group in the state, followed by Asian (2.8%) and American Indian / Alaska Native (0.5%).

Just under one in five (19.6%) people living in Florida today were born outside of the USA.

Religion in Florida

According to the Pew Research Center, Christianity is the most common religion in Florida. In total, 70% of the population of Florida is believed to be Christian.

Just 6% of people are members of a non-Christian faith – the largest being Jewish (3%). The number of Muslims, Buddhists and Hindus is lower than 1% in each group.

A further 24% of Floridians are not religious.

Protestant Christians are the largest Christian denomination in Florida, making up 40% of the population. Of the total population, 24% of people are reported to be Evangelical Protestants, 14% Mainline Protestants and 8% Historically Black Protestant.

The next largest group of Christians in Florida is Catholic, making up 21% of the population, followed by Mormons (1%) and Jehovah’s Witnesses (1%).

Languages in Florida

English is the most common language in Florida as well as being the official state language.

At the time of the 2010 census, English was the primary language of 73.6% of people in Florida.

Spanish is the next most common language among the Florida population, spoken by 19.54%, followed by French Creole (1.84%).

Florida Life Expectancy

Average life expectancy in Florida is 79.4 years, the 22nd highest in the USA.

Life expectancy varies between different racial or ethnic groups in Florida – from 88.9 years for Asian Americans in Florida down to 75.8 years for Black Floridians.

There is also a wide variation in life expectancy between different parts of the state – the fourth highest disparity in the entire US.

Residents in Collier County, one of the state’s richest counties, can expect to live to 80 years, while those in Baker and Union, two of the poorest counties in the state, have a much lower life expectancy of 68 years.

Sources and further reading

Unless otherwise noted, data in this article comes for the US Census Bureau. Other Florida population resources that we recommend are:

• Florida Office of Economic and Demographic Research
• Florida Demographics Charts
• State of Florida Quick Facts
• Florida Bureau of Economic and Business Research Population Studies Program

The Palm Beach County Population is 1,422,789 (latest US Census Bureau estimate). This makes Palm Beach the 3rd largest county in Florida by population and the 28th largest county in the US.

Located on the East coast of Florida, Palm Beach is the largest county in Florida by area and the 10th largest by population density.

Largest cities in Palm Beach County

West Palm Beach, the county seat, is the largest city in Palm Beach County and the 20th largest city in Florida, with a population of 104,031 in 2014, the latest year for which a formal estimate is available.

Despite being the oldest municipal area in Southern Florida (it was incorporated in 1894, two years before Miami) West Palm Beach is only the 19th largest city in Florida.

Including West Palm Beach, there are seven cities in Palm Beach County with a population of more than 50,000 people. They are listed in the table below.

Note: All data is from 2013, except the population of West Palm Beach, which is from 2014.

Ethnicity / Race in Palm Beach County

White non-Hispanic is the largest single group in Palm Beach County, with 61.6% of the population in 2015. This is a slight drop from the 2010 census figure of 63.7%.

The next largest single group is Hispanic or Latino (17.6%, up from 16.3% in 2010), followed by Black (13.3%, up from 12.6% in 2010) and Asian (5.6%, up from 4.8% in 2010).

Haitians are the largest group of immigrants in Palm Beach, followed by Cubans and Mexicans.

Languages in Hillsborough County

Almost three quarters (73.1%) of people living in Palm Beach speak English as their first language.

Other first languages include Spanish (15.7%), French Creole (4.0%), and French (1.1%).

Economy and Income

Per capita income in Palm Beach County is $33,610. This is the 5th highest in Florida, and significantly higher than the US national average of $27,334.

Palm Beach County Population Density

Although Palm Beach is the largest county in Florida by area (2,034 square miles or 5,268km2), it is not particularly densely populated.

The population density in Palm Beach is 722 people per square mile (279 people per km2) which makes it the 10th most densely populated county in Florida.

Palm Beach County Population Growth

Although population growth in Palm Beach County slowed in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis, it has picked up again in recent years. In 2014, Palm Beach County was the fourth fastest growing county in the state and, in a single year, it added more residents than a number of states, including Michigan and Pennsylvania.

This table lists the Palm Beach County population at the time of each US Census, from 1910 onwards.

Further Reading and Sources

Unless otherwise noted, all data in this article comes from the US Census Bureau.

Other resources we recommend are this Palm Beach County Government page on demographics and this page from the Florida Office of Economic and Demographic Research.

The Hillsborough County population is 1,349,050 (latest US Census Bureau data). This makes it the fourth most populous county in Florida.

Located on the west coast of Florida, Hillsborough is home to the city of Tampa. It is the 12th largest county in Florida by area, and the 6th largest by population density.

Largest cities in Hillsborough County

Tampa is the largest city in Hillsborough County and the third most populous city in Florida. In 2013 (latest available data) the population of Tampa was 347,645.

Tampa is nearly ten times as large as Plant City, the next largest city in Hillsborough County, which is home to just 36,697 people.

There are only three other cities or communities in Hillsborough County with a population of more than 5,000 people. They are Temple Terrace (pop: 25,179), Sun City Center (pop: 19,258) and Hunters Green (pop: 5,056).

Sun City Center is unusual in that it is an age-restricted community. Just 1.9% of the population of Sun City Center is aged under 44 years. It is also unusual in that the population is 98.96% white.

Ethnicity / Race in Hillsborough County

According to 2015 data from the US Census Bureau, the largest single group in Hillsborough County is White non-Hispanic. In 2015 the White non-Hispanic population of Hillsborough County was 51.0%. This is a slight decrease compared to the 2010 census, when the population was 53.7% White non-Hispanic.

Hispanic or Latino is the second largest group, with 27.0% – an increase from 24.9% in 2010.

Black or African American makes up the third group – its population of 17.7% is also an increase, up from 16.7% in 2010 – and Asian is the fourth group with 4.1% of the population, up from 3.4% in 2010.

In total, 15.1% of the people living in Hillsborough County were born outside of the US (2010 data).

Languages in Hillsborough County

English is the primary language in Hillsborough County, spoken by almost a quarter (74.59%) of residents at home.

Spanish (19.52%) is the only other language spoken by more than 1% of the population at home.

Other languages with a notable number of speakers are French Creole (0.56%) and Vietnamese (0.51%).

Economy and Income

Per capita income in Hillsborough County is $27,062. This is just below the US national average of $27,344.

This makes Hillsborough the Florida county closest to the US national average.

Hillsborough County Population Density

Hillsborough is the 6th most densely populated county in Florida, with a 2015 population density of 1,323 people per square mile (511 people per km2).

By area, Hillsborough is Florida’s 12th largest county, with a total area of 1,051 square miles (2,722 km2).

Hillsborough County Population Growth

The population of Hillsborough County has been growing rapidly in recent years, and in fact the rate of population growth increased between 2000 and 2010 (from 19.8% in 2000 to 23.1% in 2010.

In the last year, population growth in Hillsborough was 2.33%. Based on current projections, population growth between 2010 and 2020 is likely to be slightly over 20%.

The table below lists the Hillsborough County population at the time of each census since it was founded in 1834.

Further reading and sources

Unless otherwise noted, data in this article comes from the US Census Bureau, which provides a page detailing its latest estimates.

Other sites we recommend are the Florida Office of Economic and Demographic Research and the official Hillsborough County Government website.

There are 67 counties in Florida. Their population ranges from 2,662,874 people (Miami-Dade County) all the way down to 8,314 people (Liberty County).

The table in this article contains a complete list of Florida counties by population.

It also contains information about the geographical area (size) of each county, its population density, and its per capita income.

Below the table there are sections providing explanations and more detail about the largest and smallest counties in Florida, the most densely populated county, plus the richest and poorest counties in Florida.

As well as articles about individual Florida counties, we also have a detailed article on the overall population of Florida which is updated every year with the latest data. We also have a detailed list of the largest cities in Florida.

Table of Florida Counties by Population

This table lists each county, sorted by population.

A number of counties are highlighted in red – you can click through to read more detailed articles about the number of people who live in these counties and their demographics.

Note: The table has population data from 2013. Where updated population data (e.g., from 2015) is available it has been used in the explanations below. Although the population totals may be slightly different, the rankings have not changed.

Largest County in Florida by population

Miami-Dade County is the largest county in Florida by population. In 2015, its population was 2,693,117.

As well as being the largest county in Florida, Miami-Dade is the seventh largest county in the US,

Located at in South East Florida, Miami-Dade is of course home to the city of Miami, which is also the county seat (capital) of Miami-Dade.

It is home to 900,000 more people than the next most populous county in Florida, Broward County (1,780,172) and double Palm Beach (1,335,187) the third most populous county.

Largest County in Florida by area

Palm Beach County, located in Eastern Florida, is the largest county in Florida by area. Its 2,034 square miles put it slightly ahead of Collier County’s 2,026 square miles.

The two counties couldn’t be more different, however. Palm Beach packs 1.3 million people into its territory – almost four times as many as the 328 thousand people living in Collier County.

Smallest county in Florida

Liberty County is the smallest county in Florida by population. In the far north of the state, Liberty is home to just 8,331 people (2015 data).

The smallest state by area is Union County, also in North Florida. It has an area of just 240 square miles.

Most densely populated county in Florida

Pinellas County is the most densely populated county in Florida.

Despite being the second smallest county in Florida by area (280 square miles) Pinellas is Florida’s sixth largest county by population.

Squeezing 949,827 people into just 280 square miles gives Pinellas County a population density of 3,427 people per square mile.

Richest County in Florida

St Johns is the richest county in Florida, both in terms of per capita income ($36,836) and in terms of median household income ($64,876). (Data from 2009-2013 American Community Survey).

On a count of per capita income, St Johns is also the 87th richest county in the United States.

The county is a popular retirement spot, which goes some way towards explaining its relative wealth.

Poorest County in Florida

By contrast, the poorest county in Florida is Union County, in the north of the state. It has a per capita income of just $13,590.

This low per capita income places Union County in 3,111th place out of 3,143 counties in the US, making it one of the poorest places in the entire country.

The Orange County, Florida, population is 1,288,126 (latest US Census Bureau data. This makes Orange County the fifth largest county in Florida by population and the 34th largest county in the US.

Note: This article is about Orange County, Florida and not its namesake Orange County, California.

Located in eastern Florida, Orange County. It is home to the city of Orlando, and is the fifth most densely populated county in Florida.

Largest cities in Orange County, Florida

Orlando is the county seat, is the largest city in Orange County, with a population of 270,394.

Orlando is also the fourth largest city in Florida, and the 73rd largest city in the United States.

The only other city in Orange County with a population of more than 50,000 people is Alafaya, which had a population of 78,113 at the time of the 2010 census.

Ethnicity / Race in Orange County, Florida

White non-Hispanic (42.6%) is the largest single ethnic group in Orange County.

Hispanic or Latino (29.8%) is the second largest group, followed by Black (22.3%) and Asian (5.6%).

Languages in Orange County, Florida

Just over two thirds (67.4%) of Orange County, Florida, residents speak English as their first language. A further 22.6% speak Spanish as their mother tongue.

Other first languages spoken in the county are French Creole (2.4%), Portuguese (1.2%), Vietnamese (0.9%) and Indian languages (0.8%).

Economy and income

Per capita income in Orange County is $25,490, putting it in 22nd place out of 67 counties in the state rankings.

This is slightly lower than the US average per capita income of $27,334.

Orange County Population Density

Orange County is the fifth most densely populated county in Florida, with 1,249 people per square mile (482 people per km²).

In terms of area, Orange County is the 21st largest county in Florida. Its territory covers 1,003 square miles or 2,598km²).

Orange County Population Growth

Orange County’s population is growing rapidly. In the 20 years from 1990 to 2010 the number of people living in Orange County nearly doubled – from 677,491 people in 1990 to 1,145,956 people in 2010.

The table below lists the population of Orange County, Florida at the time of each US census.

Further reading and sources

Unless otherwise noted, data used in this article comes from the US Census Bureau.

Other resources we recommend this factsheet containing detailed statistics and the Orange County Government ‘Orange Stats’ website.