2010 Census and The State of Florida
The United States Constitution mandates that a census be taken every ten years in order to apportion the number of members of the United States House of Representatives
among the several states. Census statistics are also used in order to
apportion federal funding for many social and economic programs.
The 2010 Census represented the most massive participation movement ever
witnessed in our country. Approximately 74 percent of the households
returned their census forms by mail; the remaining households were counted by census workers walking neighborhoods throughout the United States. National and state population totals from the 2010 Census were released on December 21, 2010. Redistricting data, which include additional state, county and local counts, will be released starting in February 2011.
U.S. Census Bureau, 2010 Census Data: http://2010.census.gov/2010census/data
2010 Census Results - Florida
Population
Florida gained 2.8 million people in the past decade, which is the equivalent of the entire state of Kansas. According to 2010 Census data, the total population in the State of Florida is 18,801,310 people,
trailed only Texas and California with its population increase.
The population in Florida makes up 6.08% of the United States total of 308,745,538 people.The Sunshine State remains the fourth largest state in the country and is trailing the 3rd state, New York, by only a small margin.
 Florida Population Changes, 2010 Census
Apportionment
As a result of
the increase in population from 2010 census data, Florida will gain two
congressional seats. There are 25
U.S. House of Representatives seats now, and Florida will have 27 beginning with the
2012 elections.
There was a net shift of 12 congressional seats affecting
18 different states. In addition to Florida, other states that
gained seats were Arizona, Georgia, Nevada, South Carolina, Utah,
Washington and Texas. The state of Texas gained four seats, Florida now has two and the other six each added one. Ten states lost seats: Illinois, Iowa, Louisiana, Massachusetts,
Michigan, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania. New York
and Ohio each lost two while the others each lost one seat.
With the increase of population in the state of Florida, the Legislature has begun drawing new lines for our representatives in state and federal government. You can learn more about redistricting process on our 2012 Redistricting information page.
Census Apportionment Map
Electoral Votes In Florida
The Sunshine State will have 29 electoral votes in the 2012
presidential election, up from 27 in 2008. This makes it the only state,
other than Texas, to gain more than one. Florida has gained at least one
electoral vote in every Census since 1930.
Tied for third in the nation behind California and Texas for states with the highest number of electoral votes, the Sunshine State will have even more influence in presidential elections with 29 electoral votes.
More information about electoral votes in Florida can be found on our Electoral College information page.
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