Print ArticleThe 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.
1970
Downtown Orlando in 1969. State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory, http://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, http://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
2 Comments so far
Jump into the conversation