Florida Boom Offers Clues

For those looking for clues on the trajectory of the nation's real estate markets, look no further than bustling central Florida, according to new trend analysis of the region.

In the Census Bureau's newly released 2018 local population estimates, two central Florida metros--Lakeland-Winter Haven and The Villages--were listed as 10 of the fastest-growing metros in the U.S. As Patrick Sisson writes for Curbed, that in itself is an indicator of a "geographic shift" with more Americans moving toward mid-size cities, exurbs, and suburbs.

Last week, the U.S. Census Bureau released its 2018 local population estimates, temporary snapshots ahead of the formal census in 2020, and the cities posting the fastest growth rates came as no surprise: oil towns in Texas, cities and suburbs in tech-forward Utah, and Boise, Idaho, where an influx of cost-crunched Californians has strained the city’s affordability, all ranked high.

TL:DR from today's 2018 Census local population estimates:

Suburbanization marches on.

Suburbs and mid-size metros grew fastest in 2018. Small rural uptick. Biggest metros shrank. Let's dig deeper. (thread) pic.twitter.com/d4GLPAoVfC
— Jed Kolko (@JedKolko) April 18, 2019