Glance at Florida

Florida is the third-most-populous U.S. state, with roughly 23 million residents as of July 1, 2024. Its largest urban centers—Jacksonville (about 1,009,833 residents), Miami (about 464,655), Tampa (about 413,657), and Orlando (about 329,347)—anchor a diverse economy spanning tourism, trade, aerospace, health care, logistics, and a rapidly developing technology sector.

Geography and climate. Florida spans about 170,312 km². The state’s average annual temperature is ~22.77 °C, with a range from humid subtropical in the north and central regions—hot, humid summers and mild winters—to tropical in South Florida and the Keys, where warm weather persists year-round and wet/dry seasons are distinct. Ocean waters along both the Atlantic and Gulf coasts are typically in the mid-20s °C for much of the year, peaking higher in summer and dipping modestly in winter (coolest in the Panhandle). Day to day, most residents get by with light clothing year-round, a light jacket or sweater is handy for strong air-conditioning and the occasional cool downs, especially in North Florida.

Small-business landscape. Florida has one of the largest small-business ecosystems in the country. In 2025, the Small Business Administration counted about 3.5 million small businesses employing roughly 3.8 million people. Recent federal data show Florida among the national leaders in new business applications, reflecting strong entrepreneurial activity across the state’s metros and counties.

Taxes. The state maintains a low overall tax burden. The statewide sales tax is 6%, counties may add a 0.5%–1.5% discretionary surtax, and the state repealed the sales tax on commercial real-property rent effective October 1, 2025. The corporate income tax rate is 5.5%, and there is no state personal income tax.

Real estate. Recent data show Florida homes taking about 79 days to go under contract, while statewide median sale prices have hovered in the low $400,000s in 2025. Local medians vary—for example, September 2025 medians were about $410,000 in Tampa, $605,000 in Miami, and $305,000 in Jacksonville.