Bradenton, North Port among fastest-growing cities in Florida

New U.S. Census Bureau data show North Port ranks fourth and Bradenton ranks sixth among the fastest-growing cities in Florida. North Port landed at No. 41 overall in U.S. rankings and Bradenton, at 46.

Between 2014 and 2015, both cities saw population increases of 3.2 percent. North Port’s increase of about 2,000 people brought its population count to 62,345. Bradenton grew by more than 1,600 residents, from 52,770 to 54,437.

North Port approved roughly 20,000 home sites in its West Villages Improvement District and about 1,000 have already been constructed. North Port public information officer Josh Taylor said three major developers, Lennar Homes, Pulte Homes and Mattamy Homes, contributes to the significant growth. In fiscal year 2013-2014, the city approved 505 residential building permits. In ‘14-’15, the number of permits rose to 758.

And “15-16 is expected to surpass the previous year,” Taylor said in an email.

The data measure population changes in incorporated areas of 50,000 residents or more between July 2014 and July 2015. It is based on the most recent census, along with births, deaths and migration.

Between 2014 and 2015, Anna Maria Island cities saw little growth. Altogether, the towns of Anna Maria, Bradenton Beach, Holmes Beach and Longboat Key grew by a mere 288 people. The city of Palmetto added 165 in the same time period. The rest of Manatee County grew at a quick clip and easily surpassed Sarasota County growth in the one-year period.

Overall, Manatee County grew by more than 11,500 residents in the one-year period and by 12 percent, or almost 40,000 people, since 2010. Sarasota County’s population grew by just over 8,500 since 2014, and by 7 percent since 2010.

Sarasota County’s 2015 population, 405,459 still outpaced Manatee County’s, 363,369, by 42,000 people.

In Manatee County, total new home construction jumped in 2015. Through November, the county had issued about 1,930 permits for new single-family homes. That is about 10 percent more than at the same time in 2013 and 2014, the Herald has reported. Much of the growth has occurred in unincorporated areas of East Manatee, including Lakewood Ranch.

This story was originally published May 19, 2016 at 2:29 PM with the headline "Bradenton, North Port among fastest-growing cities in Florida."