Nearly 60,000 New Residents Have Moved to Manatee County Since 2020

Manatee County has gained nearly 60,000 residents since 2020, according to a Pioneer Institute analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data.

The influx averages about 32 new neighbors per day over the past five years. Adults aged 75 and older account for roughly one-third of this population growth. That segment outpaces the 23 percent growth rate among new residents aged 20 to 34. The county attracted more people from other Florida counties than from out of state. Sarasota County sent the most new residents to Manatee County, while Hillsborough County experienced the largest net loss of residents to the area.

Financial trends show a shift in resident income levels. Between 2013 and 2019, new residents in Manatee County averaged nearly $118,000 in earnings, while outgoing residents earned just under $86,000, IRS data indicates. Household growth occurred in every income bracket except for the $25,000 to $50,000 range, which saw a decrease of more than 1,700 households. The largest share of growth in 2024 came from residents earning between $100,000 and $150,000, representing 19 percent of the increase.

Shanna Hendricks, 38, recently moved into the Nest Apartments in Bradenton. The 182-unit complex provides affordable workforce housing about 10 minutes from downtown Bradenton. Hendricks works as a behavioral technician for the nonprofit hospital Centerstone. She rents a two-bedroom unit with her son and dog. Hendricks said the housing, built by One Stop Housing, is the only option that allows her to afford living near her workplace. She noted that many acquaintances have left the area and have not returned. "If it wasn't for a place like this, I wouldn't be able to survive out here in Manatee County," she said.

Brody Brilling moved to the area last year after visiting Bradenton and Anna Maria Island for eight or nine years. She lives in a downtown Bradenton apartment near active construction sites. Brilling said long-time locals often express annoyance about the traffic and rising prices caused by the influx of new residents. Although she moved to retire, Brilling expects to be priced out of her current apartment in the coming years.

Krystin Miner, deputy director of historical resources for the Manatee County Clerk of the Circuit Court, noted that waterways have historically driven settlement in the region. The Braden brothers built a sugar mill and dock along the river in the 1840s. Steam companies later offered pleasure cruises from Tampa to areas including Terra Ceia Island and Palmetto. The county population grew from about 34,000 in 1950 to 211,000 by 1990, fueled by tourism and the development of barrier islands into second-home destinations.

Manatee County now has nearly half a million residents. Commissioner George Kruse described the challenge of balancing new growth with the needs of existing residents. He cited the Live Local Act and the rollback of home rule as factors that limit local planning power while incentivizing development. Kruse said local governments often feel forced to react to construction rather than plan for it. "You keep promising people. Don't worry, I'm going to widen your road next," Kruse said. He emphasized that improving roads alone will not keep teachers, police officers, and hospital workers in the county.