Florida is a Southern state situated on the Southernmost Point of the US, home to some of the most renowned sandy beaches in the country, beautiful weather, and dozens of attractive places to live or visit.
A good place to begin when considering the interesting facts about Florida is its nickname. It is no secret that Florida is home to some of the best and hottest weather out of all 50 states.
On average, Florida has 237 days of sunshine a year – an attractive proposition for anyone who likes a bit of sunshine, with the climate varying from subtropical in the north and central parts of Florida, to tropical in south Florida.
The average year-round temperature in Florida ranges from 65 to 70F (18.3 to 21C) in the north and 74 to 77F (23.3 to 25C) in the south! Average high temperatures in July are in the 90-95F range (or 32.2C-35C), while average low temperatures in January are in the 40F (4.4C) to 45F (7.2C) range in northern Florida and 60F (15.6C) to 65F (18.3C) range in southern Florida.
47 State of Florida Facts
Florida has always been one of the most popular states in the U.S., and many believe this to be because of the opportunities presented to business owners (large, small, and everything in between), and the abundance of tourism within the state, all stemming from the sheer beauty Florida has to offer with its beaches, parks, and Intracoastal waterways.
Let’s get down to the facts:
1. Florida is home to the most golf courses in the United States – 1,300 of them!
2. A staggering 900+ people move to Florida each day.
3. Florida is the flattest state in the whole of America! It is not home to many hills or mountain ranges, with a mean height of only 100 meters.
4. Florida has many state symbols that represent the state’s past and present. Florida’s official state reptile is the alligator which symbolizes the vast swampland and wilderness found within the state.
5. Florida is home to more toll bridges, toll roads, and causeways than any other state in the U.S.
6. Back to the Alligators of Florida – the famous Florida Everglades are the only place on this planet where both Crocodiles and Alligators live together!
7. Florida is the largest watermelon producer in the United States.
8. The maximum speed limit in Florida is 70 mph, meaning it is against the law to exceed this speed limit no matter where you are in the state.
9. No matter where you are in Florida, you are no more than 60 miles from the next body of saltwater!
10. Situated off the southwest coast of Florida, you’ll find the barrier island of Siesta Key, and more specifically, Siesta Key Beach, which is famous for a multitude of reasons None is more impressive than the 99% pure quartz sand which is always cool to touch, ideal if you want to kick off your flipflops and walk the beach barefooted without burning the soles of your feet! Siesta Key Beach has also been named the #1 beach in the U.S. by a number of travel outlets
11. Florida is home to one of the most iconic cities in the United States, Miami. Boasting a population of over 480,000 in 2020, Miami is the only city in the U.S. that was founded by a woman! She was a local businesswoman named Julia Tuttle, and her influence stems from when she encouraged a developer to extend the new Florida East Coast Railroad to Miami, which subsequently led to the development of modern Miami. As you can see, there are many awesome facts about Miami!
12. Florida is the southernmost point of the United States. You could argue that Hawaii is the southernmost state in the country, and you would be right, but of the continental U.S. states, it is Florida that is the southernmost.
13. The Florida panther is somewhat of a legend, or is it? Realistically it is just a subspecies of the Puma, which can also be identified as a Mountain Lion. However, what makes it so unique is that this is the only known breeding population of puma in the eastern United States. Also, it is famously the official Florida state animal.
14. On the topic of animals, one of the most strange-looking in the world visits the waters of Florida annually between the months of April and October. The Manatee, or, as referred to by many, the sea cow, is a large, fully aquatic herbivore that resembles, you guessed it, a cow in the sea!
15. Central Florida is home to some of the most beautiful places in the state, including the iconic city of Orlando.
16. Another fun fact about Florida is that Florida’s nickname – the Sunshine State is not unique to Florida, with New Mexico’s unofficial nickname being the same. However, most people still associate this nickname with Florida, and rightly so. Learn why Florida is called the Sunshine State.
17. Southwest Florida is a famed location for those seeking a tropical climate, consistent sunshine, beaches, abundant wildlife, and a good time. There are plenty of dangerous swamps, so try to avoid bumping into an American Alligator!
18. Orlando, Florida, is considered the theme park capital of the world.
19. Miami Beach isn’t just a well-known city for lazing around in the sun all day; oh no, the nightlife in Miami Beach is world-famous, with world-class music events every weekend.
20. Florida is a unique place in many ways, but something really special about the state is that it is situated right on a peninsula between the Gulf of Mexico, the Atlantic Ocean, and the Straits of Florida, meaning differing climates and water temperatures depending on where you are in the state.
21. The state bird and flower for Florida are the orange blossom and the mockingbird.
22. Florida’s capital city is Tallahassee, which has the third tallest state capitol building in the U.S.
23. If you are from Florida, you may be referred to as a Floridian.
24. When wandering the streets of Key West, you will probably notice a few strange figures roaming around; chickens, hens, and roosters all inhabit Key West and have been calling it their home for decades. Some locals might find them annoying; however, the feathery friends are mostly considered to be a colorful addition to an already vibrant place.
25. Key West might be addressed as Florida and is a part of the U.S. on paper; however, the group of islands is closer to Cuba than the city of Miami. Being only 90 miles away from Cuba, whilst Miami is a distant 150 miles away!
26. Being so close to Cuba geographically has led to a lot of Cuban influences; much of the food, lifestyle, and culture have been influenced by Cuba, leading to a lot of laid-back locals and some delicious cuisine.
27. Key West is home to one of the most expansive and beautiful coral reefs in the world! The Florida Reef sits below the islands and houses over 1,400 different species of marine life!
28. A total of 42 bridges connect Key West to the mainland of Florida. The Overseas Highway is one of the most scenic and beautiful drives in the US. Established in 1938, it connects keys and coral rock with a 113-mile-long concrete roadway.
29. The Florida state fruit is the orange, which comes as very little surprise when considering that the state produced 2,025,000 tons in the 2022 growing season!
30. Florida is the only state bordering the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean.
31. The Sunshine State’s official state insect is the Zebra Longwing Butterfly, and has been since it was adopted in 1996.
32. If you are into fitness and more specifically, cycling and hiking, then Florida might be just the place for you! There are over 9,200 miles of hiking and bicycling trails and over 4,000 miles of paddling trails!
33 Facts on Florida Infographic
History Facts About Florida
Here are some historical facts about Florida emanating from the historical culture within the state that has been instilled over centuries. Florida was admitted into the union, becoming the 27th state to help contribute to the inception of all 50 United States! Let’s take a look at some more interesting facts about Florida.
When considering the historical facts about Florida, the best place to start would be how it was founded. Florida was originally founded in 1513 by the Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de León, where the first textual records were discovered. Florida was under colonial rule by Spain, France, and Great Britain during the 18th and 19th centuries before becoming an official territory of the United States in 1821; 24 years later, the State of Florida was formed.
Florida has always been known for its diversity, with Native American, European, African American, Hispanic, and many other ethnicities helping shape Florida’s economy, cuisine, architecture, and attitudes. The famous urban graffiti art of Miami’s Wynwood Walls draws a number of artists and visitors from all over the world. Walking and brewery tours are also a big part of this artsy scene.
Circus impresario John Ringling accumulated a stunning collection of European paintings. Creators of this work include Peter Paul Rubens, Marcel Duchamps, and Diego Velazquez, whose art is now housed at the Ringling Museum of Art in Sarasota, FL. Another attraction that can be found at the Ringling complex is the couple’s historic mansion, Ca’ d’Zan, and the Circus Museum, which pays homage to Florida’s historic place in the story of the traveling show.
Economic Facts About Florida
Florida has always had an extremely healthy business climate; however, recent years have seen the state’s economy grow tremendously. Beautiful beaches, attractive landscapes, and consistently good weather make Florida a popular place to live, and the economy remains one of the strongest in the country with an excelling workforce, great infrastructure, access to capital, and low taxes.
Many people who move to Florida do so because it is affordable – the cost of living in paradise is too difficult to turn down for many!
With all the opportunities this presents to businesses and those looking to work in Florida, the state’s economy has been steadily and consistently growing. Here are some economic facts on Florida that prove the state has one of the leading economies in North America.
- Florida’s education system ranks 3rd among all 50 states (US News & World Report 2019).
- Florida ranks 2nd in FISCAL Stability out of all 50 states (US News & World Report 2019).
- Florida ranks 5th in WalletHub’s economic health ranking (2019).
- Florida also ranks 8th in WalletHub’s economic activity ranking (2019).
- Florida’s GDP (Gross Domestic Product) reached $1 trillion in 2018, meaning that if the state of Florida was an independent nation, it would have the 17th largest GDP in the world! More than countries such as Turkey, the Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, and even Switzerland.
- According to Wallethub, Florida is the 6th best state to start a business in – Sept 2018.
- Disney World – According to Disney, the greater Walt Disney World Resort has over 70,000 employees, which is the largest number of people employed by one company in a single location anywhere in the US.
- According to the national park service, the iconic Everglades national park generates on average, over $100 million for the Florida economy each year!
- There is no income tax in Florida.
- The base sales tax rate in Florida is 6%.
- Florida’s minimum wage rate is $11.00 per hour.
- There are over 3 million small businesses in Florida.
- Small businesses make up over 99.8% of Florida businesses.
- These small businesses have hired over 3.5 million employees.
A snapshot of facts on Florida above illustrates why it is considered one of the most popular states for people to move to in the U.S. and why 900+ people move to the state each day!
