August 13, 2021
The DDA recently launched an online dashboard that highlights current indicators and long-term trends that show that DowntownFTL is on the move. The dashboard focused on three lenses: economy, people, and place. This post outlines the broad trends that show how DowntownFTL has become an in-demand destination for people of ages. Over the past decade DowntownFTL has become an in-demand destination for people of all ages, with an equal number of residents between the ages of 25 to 34 and over the age of 55. Over the past 20 years the number of residents with a bachelor’s degree or higher has doubled, signaling that DowntownFTL is on the map for emerging talent.
DowntownFTL Is An In-Demand Destination
The DowntownFTL population rapidly grew by 41% from 2010 to 2020, adding over 4,000 new residents. By 2025, DowntownFTL is projected to have a population of over 27,000. This represents a projected growth of over 40% from today's residential population of nearly 19,000.
DowntownFTL Is Attractive To Residents of All Ages
The share of DowntownFTL residents between ages of 25 and 34 is equal to residents over the age of 55. This metric cements Fort Lauderdale's status as a place of choice for young professionals. Since 2010 there has been a 33% increase in the number of residents between the ages of 25 and 34 and a 60% increase in residents between the ages of 35 and 44. Over the same period there was a 43% increase in residents below the age of 14. This indicates that DowntownFTL has become attractive to both young professionals and young families.
The DowntownFTL Population Is Highly Educated
Over the past 20 years the number of residents with a bachelor’s degree or higher has doubled, signaling that DowntownFTL is on the map for emerging talent. This means that nearly all of the new residents that have chosen DowntownFTL as their new home over the past decade have at least a bachelors degree. Over 52% of downtown residents have a bachelors degree or higher, a 14 point increase over the past decade and a 20 point increase since 2000.
Coming Soon To DowntownFTL Focus
These trends and more will be explored in future editions of DowntownFTL Focus. The full DowntownFTL Dashboard can be viewed at: https://www.ddaftl.org/dashboard.