The population in almost every Gulf Coast county from Mississippi to the Florida Panhandle rose at a faster pace than most other counties across the nation last year, according to new estimates by the U.S. Census Bureau.
The data, released Thursday, is the latest sign of how quickly the region is transforming as more newcomers arrive from around the country.
The Gulf Coast’s fastest-growing place in 2025 was Walton County, Florida, home to Scenic Highway 30A. The county grew by 3.5%, or about 3,100 people. The population there has risen by more than 17,000 people since 2020…