ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The latest U.S. census shows that Pinellas County saw the second-biggest decline in population nationwide.
From back-to-back hurricanes, rising costs and deaths out-numbering births, the latest census bureau numbers show Pinellas lost almost 12,000 residents from July 1, 2024 to the same date in 2025, dropping from 960,397 to 948,563.
City and civic leaders also point to the lack of affordable and attainable housing.
The decline has the potential to impact the county in a variety of ways.
“Lots of federal funding that comes to Pinellas County is based on population,” said St. Pete College Civics Professor Tara Newsom. “So whether or not we’re going to have our fair share of federal funding could be impacted by this dip in population.
And then self-governance. Population drives how you represented in State House, the state Senate and in Congress.”