I’ve been frustrated over the last few years as to why national media and several Florida Democratic operatives I speak to don’t quite grasp where people live in this state and that “rural” voters, while overwhelmingly GOP at this point in time, aren’t really responsible for GOP victories. But it’s the same mentality that forced Dems from 2001 to 2011 to keep talking about the “I-10 corridor” as some nirvana, when the real battles on the I-75 and I-95 corridors where a lot more people live, were being ceded by Democrats outside of the central parts of large Metro Areas.

For the purposes of this comparison, I have added Clay County to the I-95 corridor (due to proximity to I-295), Pinellas to the I-75 corridor (due to I-275) and I-4 (duh, just logical) as well as Lake and Citrus to the I-75 corridor (lots of access points from I-75 to these two counties). I also recognize Miami-Dade has very little of I-75 in it, so am dropping Miami-Dade from that county though keeping it in Broward, as some parts of western Broward have become as or even more reliant on I-75 than on I-95. Fun fact on this score, I-95 as it passes through Fort Lauderdale (portion from I-595 to Sunrise Blvd) is not only the busiest interstate in the state, but among the 20 busiest at that point in the country.

Let’s break down Florida Counties with over 100,000 population (36 of Florida’s 67 counties have over 100,000 residents) per the 2020 census based on Interstate passing through or nearby.

I-4

Hillsborough 1,451,358

Orange 1,373,784

Pinellas 970,985

Polk 705,735

Volusia 546,107

Seminole 466,695

Osceola 363,666

I-10

Duval 948,651

Escambia 316,691

Leon 291,863

Okaloosa 207,430

Santa Rosa 179,587

I-75/I-75 spur

Broward 1,942,273

Hillsborough 1,451,358

Pinellas 970,985

Lee 756,570

Pasco 539,885

Sarasota 427,766

Manatee 393,847

Collier 379, 345

Marion 360,210

Lake 356,116

Alachua 268,105

Hernando 190,700

Charlotte 185,926

Citrus 147,938

Sumter 129,928

I-95

Miami-Dade 2,705,928

Broward 1,942,273

Palm Beach 1,482,507

Duval 948,651

Brevard 594,001

Volusia 546,107

St Lucie 320,914

St Johns 255,410

Clay 215,294

Martin 160,428

Indian River 156,924

Flagler 112,854

Counties with over 100,000 people not near an interstate

Bay 180,076

Highlands 104,574

Counties with under 100,000 people

You’ll notice most of these are either along I-10 or not near an interstate

Nassau County 85,762
Monroe County 75,137
Putnam County 73,784
Walton County 71,049
Columbia County 70,898
Jackson County 47,409
Gadsden County 45,787
Suwannee County 44,290
Okeechobee County 41,611
Hendry County 41,472
Levy County 40,979
DeSoto County 37,371
Wakulla County 32,855
Baker County 28,679
Bradford County 27,723
Hardee County 27,027
Washington County 25,094
Taylor County 21,709
Holmes County 19,530
Madison County 18,557
Gilchrist County 18,245
Dixie County 16,740
Union County 15,282
Gulf County 15,073
Hamilton County 14,397
Calhoun County 14,324
Jefferson County 14,278
Glades County 13,777
Franklin County 11,914
Lafayette County 8,576
Liberty County 8,333