Florida has reached a new economic milestone, now ranking as the world’s 15th largest economy. The Florida Chamber Foundation announced this development during the Future of Florida Forum and Florida Chamber Annual Meeting in Orlando. This progress reflects ongoing efforts by state leaders and business communities to strengthen Florida’s global economic standing.
“When we launched the Florida 2030 Blueprint, Florida ranked 18th in the world,” said Mark Wilson, President & CEO of the Florida Chamber of Commerce and Foundation. “Today, we are 15th and gaining ground on Australia. This is the direct result of years of laser focus on free enterprise, principled leadership, smart policy decisions, and business and community leaders working together to secure Florida’s future. Florida’s rise is not just a state story. It is a global story.”
The foundation shared an overview of its upcoming Halftime Report for the Florida 2030 Blueprint at the event. According to this preview, key indicators show growth in high-wage jobs, workforce expansion—with over 10 million workers—and reductions in childhood poverty since launching the initiative.
Sheridan Morby, Senior Research Economist at the Florida Chamber Foundation, commented on these achievements: “Florida’s economic success is no accident. It is the result of businesses, government, and communities working toward a shared vision. The data show clear progress toward making Florida a top 10 global economy by 2030.”
Recent figures highlight that Florida leads or ranks highly among U.S. states in several areas: new business start-ups; overall business climate; manufacturing job growth; net income migration; new business migrations; Black-owned businesses; Hispanic- and women-owned businesses; infrastructure investment; talent growth; low state debt per capita; higher education system performance; and reduction in child poverty.
Business and community leaders are invited to attend the virtual 2026 Florida Economic Outlook & Jobs Solution Summit on January 29, 2026. The event will feature economists and industry experts discussing trends affecting strategic planning for organizations across the state.
While recent revisions initially suggested that Florida had surpassed South Korea economically, updated GDP data from South Korea for 2024 have not yet been released. The research team at the foundation will continue monitoring international rankings as new information becomes available.
The Florida Chamber Foundation describes itself as a statewide organization focused on long-term strategies for securing economic competitiveness and prosperity for all Floridians through research initiatives like its Six Pillars framework.
