Sebastian and Vero Beach Named 13th Fastest-Growing Area

SEBASTIAN – Sebastian and Vero Beach has been named the 13th fastest-growing metro area in the nation, according to the United States Census Bureau.

Indian River County has seen a lot of growth from July 1, 2015, to July 1, 2016. Vero Beach and Sebastian join six other Florida cities that made the top 15.

The population for our area rose from 147,792 in 2015, to 151,563 in 2016. That means 3,771 people moved to the Sebastian-Vero Beach area during the year. A 2.6 percent increase.

There were 1,284 births and 2,050 deaths in our area. International migration was at 298, one of the lowest in Florida.

Here’s the top 15 Fastest-Growing Metro Areas from July 1, 2015 to July 1, 2016

• The Villages, FL
• Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC-NC
• Bend-Redmond, OR
• Greeley, CO
• Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL
• St. George, UT
• Provo-Orem, UT
• Punta Gorda, FL
• Austin-Round Rock, TX
• North Port-Sarasota-Bradenton, FL
• Coeur d’Alene, ID
• Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL
• Sebastian-Vero Beach, FL
• Raleigh, NC
• Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL

Baby boomers are moving to The Villages, giving them the top spot. But others are moving to our area because of the high cost of living in The Villages.

Many people believe that there are more “Snowbirds” visiting the Sebastian and Vero Beach area this year than last.