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Marion County, FL: population growth, jobs and income

Marion County gained 14,665 residents between 2024 and 2025 (+3.4%).

Marion County had an estimated 442,660 residents in 2025, up 17.3% (65,228 more people) since 2020. That is faster than Florida as a whole (+8.7%), and the 12th fastest growth of 67 counties in Florida.

Data as of 2025 · updated

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In the Marion County report

One-time $99 PDF: everything on this page for Marion County, ranked against Florida and the U.S., plus these figures that are not on the free page:

  • Median gross rent$1,277/mo2020–24
  • Vacant homes, incl. seasonal and second homes12.4%2020–24
  • New homes permitted, last 12 months5,6282025-10/2026-09
  • Rent growth, 5 yearsIn the report
  • Permits in 5+ unit buildingsIn the report
  • IRS income moving in (net AGI)In the report
  • Neighbouring-county comparison tableIn the report

What's inside: 5 pages

  1. 1 Summary, headline numbers and ranks (free preview)
  2. 2 Ranks and the neighbouring-county table
  3. 3 Migration, with IRS mover and income flows
  4. 4 Rent, vacant homes, permits and employers
  5. 5 Every source and the methods
See every page of a sample report

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Headline numbers

What the numbers say

Net domestic migration added 15,971 people in 2025: more people moved in from other U.S. counties than moved out.

Private employers had 101,916 paid employees in mid-March 2023, +20.9% since 2018 (County Business Patterns).

Unemployment averaged 4.9% in 2025, 1.1 points higher than in 2019 (before the pandemic).

Builders were authorized to start 5,985 new homes in 2025, or 13.5 per 1,000 residents.

Median household income was $61,010 in the 2020–24 American Community Survey, +31.0% since 2016–20.

Across the 3,107 U.S. counties with a comparable estimate, its population growth ranks 62nd.

Part of the Ocala, FL metro area.

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Marion County population by year

Resident population, July 1 estimate (Census Bureau)
YearPopulationChange
2025442,660+14,665
2024427,995+15,695
2023412,300+15,225
2022397,075+11,872
2021385,203+7,771
2020377,432–

Census Bureau population estimates, July 1 of each year.

What drove the change in Marion County

Marion County grew by 65,228 people since 2020; the largest part came from domestic migration (+71,208).

Components of population change, people (Census Bureau)
Component20252020–25Share
Natural changebirths minus deaths−2,508−14,367
International migrationfrom and to other countries+1,330+7,568
Domestic migrationfrom and to other U.S. counties+15,971+71,208
Census adjustmentbalancing residual−128+819
Total change+14,665+65,228

Census Bureau population estimates, components of change, each year July 1 to June 30. The components add up to the change in the estimate; the Census adjustment is the small balancing figure the Bureau publishes.

How it ranks

MeasureIn FloridaAmong U.S. counties
Population growth12th of 6762nd of 3,107
Net domestic migration per 1,000 residents3rd of 6713th of 3,108
Private-sector job growth14th of 67195th of 3,092
Median household income46th of 671,969th of 3,107
Lowest unemployment rate58th of 672,434th of 3,108
New homes permitted per 1,000 residents12th of 6766th of 3,005

1st = highest (lowest for unemployment). Counties are ranked only against others with a figure for the same period.

Get the county report — $99

The County Growth and Demographics Report for Marion County, FL as a PDF, from federal data: population and migration, housing and rents, permits, private employers and jobs, unemployment, ranks in the state and the country, and neighbouring counties, with a source next to every number. Pay once, no subscription.

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Neighbouring counties

Over 2020–25, Marion County's population change (+17.3%) was ahead of 5 of its 7 neighbouring counties and behind 2 (Lake County and Sumter County).

4 of its 7 neighbouring counties had a higher median household income than Marion County's $61,010 (2020–24).

Marion County, FL and its 7 neighbouring counties: public federal figures
CountyPopulation2025Population change2020–25Net domestic migration per 1,000 residents2025Homes permitted per 1,000 residents2025Median household income2020–24
Marion County, FL This county442,660+17.3%36.113.5$61,010
Putnam County, FL77,734+5.9%10.51.6$47,934
Lake County, FL456,068+18.1%26.811.7$73,161
Alachua County, FL290,028+3.7%−4.211.5$61,949
Citrus County, FL171,666+11.1%22.212.2$56,546
Sumter County, FL157,772+21.1%35.722.3$76,508
Levy County, FL48,520+12.7%22.45.0$56,750
Volusia County, FL606,573+9.1%11.64.7$70,044

Census Bureau population estimates and building permits, American Community Survey 5-year income. Rates per 1,000 residents. – means no figure, or a base too small for a change or rate (it would swing on a few people). A figure from another period shows its year and is left out of the comparison.

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Questions

Is Marion County growing?

Yes. Its population grew 17.3% between 2020 and 2025, about 65,228 more people (Census Bureau population estimates). Florida as a whole changed +8.7% over the same years. That ranks 12th of 67 counties in Florida for population growth.

How many people moved to Marion County?

On net, about 15,971 people in 2025: that many more moved in from other U.S. counties than moved out (Census Bureau net domestic migration estimate).

What is the unemployment rate in Marion County?

It averaged 4.9% in 2025 (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics, annual average).

What is the population of Marion County?

About 442,660 people, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's population estimate for July 1, 2025.

How many jobs are in Marion County?

Private employers there had 101,916 paid employees in mid-March 2023, +20.9% since 2018 (Census Bureau County Business Patterns; government jobs and the self-employed are not counted).

What Beacon CRE covers in Florida

Map, parcel and listing layers cover North and South Carolina only for now. This page and the other Florida county pages carry the public federal growth figures.

Marion County data alerts

Email me when Marion County gets new Census numbers: population, building permits, jobs and income. About 4 emails a year, one click to stop.

We use your address only to email you when new data for Marion County is out: what changed, with a link to that county's report. No newsletter, no other sales emails. Delete it any time with the link in every email. We'll email you a link to confirm first; nothing starts until you click it. Privacy notice.

Sources and method

Each number shows its own period. Changes compare the latest period with five years earlier (or the earliest period available). Beacon CRE last refreshed these figures on 2026-11-05. Figures come from public federal statistics and are informational only, not investment advice. Check the source before relying on a number. Methodology: how we compute every number. More on every layer: data sources and licences.

Jobs outside North and South Carolina use County Business Patterns (paid private-sector employees in mid-March); wages and government jobs are not included.