By the time the USA celebrates its next birthday in July, Florida will surpass New York as the nation’s third most populated state – one with over 20 million people.

Considering the fact Florida in 1900 was the least populated state in the South, Florida has come a long way to be “Number 3.” But Florida today is not the stereotype that New York comedians continually recite.

Only 10% of Florida’s 2013 537,000 new residents were over 65 years of age – in fact 40% were under the age of 25. Florida is booming with immigrants from the Caribbean and Central America as well as people willing to take a lower paying job in a better place to live. Florida has recently added 200 “green” factories in medicine and manufacturing along the I-4 corridor between Tampa and Daytona Beach.

Low salaries is a major complaint in Florida, but many jobless young people have at least found jobs in Florida’s recovering construction and tourist industries. Florida’s climate will always score points as does the lower taxes.

Social scientists in future decades will look to Florida as the place to study how to handle such issues as: a huge retired population, overcrowded roads, and growing urbanization effecting the environment.