Was Florida ranked the best state economy for three consecutive years?
Yes.
Gov. Ron DeSantis was right when he touted that Florida’s economy has been ranked the best in the U.S. since 2023 in studies published by CNBC.
The annual studies are an overview of the best states for business in the U.S., and the economy is just one category. Florida has ranked third (2025), fifth (2024) and eight (2023) in overall rankings, but has consistently topped the charts when focusing only on economy.
Florida didn’t fare as well in other categories in the 2025 study. That includes cost of living (48th) and quality of life (22nd).
CNBC determines the strength of a state’s economy by factoring in areas like job growth, state budget and revenue, the health of the real estate market and, for the first time in the study’s history, the state’s tariff risks.
This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
-Clinton Engelberger
Has Florida had six major hurricanes in the last seven years?
No.
Despite Gov. Ron DeSantis’ claim during a Sept. 2 press conference, Florida has been impacted by five — not six — major hurricanes since 2018. Those storms are Milton, Helene, Idalia, Ian and Michael, each of which reached Category 3 or higher on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale.
Hurricane Debby, which strengthened into a Category 1 hurricane before making landfall near the Panhandle last year in August, caused widespread flooding and damage but did not meet the threshold for “major.”
To be considered “major,” a hurricane must reach Category 3, meaning it has sustained winds between 111 and 129 miles per hour and is far more likely to cause catastrophic destruction or significant loss of life.
Florida was also impacted by Hurricane Irma in 2017, which would be the sixth major storm in the last eight years — not seven. The state’s vulnerability to such powerful storms is undeniable, underscoring the need for preparation and resilience.
This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
-Clinton Engelberger
This story was originally published by Suncoast Searchlight, a nonprofit newsroom delivering investigative journalism to Sarasota, Manatee, and DeSoto counties. Learn more at suncoastsearchlight.org.
