Parts of Central Florida see economic boom during pandemic as other areas go bust

ORLANDO, Fla. — Gov. Ron DeSantis has taken a beating from some critics for refusing to order strict mitigation efforts as the coronavirus cases continue to remain high.

DeSantis spoke in Venice, Florida, on Thursday and said he will not lock the state down or close schools.

Now some analysts say Florida’s economy is doing better than other states.

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Brevard County has been brought back to life thanks to the space program and tourism.

When the pandemic arrived, the county, like many that depend on tourism, took a hit. But it seems places like Melbourne and Palm Bay have rebounded nicely.

Ross DeVol, of Heartland Forward, ranks the area in the top 30 most economically dynamic cities in the country.

DeVol runs what is called a think-and-do tank to promote job creation and economic growth.

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He ranked cities early last year to understand how high-performing areas would weather the pandemic.

He ranked the Melbourne area in 25th place.

DeVol also found economic growth in The Villages and put it at 11th place.

There was job growth because in the last decade it had the most population growth of anywhere in the country, he said.

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Another study released last month showed that more women are buying homes in The Villages than anywhere else in the U.S.

In the middle of Melbourne and The Villiages is Orlando, where tourism has plummeted due to the pandemic.

Orlando did not make DeVol’s list. The city, along with Osceola County, has one of the highest unemployment rates in the country.

See the full report in the video above.

Cox Media Group