Bradenton sees small population bump since 2020

By Lisa Neff

Bradenton’s latest residential population estimate exceeds 58,100, reflecting a bit of a bump since the 2020 census counted 55,698 people.

City officials, reviewing the numbers earlier this month, said the modest gain does not reflect the rapid population growth seen in other parts of Manatee County.

“As you look at the growth of the city, there’s kind of a misunderstanding that we’re proliferating its growth,” city administrator Rob Perry said.

Each year, in August or September, the city reviews population estimates from the University of Florida’s Bureau of Economic and Business Research in Gainesville. The department provides the data to jurisdictions under a contract with the Florida Legislature for use in determining state revenue-sharing funds.

The population estimates also “can impact how much we get on different types of federal assistance,” Perry said. “So, it’s important that we have accurate numbers.”

The criteria for counting residents are based on the U.S. Census Bureau’s concept of “usual residence,” which is defined as the place where a person lives and sleeps most of the time. So, Bradenton’s estimate does not include seasonal or temporary residents.

UF’s information for 2026 showed that Bradenton’s population as of April 1 was 58,230, which is 2,532 more than the 55,698 estimate on April 1, 2020, but less than the estimate of 58,469 in April 2025.

“I think the takeaway from this is that if you hear people saying that there’s outlandish overdevelopment, high levels of growth in the city of Bradenton, the data doesn’t flush that out,” Perry said. “There’s measured growth and it’s good growth, in my opinion, because you don’t want to be disgrowing.”

“If you look at that on an annualized basis, it’s less than 1%,” Bradenton Councilman Kemp Schuessler said of the estimates. “So, we’ve heard a great deal about rapid growth in Manatee County and I think, from what you’re saying, there is not … an inordinate amount of growth in the city of Bradenton.”

“That’s absolutely the characterization and conclusion I’d reach based on the data,” Perry said. “I don’t think you have to be a high-level statistician to be able to reach that conclusion.”

So, where do new residents live?

Mayor Gene Brown pointed to several projects that have added housing, especially in the downtown area or urban core.

“We’re not doing big subdivisions,” the mayor said.

He also said, “I think the growth has been in some of our workforce affordable housing because, if you look at it, we’ve added 850 units in the Nine20, Riverview6, Astoria on Ninth, some more at Lincoln Village. … Look at where the Bradenton Herald used to be.”

The city encompasses about 14.4 square miles and is “built out by and large,” according to Perry. So, few large undeveloped areas remain for residential or commercial development.

“We don’t have a whole lot of undeveloped swaths of property,” he said.

The limited land area means most growth will come through redevelopment.

“We have to look at what we have and how we make it better,” Perry said.

That redevelopment can include increased density, particularly in multifamily housing, but also with enhanced infrastructure and quality-of-life improvements.

“We’ve built two fire stations, a police station, emergency operations station,” Perry said. “We’re doing City Park. That’s development, too. It’s just a different type of development.”

The redevelopment growth positions the city to capitalize on the residential population growth elsewhere in Manatee as well as bring in business and add jobs.

Such redevelopment, city officials said, can help Bradenton attract residents, businesses and economic activity, even as much of the county’s population growth occurs outside the city.

“The construction of new fire stations and new police headquarters are wonderful investments,” Bradenton City Councilwoman Lisa Gonzalez Moore said. “It makes people feel safe. People will bring their business here. They will spend money here. They will move here.”