ANNA MARIA ISLAND – It may not come as a surprise to some long-time residents, but the population of this seven-mile stretch of paradise is dwindling.
While the U.S. Census Bureau conducts 10-year counts across the country, the organization also conducts a yearly American Community Survey to record changes and trends in population. The available online data spans 2010-2021 and shows a few minor ups and downs in population numbers. However, there is a stark difference in all three Island cities in the numbers between 2020 and 2021 – all three cities lost a significant portion of their population.
Looking at the data, the city of Holmes Beach is the undisputed largest municipality on the Island. In 2010, Holmes Beach had 4,136 residents. After fluctuations of 100-200 people per year, the city had 4,276 residents in 2020. That number dropped to 3,132 in 2021. That’s a loss of 1,144 in a single year, or 26.75% of the population.
In Anna Maria, the population changes were more volatile over the years. In 2010, the city had a recorded 1,475 residents, hitting a high of 1,556 in 2013 before steadily dropping to 719 in 2019. In 2020, the city’s population jumped to 1,087 before dropping to 944 in 2021, a loss of 143 residents in a single year, representing 13% of the population.
The population in Bradenton Beach also suffered a steady decline over the years. In 2010, the city had 1,452 residents. That number dropped to 836 by 2019 before picking back up to 902 in 2020. By the 2021 count, Bradenton Beach had lost another 35 residents, dropping the population down to 867, a 4% loss.
In a single year, 2020-21, 1,322 residents left the Island life behind. With stories floating around the three municipalities about more and more residents moving away, population numbers have the potential to drop even more when the 2022 and 2023 data comes out. And while the state of Florida and greater Manatee County are showing population increases, that data isn’t reflected in the population numbers for the Island.
The Census Bureau states that when cities start to see marked decreases in population year over year, that’s when it becomes more likely that the cities will disincorporate, with the land annexed into a larger geographic body, such as unincorporated Manatee County, an idea that was proposed by the Manatee County legislative delegation prior to the 2023 state legislative session. While the idea of folding the three cities into one or putting them all solely under the governmental leadership of the Manatee County Board of Commissioners wasn’t pursued this year, that doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s off the table for coming legislative sessions if population numbers continue to dwindle.
