Not for nothing does Orlando rank #2 for Family-Friendly Attractions: Universal’s 750-acre Epic Universe opened in May with three huge new attractions, lifting the whole corridor. Visitors are coming fast: Brightline’s Miami-Orlando service hums, and an approved Tampa extension will reduce travel time between the cities to an hour, bringing visitors and employees to a Central Florida that logged a record $92.5-billion tourism impact in 2024.
Terminal C is expanding, lifting the #33 ranking for Airports. Downtown, the $500-million Westcourt district will bring a Kimpton, apartments, offices and a state-of-the-art entertainment venue. But Orlando works as hard as it plays, leading every large U.S. region for job creation in 2024 by adding 37,500 positions for 2.5% growth. That’s welcome traction for the 1,000 newcomers arriving each week, en route to a projected metro population of 5.2 million by 2030. The Economic Output ranking (#45) will continue to rise. In Lake Nona, UCF’s 90,000-square-foot Dr. Phillips College of Nursing pavilion opened for the 2025–26 academic year, feeding Central Florida’s health-tech and life-sciences pipeline. And Siemens Energy’s North American HQ anchors a varied corporate roster that will only grow as word about local talent and ROI spreads.