The Venice of America is also the #2 place in the U.S. for homebuilding prospects.
Courtesy Fort Lauderdale Downtown Development Authority
Fort Lauderdale just pulled off a repeat performance most cities can only dream about. The new Emerging Trends in Real Estate 2026 report from PwC and the Urban Land Institute (ULI) is out, and Fort Lauderdale ranks #2 in the entire country for homebuilding prospects for the second year running. Translation: developers, investors, and the people signing leases are all looking at Fort Lauderdale and saying yep… this is where the future is happening.
The findings reinforce what locals already feel on the ground... Fort Lauderdale isn’t playing second (or third) fiddle to Miami and West Palm anymore. The report cites the city’s long-term job growth and income projections as outpacing Miami’s, marking the 954 as a magnet for capital, talent and long-term livability. And downtown? It’s booming, quite literally. Families living in the urban core have grown 83% since 2018, reshaping the vibe, density and demand across the board.
Local experts agree. “Fort Lauderdale’s strong performance in this ranking validates what we’re seeing every day downtown,” Matthew Schnur, Research & Innovation Manager for the Downtown Development Authority, tells Browardist. “The city is growing because people want to be here and they want to grow along with it. Fueled by a downtown baby boom and the continued migration of young professionals to the city, a third of Broward's population growth through 2030 is projected to be concentrated in Downtown Fort Lauderdale.”
A look at the skyline makes the numbers feel real, too. More than $12 billion in waterfront development is underway right now. Add in $300 million in public space reinvestment - including Huizenga Park, major corridors and civic spaces - and Fort Lauderdale is building a future built around connection, culture, and convenience.
Schnur adds, “our momentum is fueled by a strong job market, billions in waterfront investment, the revitalization of downtown public spaces... and the addition of world-class venues like FTL War Memorial and The Fort. What sets Fort Lauderdale apart in such a competitive region is that we offer real economic opportunity without losing the sense of community, connection and walkability that people value. That balance is exactly why we’re seeing so much momentum.”
Rounding out the top three of the PwC/ULI report are Dallas/Fort Worth at #1 and Houston at #3. Miami came in at #22 on the list.
Learn more about this and other trends shaping the county's urban core at https://www.ddaftl.org/ftlfocus.
