Puerto Ricans are leaving New York and Puerto Rica and they're flocking to Florida, according to a new Pew Research Center. The budding Puerto Rican population is closing in on the Cuban population, which has long been the state's largest Hispanic subgroup.

Cuban- and Mexican-origin Hispanics are frequently identified as the foremost Hispanic populations living in Florida; however the Puerto Rican population is surging in the state. While Florida's Cuban population has grown 65 percent since 2000, that growth was fairly modest compared to Puerto Rican growth in Florida and other states. For the first time in history, the number of Puerto Ricans living in Florida has surpassed 1 million.

By analyzing Census Bureau data, Pew found that Florida's population doubled over the past 14 years. The Puerto Rican population increased 110 percent since 2000. The growth outstrips the state's population growth, which grew just 24 percent during the same period. Also, the overall Hispanic population grew 78 percent in the state.

Economic recession on the island of Puerto Rico sparked a trend whereby residents of the territory relocated to the U.S. in search of opportunities. Between 2005 and 2013, the number of Puerto Ricans who moved from other states to Florida was 216,472, and the number of Puerto Ricans who relocated to Florida from the island was 130,862, which far exceeds the number of Puerto Ricans who moved to New York from other states or Puerto Rico. Puerto Ricans were more likely to move from New York in favor of another state than move to New York from another state (221,273 compared to 103,410). Also, Puerto Ricans were only slightly more likely to move to New York from Puerto Rico than vice versa (43,363 compared to 38,510).

For a long time, New York has held the largest Puerto Rican population on the mainland. Now, the same number of Puerto Ricans that live in Florida is equal to the number of Puerto Ricans living in New York. The subgroup has primarily settled in Orlando and other large metro areas. With that said, even smaller metro areas have seen an influx of Puerto Ricans. For example, the Port St. Lucie area saw a 64 percent surge in 2013.

The Puerto Rican community's migration decisions could shape the outcome of the 2016 presidential election. The Puerto Rican or Hispanic electorate could decisively influence a candidate's ability to win.

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