Florida's population has skyrocketed. That could make Hurricane Ian more destructive

Eastbound traffic crowds Interstate 275 as people evacuate before the arrival of Hurricane Ian in Tampa, Fla., on Tuesday. (Ricardo Arduengo /AFP via Getty Images)

No state in the eastern U.S. has grown faster in recent years than Florida, which has added nearly 3 million residents since 2010.

Now, the state is yet again in the path of a major hurricane, with Hurricane Ian expected to make landfall on Florida's western coast Wednesday. It is now classified as a Category 4 storm, according to the National Hurricane Center.