The Miss Florida USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Florida in the Miss USA pageant.
Up until the 2017 pageant, both Miss and Teen state pageants were held separately in different months. In recent years, the organization was decided that both pageants would compete at the same time from 2018 onwards, just like the most of state pageants in the Miss USA system.
While Florida has had number of runners-up, finalists, and semi-finalists, the state has yet to win the Miss USA title. Although Cheryl Patton, who placed 2nd runner-up in Miss USA 1967, became Miss USA after Sylvia Hitchcock won Miss Universe. The most recent placement was Caroline Dixon who placed Top 20 in 2023.
Two former Miss Florida Teen USA titleholders have won this competition, and three titleholders have also competed at Miss America.
In 2019, contestant Madison Anderson (who finished first runner-up in that pageant) would go on to become Miss Universe Puerto Rico 2019, and then competed in Miss Universe 2019, placed first runner-up to Zozibini Tunzi of South Africa. On 11 August 2022, contestant Ashley Cariño (who finished second runner-up at Miss USA 2021) was crowned Miss Universe Puerto Rico 2022 and represented Puerto Rico at Miss Universe 2022, ultimately placing in the Top 5
The current titleholder is Caroline Dixon of Palm Harbor and was crowned on May 14, 2023. She will represent Florida for the title of Miss USA 2023.
Gallery of titleholders
Results summary
Placements
1st runners-up: Marcia Valibus (1958), Clo Cabrera (1987) 2nd runners-up: Nanita Greene (1959), Cheryl Patton (1967), Barbara Bowser (1980), Ashley Cariño (2021) 3rd runners-up: Connie Ensor (1972), Mary-Margaret Humes (1975), Monica Farrell (1988) 4th runners-up: Nancy Wakefield (1960), Randy Beard (1966), Melissa Witek (2005), Cristin Duren (2006), Brittany Oldehoff (2014) Top 5/6: Shannon Depuy (1995), Angelia Savage (1997), Génesis Dávila (2018) Top 10/12: Susan Aileen Deaton (1971), Stacy Evans (1973), Cynthia Zach (1974), April Shaw (1978), Kristen Berset (2004), Jessica Rafalowski (2008), Nicolette Jennings (2019) Top 15/16/20: Kay Duggar (1953), Mariles Gessler (1955), Maria Junquera (1969), Cheryl Johnson (1970), Lissette Garcia (2011), Caroline Dixon (2023)
Florida holds a record of 30 placements at Miss USA.
Awards
Miss Photogenic: Shannon Ford (2002), Cristin Duren (2006) Miss Congeniality: Linda LeFevre (1977) Best State Costume: Nancy England (1963)