In the 2020 redistricting cycle, the district was drawn out of Sarasota and Sarasota County to include more of Tampa's eastern suburbs, including Riverview and parts of Brandon south of Florida State Road 60.

The 16th district was created as a result of the redistricting cycle after the 1980 census.

When the Florida legislature redistricted in 2002 after the 2000 U.S. census, a federal court described the boundaries of the 16th congressional district and the interlocking 23rd congressional district as an example of gerrymandering and a "raw exercise of majority legislative power".

After court-ordered redistricting for the 2016 elections, the district was moved northwards to include southern Hillsborough County, while southern Sarasota County was moved into the 17th district.

For the 118th and successive Congresses (based on redistricting following the 2020 census), the district contains all or portions of the following counties and communities:[8] Hillsborough County (14) Manatee County (16) The former 16th district in 2003–2012 stretched from the Gulf of Mexico to the Atlantic Coast and included parts of Charlotte, Glades, Hendry, Highlands, Okeechobee, St. Lucie, Martin, and Palm Beach counties.