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COUNTY

DeSoto County

Florida · 37,078 residents (2025 est.) · 636.695 sq mi
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The short version

DeSoto County has notably lower household income than the US average, with a median household income of $54,417. Population has held roughly steady since 2000. 11% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, below the national rate of 36%. Median home value has roughly tripled since 2000, reaching $174,100. The poverty rate of 24.1% is well above the national figure. Households here earn about 27% less than the Florida median.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 43.5
US median: 38.9
Less educated
11% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 72%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
35,386
+10%since 2000
from 32,209 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Population density
56 / sq mi
+1%since 2009
from 55 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
Median age
43.5
+19%since 2000
from 36.5 in 2000
US average: 38.9

PEP 2025 EST:37,078 residents (Census Bureau Vintage 2025, released March 2026)

Population, 1990 – 2024
23K26K30K34K38K1990201020202024DeSoto County
202435K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 55.1%(1,788)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 93.7%(1,300)
US avg: 6%
10 to 145.8%(2,038)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 195.5%(1,934)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 246%(2,111)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3413.1%(4,622)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4412.9%(4,574)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5412.2%(4,322)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6412.1%(4,280)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 7412.9%(4,577)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 848.3%(2,941)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over2.5%(899)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$54,417
−3%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $30,714 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$25,162
+80%since 2000
from $14,000 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
32.3%
+16.3 ptssince 2009
from 16.1% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
24.1%
+0.5 ptssince 2000
from 23.6% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.442
+5%since 2010
from 0.422 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Wholesale trade18.2%
US avg: 6.9%
Information11.5%
US avg: 10.8%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing7.3%
US avg: 1.6%
Construction6.8%
US avg: 1.2%
Other services4.5%
US avg: 6.7%
Finance & insurance4.2%
US avg: 5.9%
Professional, scientific, technical3.4%
US avg: 5.1%
Retail trade2.4%
US avg: 9.9%
Public administration2%
US avg: 4.8%
Transportation & warehousing1.3%
US avg: 2.2%
Arts, entertainment, food1.3%
US avg: 1.9%
Education & health services0.9%
US avg: 0.9%
Manufacturing0.5%
US avg: 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$174,100
+72%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $55,700 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$932
+16%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $442 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
72.5%
−2.2 ptssince 2000
from 74.7% in 2000
27.5% rent
Vacancy rate
19.2%
−5.7 ptssince 2009
from 24.9% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Owner cost-burdened
20.1%
−11.3 ptssince 2009
from 31.3% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
39.6%
+10.8 ptssince 2009
from 28.8% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
3.2
+8%since 2009
from 3.0 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index: median home value divided by median household income. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
24
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
RELATED:See current rent listings in DeSoto County on RentDataNow
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic61.2%(19,704)
Black12.5%(4,031)
Hispanic / Latino24.9%(8,019)
Asian0.4%(131)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic54.9%(19,441)
Black12.3%(4,365)
Hispanic / Latino30.1%(10,635)
Asian0.1%(33)
Other2.6%(912)
Diversity Score
74
Unchangedsince 2009
from 74 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Segregation Score
38
+6%since 2020
from 35 in 2020
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican20.8%(7,365)
Cuban2.1%(736)
Puerto Rican2.1%(728)
Guatemalan1%(346)
Dominican0.8%(297)
Colombian0.7%(239)
Spaniard0.4%(157)
Salvadoran0.4%(133)
Argentine0.3%(104)
Honduran0.2%(55)
+ 3 more hispanic origin groups with data
Asian origin
Korean0%(16)
Filipino0%(11)
Thai0%(6)
Pacific Islander origin
Tongan0.2%(71)
Ancestry
English9.3%(3,277)
German7.4%(2,618)
American7.3%(2,581)
Irish7.2%(2,550)
French2.4%(866)
Italian2.4%(842)
Scottish1.8%(623)
Polish1.4%(492)
West Indian1.4%(488)
Haitian1.2%(414)
Dutch0.8%(289)
+ 28 more ancestry groups with data
Hungarian0.7%(256)
Swedish0.5%(166)
Russian0.4%(142)
Scotch-Irish0.4%(126)
Welsh0.3%(103)
Portuguese0.3%(102)
Arab0.3%(98)
Norwegian0.2%(88)
Jamaican0.2%(75)
Canadian0.2%(74)
Syrian0.2%(66)
Swiss0.2%(64)
Danish0.2%(59)
Australian0.2%(54)
Greek0.1%(53)
Lithuanian0.1%(44)
Ethiopian0.1%(40)
Finnish0.1%(29)
Czech0.1%(23)
Serbian0.1%(23)
Austrian0.1%(20)
Slovak0.1%(18)
Armenian0%(15)
Belgian0%(15)
Brazilian0%(11)
British0%(9)
Slovene0%(6)
RANKED:Largest Mexican population · Largest English population · Largest German population · Largest American population · Largest Irish population
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
10.8%
+2.4 ptssince 2000
from 8.4% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
73.5%
+9.9 ptssince 2000
from 63.5% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
3.3%
+0.1 ptssince 2000
from 3.2% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
30.5 min
+47%since 2000
from 20.8 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
69.8%
+6.9 ptssince 2009
from 62.9% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
22.4%
−7.8 ptssince 2009
from 30.2% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
1.1%
−1.2 ptssince 2009
from 2.3% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
4.7%
+3.4 ptssince 2009
from 1.4% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
0.6%
−1.1 ptssince 2009
from 1.7% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.9%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 0.9% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
7.5%
+0.6 ptssince 2009
from 6.9% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
9.5%
−0.8 ptssince 2011
from 10.3% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
49.5%
−1.8 ptssince 2011
from 51.3% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Self-employed
14.1%
+0.3 ptssince 2009
from 13.8% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
22.9%
−18.6 ptssince 2009
from 41.5% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
55.1%
−1.7 ptssince 2009
from 56.8% in 2009
Female
44.9%
+1.7 ptssince 2009
from 43.2% in 2009
Foreign born
13.6%
−10.1 ptssince 2009
from 23.7% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
7.9%
−50.9 ptssince 2009
from 58.7% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
21.3%
+5.9 ptssince 2012
from 15.4% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
19.9%
−51.2 ptssince 2013
from 71.1% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
82.0%
+32.0 ptssince 2017
from 50.0% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
English only at home
77.6%
+7.7 ptssince 2016
from 69.9% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
19.8%
−8.0 ptssince 2016
from 27.8% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married39.5%(6,823)
Married42.9%(7,421)
Widowed3.5%(598)
Divorced14.1%(2,446)
Women 15+
Never married25.2%(3,272)
Married48.3%(6,259)
Widowed13.5%(1,754)
Divorced13%(1,687)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
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Head to head

Compare DeSoto County to nearby counties

DESOTO COUNTY VS
Hardee County
Income$60,489+11%
Home value$153,600−12%
Population25,932−30%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
DESOTO COUNTY VS
Charlotte County
Income$69,952+29%
Home value$328,900+89%
Population217,212+486%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
DESOTO COUNTY VS
Highlands County
Income$54,897+1%
Home value$187,900+8%
Population111,122+200%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
DESOTO COUNTY VS
Sarasota County
Income$83,416+53%
Home value$411,800+137%
Population479,958+1194%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in DeSoto County, Florida?

DeSoto County, Florida has about 35,386 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in DeSoto County, Florida?

The typical household in DeSoto County, Florida earns about $54,417 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is DeSoto County, Florida expensive?

In DeSoto County, Florida, the median home is worth about $174,100, and the typical rent is about $932 a month.

How educated are people in DeSoto County, Florida?

About 10.8% of adults age 25 and over in DeSoto County, Florida hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in DeSoto County, Florida?

About 24.1% of people in DeSoto County, Florida live below the federal poverty line.

Has DeSoto County, Florida grown since 1990?

Yes, DeSoto County, Florida has grown since 1990. The population has added about 11,521 residents, a change of about 48 percent over that period.

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Explore from here

9 census tracts
Census Tract 103.01Census Tract 102Census Tract 101.02Census Tract 101.01Census Tract 104.03Census Tract 104.06Census Tract 104.04Census Tract 103.02Census Tract 104.05
4 ZIP codes
ZIP 34266ZIP 34269ZIP 34268ZIP 34267
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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →

DeSoto County, Florida: demographics, income & housing data · CensusEasy