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COUNTY

Hardee County

Florida · 25,932 residents (2025 est.) · 637.569 sq mi
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The short version

Hardee County has notably lower household income than the US average, with a median household income of $60,489. Population has declined 5% since 2000. 12% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, below the national rate of 36%. Median home value has roughly tripled since 2000, reaching $153,600. The poverty rate of 25.3% is well above the national figure.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 35.8
US median: 38.9
Less educated
12% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 58%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
25,675
−5%since 2000
from 26,938 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Population density
40 / sq mi
−10%since 2009
from 45 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
Median age
35.8
+9%since 2000
from 32.7 in 2000
US average: 38.9

PEP 2025 EST:25,932 residents (Census Bureau Vintage 2025, released March 2026)

Population, 1990 – 2024
19K21K24K27K30K1990201020202024Hardee County
202426K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 56%(1,550)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 96%(1,530)
US avg: 6%
10 to 148.3%(2,121)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 196.7%(1,709)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 248.1%(2,090)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3413.4%(3,438)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4412.1%(3,102)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5412.1%(3,094)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6411.3%(2,903)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 749.1%(2,342)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 844.8%(1,230)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over2.2%(566)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$60,489
+10%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $30,183 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$28,365
+128%since 2000
from $12,445 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
39.4%
+22.9 ptssince 2009
from 16.5% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
25.3%
+0.7 ptssince 2000
from 24.6% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.513
+26%since 2010
from 0.408 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Information14.4%
US avg: 10.8%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing14.1%
US avg: 1.6%
Construction11.1%
US avg: 1.2%
Wholesale trade9.4%
US avg: 6.9%
Finance & insurance7.3%
US avg: 5.9%
Other services7.2%
US avg: 6.7%
Retail trade5.2%
US avg: 9.9%
Professional, scientific, technical4.6%
US avg: 5.1%
Public administration4.3%
US avg: 4.8%
Manufacturing3%
US avg: 0.4%
Education & health services2.7%
US avg: 0.9%
Arts, entertainment, food1.4%
US avg: 1.9%
Transportation & warehousing0.6%
US avg: 2.2%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$153,600
+58%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $53,400 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$962
+18%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $446 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
71.4%
−2.0 ptssince 2000
from 73.4% in 2000
28.6% rent
Vacancy rate
17.3%
−2.6 ptssince 2009
from 20.0% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Owner cost-burdened
15.4%
−9.2 ptssince 2009
from 24.6% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
42.5%
+3.8 ptssince 2009
from 38.7% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
2.5
−13%since 2009
from 2.9 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index: median home value divided by median household income. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
40
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
RELATED:See current rent listings in Hardee County on RentDataNow
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic54.6%(14,704)
Black8%(2,165)
Hispanic / Latino35.7%(9,611)
Asian0.3%(71)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic46.4%(11,912)
Black7.2%(1,851)
Hispanic / Latino42.3%(10,867)
Asian1.1%(288)
Other2.9%(757)
Diversity Score
75
+2%since 2009
from 73 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Segregation Score
14
−49%since 2020
from 26 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
Mexican29.8%(7,655)
Puerto Rican6%(1,536)
Cuban1.7%(436)
Colombian1.2%(297)
Guatemalan0.9%(242)
Salvadoran0.5%(117)
Spaniard0.2%(50)
Venezuelan0.1%(36)
Dominican0.1%(22)
Peruvian0%(12)
+ 1 more hispanic origin group with data
Asian origin
Hmong0.4%(92)
Filipino0.4%(92)
Burmese0.2%(45)
Bangladeshi0.1%(23)
Vietnamese0.1%(15)
Thai0%(11)
Ancestry
English8%(2,064)
American6.9%(1,767)
Irish4.8%(1,220)
German4.4%(1,128)
Italian1.5%(378)
French1%(247)
Dutch0.5%(134)
Swedish0.5%(116)
Scottish0.4%(108)
Welsh0.3%(82)
Scotch-Irish0.3%(78)
+ 20 more ancestry groups with data
Polish0.2%(63)
West Indian0.2%(56)
Russian0.2%(46)
Haitian0.2%(44)
British0.1%(31)
Czech0.1%(27)
Canadian0.1%(23)
Greek0.1%(23)
Jamaican0.1%(17)
Portuguese0.1%(16)
Nigerian0.1%(16)
Brazilian0.1%(15)
Norwegian0.1%(14)
Swiss0.1%(13)
Danish0%(12)
Arab0%(11)
Syrian0%(11)
RANKED:Largest Mexican population · Largest English population · Largest American population · Largest Puerto Rican population · Largest Irish population
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
12.1%
+3.7 ptssince 2000
from 8.4% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
76.9%
+19.0 ptssince 2000
from 58.0% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
4.5%
+1.7 ptssince 2000
from 2.9% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
26.8 min
+30%since 2000
from 20.6 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
69.7%
+3.0 ptssince 2009
from 66.7% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
22.5%
−2.3 ptssince 2009
from 24.8% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
1.0%
−0.4 ptssince 2009
from 1.4% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
4.3%
+2.6 ptssince 2009
from 1.7% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
1.8%
−1.0 ptssince 2009
from 2.8% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.0%
−0.3 ptssince 2009
from 0.3% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
6.0%
+2.7 ptssince 2009
from 3.4% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
5.9%
−5.9 ptssince 2011
from 11.8% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
52.6%
−4.2 ptssince 2011
from 56.8% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Self-employed
13.1%
+0.4 ptssince 2009
from 12.7% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
25.2%
−17.1 ptssince 2009
from 42.3% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
54.6%
−1.6 ptssince 2009
from 56.2% in 2009
Female
45.4%
+1.6 ptssince 2009
from 43.8% in 2009
Foreign born
11.7%
−8.3 ptssince 2009
from 20.0% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
5.0%
−52.9 ptssince 2009
from 57.9% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
16.7%
+4.4 ptssince 2012
from 12.3% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
20.1%
−49.2 ptssince 2013
from 69.3% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
88.2%
+33.3 ptssince 2017
from 54.9% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
English only at home
69.0%
+7.8 ptssince 2016
from 61.2% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
29.0%
−7.0 ptssince 2016
from 36.0% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married41.2%(4,692)
Married41.6%(4,733)
Widowed1.9%(215)
Divorced15.3%(1,737)
Women 15+
Never married26.6%(2,423)
Married52.7%(4,793)
Widowed7.9%(720)
Divorced12.8%(1,161)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Drill deeper

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Head to head

Compare Hardee County to nearby counties

HARDEE COUNTY VS
DeSoto County
Income$54,417−10%
Home value$174,100+13%
Population37,078+43%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
HARDEE COUNTY VS
Highlands County
Income$54,897−9%
Home value$187,900+22%
Population111,122+329%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
HARDEE COUNTY VS
Polk County
Income$65,978+9%
Home value$266,500+74%
Population874,790+3273%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
HARDEE COUNTY VS
Manatee County
Income$78,457+30%
Home value$391,400+155%
Population468,200+1705%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Hardee County, Florida?

Hardee County, Florida has about 25,675 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

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

The typical household in Hardee County, Florida earns about $60,489 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Hardee County, Florida expensive?

In Hardee County, Florida, the median home is worth about $153,600, and the typical rent is about $962 a month.

How educated are people in Hardee County, Florida?

About 12.1% of adults age 25 and over in Hardee County, Florida hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Hardee County, Florida?

About 25.3% of people in Hardee County, Florida live below the federal poverty line.

Has Hardee County, Florida grown since 1990?

Yes, Hardee County, Florida has grown since 1990. The population has added about 6,176 residents, a change of about 32 percent over that period.

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8 census tracts
Census Tract 9703.01Census Tract 9704.01Census Tract 9701.02Census Tract 9701.01Census Tract 9702.01Census Tract 9703.02Census Tract 9704.02Census Tract 9702.02
4 ZIP codes
ZIP 33873ZIP 33834ZIP 33890ZIP 33865
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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

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