United States › Florida › Hardee County COUNTY
Hardee County Florida · 25,932 residents (2025 est.) · 638 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO 1990 Census 2000 Census 2009 ACS 2010 ACS 2011 ACS 2012 ACS 2013 ACS 2014 ACS 2015 ACS 2016 ACS 2017 ACS 2018 ACS 2019 ACS 2020 ACS 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS
The short version
Hardee County is a county of 25,675 people in Florida. 12% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 36% national rate. 25.3% of residents live below the federal poverty line. Home values have roughly tripled since 2000, reaching $153,600. The median age is 35.8, younger than the US median of 38.9. Density works out to 40 people per square mile.
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 from 26,938 in 2000
25,932 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
from 45 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 32.7 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
19K 21K 24K 27K 30K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Hardee County Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $60,489
+10%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $30,183 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $12,445 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 16.5% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 24.6% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.408 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 14.1%
Professional, scientific, technical 4.6%
Public administration 4.3%
Education & health services 2.7%
Arts, entertainment, food 1.4%
Transportation & warehousing 0.6%
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$153,600
+58%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $53,400 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$962
+18%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $446 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 73.4% in 2000
28.6% rent
from 20.0% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 3.07 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 24.6% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 38.7% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 2.9 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 54.6%(14,704)
Hispanic / Latino 35.7%(9,611)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 46.4%(11,912)
Hispanic / Latino 42.3%(10,867)
from 73 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
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
+ 1 more hispanic origin group with data Ancestry
+ 20 more ancestry groups with data from 8.4% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 58.0% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 2.9% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 20.6 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 66.7% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 24.8% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 1.4% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 1.7% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 2.8% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.3% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 3.4% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 11.8% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 56.8% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 61.5% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 12.7% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 18.8% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 20.0% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 8.4% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 12.3% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 30.7% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 54.9% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 77.3% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 93.0% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 61.2% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 36.0% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 41.2%(4,692)
Women 15+
Never married 26.6%(2,423)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 30.7% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 35.0% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 11.8% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 18.8% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 39.6% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 1.5% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 46.7% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 53.0% in 2020
US average: 36.7%
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later) 15.4%(150)
Gulf War (1990s) 20.8%(203)
Share of the 976 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
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Drill deeper
Places similar to Hardee County Head to head
Compare Hardee County to nearby counties HARDEE COUNTY VS
DeSoto County
Income $54,417 −10%
Home value $174,100 +13%
Population 37,078 +43%
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HARDEE COUNTY VS
Highlands County
Income $54,897 −9%
Home value $187,900 +22%
Population 111,122 +329%
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HARDEE COUNTY VS
Polk County
Income $65,978 +9%
Home value $266,500 +74%
Population 874,790 +3273%
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HARDEE COUNTY VS
Manatee County
Income $78,457 +30%
Home value $391,400 +155%
Population 468,200 +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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