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COUNTY · 2020 ACS

Highlands County

Florida · 101,235 residents · 1,017.66 sq mi
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The short version

Highlands County has notably lower household income than the US average, with a median household income of $43,708. Population has grown 16% since 2000. 18% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, below the national rate of 33%. Median home value has more than doubled since 2000, reaching $120,500. With a median age of 54.7, the population is older than the US median of 38.8.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $66,278
Older
median age 54.7
US median: 38.8
Less educated
18% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 33%
Less affordable
home values up 29%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $265,253
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
101,235
+16%since 2000
from 87,366 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Median age
54.7
+9%since 2000
from 50.0 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Population, 1990 – 2024
65K76K87K98K109K1990201020202024Highlands County
2024106K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2020
Under 54.1%(4,193)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 94.8%(4,825)
US avg: 6.1%
10 to 145.5%(5,537)
US avg: 6.5%
15 to 195%(5,033)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 244%(4,090)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 348.7%(8,797)
US avg: 13.5%
35 to 448.7%(8,757)
US avg: 12.7%
45 to 549.6%(9,714)
US avg: 12.3%
55 to 6414.6%(14,738)
US avg: 13.1%
65 to 7417.9%(18,072)
US avg: 10%
75 to 8413.1%(13,224)
US avg: 4.9%
85 and over4.2%(4,255)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$43,708
−4%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $30,160 in 2000
US average: $66,278
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$27,979
+62%since 2000
from $17,222 in 2000
US average: $35,364
Households earning $100K+
22.7%
+8.9 ptssince 2009
from 13.8% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
Poverty rate
16.0%
+0.8 ptssince 2000
from 15.2% in 2000
US average: 12.8%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Information16.3%
US avg: 11.1%
Wholesale trade9.8%
US avg: 6.7%
Finance & insurance4.5%
US avg: 5.5%
Other services4.2%
US avg: 6.6%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing4.1%
US avg: 1.7%
Professional, scientific, technical4.1%
US avg: 4.7%
Construction4.1%
US avg: 1.2%
Retail trade3.3%
US avg: 10%
Public administration2.6%
US avg: 4.7%
Transportation & warehousing1.8%
US avg: 2.5%
Arts, entertainment, food0.7%
US avg: 2%
Education & health services0.4%
US avg: 0.8%
Manufacturing0.1%
US avg: 0.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$120,500
+29%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $62,000 in 2000
US average: $265,253
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$801
+11%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $479 in 2000
US average: $1,124
Owner-occupied
75.9%
−3.8 ptssince 2000
from 79.7% in 2000
24.1% rent
Afford Score
2.8
−23%since 2009
from 3.6 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index: median home value divided by median household income. Lower is more affordable.
RELATED:See current rent listings in Highlands County on RentDataNow
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic76.5%(66,814)
Black9.1%(7,925)
Hispanic / Latino12.1%(10,542)
Asian1%(881)
Other0%
2020
White, non-Hispanic64.7%(65,511)
Black9.4%(9,484)
Hispanic / Latino20.7%(20,943)
Asian1.6%(1,602)
Other2.7%(2,761)
Segregation Score
35
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
Mexican7.6%(7,899)
Puerto Rican6.1%(6,351)
Cuban3.6%(3,757)
South American1.3%(1,341)
Dominican1%(1,033)
Colombian0.8%(866)
Salvadoran0.3%(321)
Venezuelan0.2%(208)
Chilean0.2%(167)
Costa Rican0.1%(129)
Spaniard0.1%(75)
+ 8 more hispanic origin groups with data
Honduran0.1%(66)
Panamanian0.1%(60)
Peruvian0.1%(55)
Uruguayan0%(23)
Argentine0%(13)
Asian origin
Filipino1%(998)
Asian Indian0.3%(337)
Vietnamese0.1%(78)
Pakistani0%(47)
Japanese0%(18)
Korean0%(18)
Chinese0%(17)
Burmese0%(13)
Pacific Islander origin
Chamorro0%(14)
Ancestry
German13.1%(13,732)
English11.7%(12,235)
American10.6%(11,084)
Irish9.9%(10,351)
Italian4.5%(4,737)
Scottish2.5%(2,601)
Polish2.2%(2,338)
French2%(2,113)
West Indian2%(2,072)
Dutch1.4%(1,448)
Jamaican1.2%(1,229)
Welsh0.9%(949)
+ 36 more ancestry groups with data
Scotch-Irish0.9%(918)
Russian0.8%(800)
Swedish0.8%(793)
British0.6%(620)
Norwegian0.6%(583)
Haitian0.5%(506)
Greek0.5%(477)
Canadian0.4%(454)
Portuguese0.3%(319)
Danish0.2%(261)
Hungarian0.2%(258)
Czech0.2%(229)
Austrian0.2%(173)
Finnish0.2%(173)
Ukrainian0.1%(141)
Slovak0.1%(133)
Swiss0.1%(117)
Lithuanian0.1%(113)
Lebanese0.1%(55)
Croatian0%(52)
Brazilian0%(51)
Arab0%(45)
Armenian0%(45)
Nigerian0%(44)
Ethiopian0%(29)
Belgian0%(26)
Serbian0%(21)
Slovene0%(19)
Romanian0%(14)
Latvian0%(11)
Ghanaian0%(10)
Kenyan0%(7)
RANKED:Largest German population · Largest English population · Largest American population · Largest Irish population · Largest Mexican population
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
17.5%
+4.0 ptssince 2000
from 13.6% in 2000
US average: 32.9%
High school or higher
85.3%
+10.8 ptssince 2000
from 74.5% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
Graduate degree
6.0%
+0.8 ptssince 2000
from 5.2% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
20.6 min
+38%since 2000
from 15.0 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
Drive alone to work
79.4%
+3.0 ptssince 2009
from 76.4% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
No vehicle available
5.1%
−0.3 ptssince 2009
from 5.4% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
8.4%
−4.9 ptssince 2011
from 13.3% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
Labor force participation
42.3%
−3.3 ptssince 2011
from 45.6% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Management & professional
29.8%
−25.8 ptssince 2009
from 55.7% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
Section 08

People & community

Male
48.5%
−0.9 ptssince 2009
from 49.4% in 2009
Female
51.5%
+0.9 ptssince 2009
from 50.6% in 2009
Foreign born
11.3%
−0.2 ptssince 2009
from 11.5% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
Uninsured
12.3%
−69.2 ptssince 2013
from 81.5% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married25.6%(11,415)
Married57.2%(25,450)
Widowed4.9%(2,187)
Divorced12.3%(5,465)
Women 15+
Never married19.4%(9,072)
Married52.1%(24,401)
Widowed13.7%(6,405)
Divorced14.8%(6,916)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
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Head to head

Compare Highlands County to nearby counties

HIGHLANDS COUNTY VS
Okeechobee County
Income$57,984+33%
Home value$193,000+60%
Population42,608−62%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
HIGHLANDS COUNTY VS
Glades County
Income$45,870+5%
Home value$137,000+14%
Population13,270−88%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
HIGHLANDS COUNTY VS
DeSoto County
Income$54,417+25%
Home value$174,100+44%
Population37,078−67%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
HIGHLANDS COUNTY VS
Hardee County
Income$60,489+38%
Home value$153,600+27%
Population25,932−77%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Highlands County, Florida?

Highlands County, Florida has about 101,235 residents according to the 2020 American Community Survey.

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

The typical household in Highlands County, Florida earns about $43,708 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Highlands County, Florida expensive?

In Highlands County, Florida, the median home is worth about $120,500, and the typical rent is about $801 a month.

How educated are people in Highlands County, Florida?

About 17.5% of adults age 25 and over in Highlands County, Florida hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Highlands County, Florida?

About 16.0% of people in Highlands County, Florida live below the federal poverty line.

Has Highlands County, Florida grown since 1990?

Yes, Highlands County, Florida has grown since 1990. The population has added about 32,803 residents, a change of about 48 percent over that period.

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Explore from here

35 census tracts (top 20 by population)
Census Tract 9613.01Census Tract 9606.02Census Tract 9605.03Census Tract 9615Census Tract 9616.05Census Tract 9610Census Tract 9602Census Tract 9603Census Tract 9607Census Tract 9604.01Census Tract 9611Census Tract 9604.02Census Tract 9601.04Census Tract 9614.01Census Tract 9613.04Census Tract 9608Census Tract 9617.01Census Tract 9606.01Census Tract 9612.02Census Tract 9605.04
8 ZIP codes
ZIP 33825ZIP 33870ZIP 33852ZIP 33872ZIP 33875ZIP 33876ZIP 33857ZIP 33960
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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

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