Highlands County, FL

County

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2023 Population

103,808

1.44% 1-year growth

US Senator

Rick Scott

Republican Party

US Senator

Ashley Moody

Republican Party

2023 Median Age

54.2

0.185% 1-year increase

2023 Poverty Rate

15.4%

1.54% 1-year decrease

2023 Median Household Income

$55,581

3.54% 1-year growth

2023 Median Property Value

$177,900

14.1% 1-year growth

2023 Employed Population

35,736

1.17% 1-year growth

About

In 2023, Highlands County, FL had a population of 104k people with a median age of 54.2 and a median household income of $55,581. Between 2022 and 2023 the population of Highlands County, FL grew from 102,339 to 103,808, a 1.44% increase and its median household income grew from $53,679 to $55,581, a 3.54% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Highlands County, FL are White (Non-Hispanic) (64.2%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (9.16%), White (Hispanic) (8.4%), Two+ (Hispanic) (6.83%), and Other (Hispanic) (5.57%).

None of the households in Highlands County, FL reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

95.3% of the residents in Highlands County, FL are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Highlands County, FL are South Florida State College (604 degrees awarded in 2022) and UR Beauty & Barber Academy (491747) (25 degrees).

In 2023, the median property value in Highlands County, FL was $177,900, and the homeownership rate was 78.9%.

Most people in Highlands County, FL drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 23.1 minutes. The average car ownership in Highlands County, FL was 2 cars per household.

Highlands County, FL borders Charlotte County, FL, DeSoto County, FL, Glades County, FL, Hardee County, FL, Okeechobee County, FL, Osceola County, FL, and Polk County, FL.

United States Florida Sebring, FL

Population & Diversity

Highlands County, FL is home to a population of 104k people, from which 95.3% are citizens. As of 2023, 10.8% of Highlands County, FL residents were born outside of the country (11.2k people).

In 2023, there were 7.01 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (66.7k people) in Highlands County, FL than any other race or ethnicity. There were 9.51k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 8.72k White (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

95.3%

2023 Citizenship

94.8%

2022 Citizenship

As of 2023, 95.3% of Highlands County, FL residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2022, the percentage of US citizens in Highlands County, FL was 94.8%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Highlands County, FL compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Highlands County, FL

White (Non-Hispanic)
66.7k ± 537
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
9.51k ± 399
White (Hispanic)
8.72k ± 994

21.5%

Hispanic Population

22.3k people

21.5% of the people in Highlands County, FL are hispanic (22.3k people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Highlands County, FL as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for Florida.

Most Common Origin

Cuba
1,003,261 ± 24,014 people
Haiti
344,713 ± 14,299 people
Colombia
299,067 ± 13,333 people

In 2022, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Florida was Cuba, the natal country of 1,003,261 Florida residents, followed by Haiti with 344,713 and Colombia with 299,067.

Foreign-Born Population

10.8%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

11.2k people

10.9%

2022 Foreign-Born Population

11.2k people

As of 2023, 10.8% of Highlands County, FL residents (11.2k people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.8%. In 2022, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Highlands County, FL was 10.9%, meaning that the rate has been decreasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Highlands County, FL compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
4,203 ± 458
Korea
976 ± 206
Gulf War (1990s)
771 ± 193

Highlands County, FL has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 4.31 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Highlands County, FL employs 35.7k people. The largest industries in Highlands County, FL are Health Care & Social Assistance (6,096 people), Retail Trade (4,512 people), and Construction (3,792 people), and the highest paying industries are Information ($72,318), Wholesale Trade ($55,764), and Public Administration ($49,795).

Males in Florida have an average income that is 1.34 times higher than the average income of females, which is $56,054. The income inequality in Florida (measured using the Gini index) is 0.474, which is lower than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

35.7k

2023 Value

± 1,651

1.17%

1 Year growth

± 6.55%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Highlands County, FL grew at a rate of 1.17%, from 35.3k employees to 35.7k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Highlands County, FL, are Sales & Related Occupations (3,764 people), Office & Administrative Support Occupations (3,641 people), and Management Occupations (2,659 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Highlands County, FL.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for false.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in Florida (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

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Industries

Employment by Industries

35.7k

2023 Value

± 1,651

1.17%

1 Year growth

± 6.55%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Highlands County, FL grew at a rate of 1.17%, from 35.3k employees to 35.7k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Highlands County, FL, are Health Care & Social Assistance (6,096 people), Retail Trade (4,512 people), and Construction (3,792 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Highlands County, FL, though some of these residents may live in Highlands County, FL and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$41,810

Median earning men ± $1,872

$34,879

Median earning women ± $2,053

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2023 are Information ($92,150), Wholesale Trade ($55,417), and Public Administration ($48,400).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2023 are Wholesale Trade ($77,620), Information ($70,781), and Public Administration ($54,861).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Florida.

Y-Axis

4.23%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 9.69M people employed in Florida. This represents a 4.23% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 12.6%.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in Florida.

Establishments by Size

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

Depending on the option selected, the visualization shows the number of employees or number of establishments and its share across establishment sizes.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$362k
Health Care and Social Assistance
$153k
Retail Trade
$56.5k
Construction

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

Civics

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Highlands County, FL went to Donald J. Trump with 66.8% of the vote. The runner-up was Joseph R Biden Jr. (32.5%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (0.427%).

Rick Scott and Ashley Moody are the senators currently representing the state of Florida. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

Florida is currently represented by 26 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

2020 Election Results

Donald J. Trump (66.8%)
Republican Party
Joseph R Biden Jr. (32.5%)
Democratic Party
Jo Jorgensen (0.427%)
Libertarian Party

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Highlands County, FL for each registered party from 1976 to 2020.

Senator Elections

US Senators from Florida

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for Florida.

Rick Scott

Senator from Florida

Assumed office on January 8, 2019
Inauguration delayed in order to finish his term as Governor of Florida.

Ashley Moody

Senator from Florida

Assumed office on January 21, 2025
While elections for full class 3 terms will take place in 2028, Florida will hold a special election in 2026 to elect a senator to complete the remainder of Marco Rubio's term.

Rick Scott and Ashley Moody are the senators currently representing Florida.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in Florida over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

US Representative Elections

US Representatives from Florida

Florida is currently represented by 26 members in the U.S. house.

Members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms, and the following chart shows the how the members for Florida have changed over time starting in 2008.

Education

In 2022, universities in Highlands County, FL awarded 629 degrees. The student population of Highlands County, FL in 2022 is skewed towards women, with 982 male students and 1,927 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Highlands County, FL are White (283 and 45.8%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (228 and 36.9%), Black or African American (69 and 11.2%), and Asian (17 and 2.75%).

The largest universities in Highlands County, FL by number of degrees awarded are South Florida State College (604 and 96%) and UR Beauty & Barber Academy (491747) (25 and 3.97%).

The most popular majors in Highlands County, FL are Liberal Arts & Sciences (221 and 35.1%), Registered Nursing (63 and 10%), and Emergency Medical Technician (EMT Paramedic) (57 and 9.06%).

The median tuition cost in Highlands County, FL for a public four year colleges is $3,135 for in-state students and $11,829 for out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Enrollments by Gender and Races

In 2022 there were 2,909 students enrolled in Highlands County, FL, 33.8% men and 66.2% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in Hispanic or Latino with 1,200 records, of which 69.3% were women and 30.7% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

Liberal Arts & Sciences
221 degrees awarded
Registered Nursing
49 degrees awarded
Emergency Medical Technician (EMT Paramedic)
13 degrees awarded

In 2022, the most common concentation for Associates Degree recipients in Highlands County, FL was Liberal Arts & Sciences with 221 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Associates Degree from schools in Highlands County, FL according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

South Florida State College
604 degrees awarded
UR Beauty & Barber Academy (491747)
25 degrees awarded

In 2022, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was South Florida State College with 604 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

In 2022, 252 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Highlands County, FL, which is 0.668 times less than the 377 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2022 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 283 degrees mean that there were 1.24 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Hispanic or Latino, with 228 degrees awarded.

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Public, 4-year or above ($3,135) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2022.

Public, 4-year or above ($30) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2022.

Public, 4-year or above ($1,200) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Florida.

Measure

In 2022, 1.19% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 1.2% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Florida.

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2022 were High School or Equivalent (4.97M), Some college (3.58M), and Bachelors Degree (3.32M).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Highlands County, FL was $177,900 in 2023, which is 0.586 times smaller than the national average of $303,400. Between 2022 and 2023 the median property value increased from $155,900 to $177,900, a 14.1% increase. The homeownership rate in Highlands County, FL is 78.9%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 65%.

People in Highlands County, FL have an average commute time of 23.1 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Highlands County, FL is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Highlands County, FL is $55,581. In 2023, the tract with the highest Median Household Income in Highlands County, FL was Census Tract 9616.02 with a value of $82,847, followed by Census Tract 9613.01 and Census Tract 9607, with respective values of $73,125 and $70,542.

In 2023, 12.9% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Highlands County, FL. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 2.96%.

Housing

Property

$177,900

Median Property Value 2023

±$7,281

$36,257

Median Property Taxes

±$1,446

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Highlands County, FL the largest share of households pay taxes in the < $800 range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Highlands County, FL compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

78.9%

Homeownership

2023

63.9%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2023

In 2023, 78.9% of the housing units in Highlands County, FL were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 78.4%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Highlands County, FL compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

Census Tract 9616.02
Census Tract 9613.01
Census Tract 9607

In 2023, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Highlands County, FL was Census Tract 9616.02 with a value of $82,847, followed by Census Tract 9613.01 and Census Tract 9607, with respective values of $73,125 and $70,542.

The following map shows all of the tracts in Highlands County, FL colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$55,581

Median Household Income

± $2,153

45.9k

Number of Households

± 1,788

In 2023, the median household income of the 45.9k households in Highlands County, FL grew to $55,581 from the previous year's value of $53,679.

The following chart displays the households in Highlands County, FL distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Highlands County, FL is from Florida.

0.474

2022 Wage GINI in Florida

0.473

2021 Wage GINI in Florida

In 2022, the income inequality in Florida was 0.474 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.285% growth from 2021 to 2022, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat less even. The GINI for Florida was lower than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in Florida in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in Florida across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2023

Drove Alone (75.9%)
Carpooled (12.7%)
Worked At Home (7.58%)

In 2023, 75.9% of workers in Highlands County, FL drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (12.7%) and those who worked at home (7.58%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

23.1 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Highlands County, FL have a shorter commute time (23.1 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.6 minutes). Additionally, 3.46% of the workforce in Highlands County, FL have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Highlands County, FL compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Highlands County, FL distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Highlands County, FL have 2 cars.

Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2023, 12.9% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Highlands County, FL. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 2.96%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the population living with severe housing problems.

Poverty & Diversity

15.4% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Highlands County, FL (15.7k out of 102k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.4%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Males 55 - 64, followed by Females 55 - 64 and then Females 75+.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Highlands County, FL is White, followed by Hispanic and Black.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Children in Poverty

In 2023, 22.8% of the children was living in poverty in Highlands County, FL. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 14%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the children living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Health

87.3% of the population of Highlands County, FL has health coverage, with 25.1% on employee plans, 17.5% on Medicaid, 26.2% on Medicare, 16.2% on non-group plans, and 2.32% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Highlands County, FL see 1807 patients per year on average, which represents a 3.79% increase from the previous year (1741 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 2295 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 1201 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48.2% were men and 51.8% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

1,807 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Highlands County, FL

Primary care physicians in Highlands County, FL see an average of 1,807 patients per year. This represents a 3.79% increase from the previous year (1,741 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Highlands County, FL in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2023, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 17.9% under 18 years, 13.7% between 18 and 34 years, 32.6% between 35 and 64 years, and 35.7% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48.2% were men and 51.8% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

12.7%

Uninsured

25.1%

Employer Coverage

17.5%

Medicaid

26.2%

Medicare

16.2%

Non-Group

2.32%

Military or VA

Between 2022 and 2023, the percent of uninsured citizens in Highlands County, FL declined by 2.93% from 13.1% to 12.7%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Highlands County, FL changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

Health Indicators

Health Outcomes

Indicator

In 2023, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was 64.4 in Highlands County, FL.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Highlands County, FL.

Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2023, the percentage of the adult population (age 18 and older) that reports a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2 (age-adjusted) was 39.1% in Highlands County, FL.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Highlands County, FL.