Highlands County, Florida

3 cities & places have their primary county here.

Population: 103,808
Median household income: $55,581
Median home value: $177,900

Highlands County, Florida counts 103,808 residents. 3 cities and places have their primary county here. The median household income of $55,581 is below the Florida median ($71,711).

From 2019 to 2023, Highlands County's population held roughly steady from 103,437 to 103,808, while its median household income rose 35.8% from $40,942 to $55,581.

61.4% of homes are single-family detached houses. The typical home was built around 1986.

Demographics

ACS 2019–2023

Population: 103,808
Median age: 54.2 yrs
Median household income: $55,581
Median home value: $177,900
Median gross rent: $980
Housing units: 58,086
Homeownership rate: 78.9%
Bachelor's degree or higher: 19.7%
Unemployment rate: 5.9%

Trends

ACS 5-year · 2019–2023

Population

103,437103,808

Median household income

$40,942$55,581

Median home value

$108,100$177,900

Median gross rent

$816$980

Year	Population	Median household income	Median home value	Median gross rent
2019	103,437	$40,942	$108,100	$816
2020	104,574	$43,708	$120,500	$801
2021	101,174	$46,895	$131,900	$839
2022	102,339	$53,679	$155,900	$919
2023	103,808	$55,581	$177,900	$980

Each year is a US Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimate ending that year.

Age distribution

Under 54.1%

5 to 1712.7%

18 to 245.6%

25 to 349.1%

35 to 449.7%

45 to 549.6%

55 to 6413.2%

65 to 7417.3%

75 and over18.7%

	Count	Share
Under 5	4,280	4.1%
5 to 17	13,197	12.7%
18 to 24	5,836	5.6%
25 to 34	9,478	9.1%
35 to 44	10,024	9.7%
45 to 54	9,977	9.6%
55 to 64	13,716	13.2%
65 to 74	17,907	17.3%
75 and over	19,393	18.7%

Race & ethnicity

	Count	Share
White (non-Hispanic)	66,658	64.2%
Black or African American	9,508	9.2%
American Indian & Alaska Native	150	0.1%
Asian	1,559	1.5%
Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander	32	0.0%
Some other race	575	0.6%
Two or more races	3,016	2.9%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	22,310	21.5%

Educational attainment (age 25+)

No high school diploma13.6%

High school graduate34.5%

Some college or associate's32.2%

Bachelor's degree12.4%

Graduate or professional degree7.3%

	Count	Share
No high school diploma	10,976	13.6%
High school graduate	27,733	34.5%
Some college or associate's	25,906	32.2%
Bachelor's degree	10,017	12.4%
Graduate or professional degree	5,863	7.3%

Commute to work

Mean travel time to work: 23 min

Drove alone75.9%

Carpooled12.7%

Public transit0.2%

Walked1.9%

Bicycle0.3%

Worked from home7.6%

Other means1.6%

How workers get to work

	Count	Share
Drove alone	26,682	75.9%
Carpooled	4,452	12.7%
Public transit	54	0.2%
Walked	662	1.9%
Bicycle	93	0.3%
Worked from home	2,666	7.6%
Other means	550	1.6%

Travel time

	Count	Share
Under 15 min	11,637	35.8%
15 to 29 min	12,771	39.3%
30 to 44 min	4,149	12.8%
45 to 59 min	1,703	5.2%
60+ min	2,233	6.9%

Households

Average household size: 2.22
Poverty rate: 15.4% (15,723 of 102,146)

	Count	Share
Family households	28,651	62.4%
Nonfamily households	17,292	37.6%

Housing

Median year structure built: 1986

Occupancy

	Count	Share
Occupied	45,943	79.1%
Vacant	12,143	20.9%

Tenure (of occupied units)

	Count	Share
Owner-occupied	36,257	78.9%
Renter-occupied	9,686	21.1%

1-unit, detached61.4%

1-unit, attached4.9%

2 to 4 units5.0%

5 to 19 units2.6%

20 or more units2.3%

Mobile home & other23.8%

Units in structure

	Count	Share
1-unit, detached	35,680	61.4%
1-unit, attached	2,850	4.9%
2 to 4 units	2,911	5.0%
5 to 19 units	1,491	2.6%
20 or more units	1,346	2.3%
Mobile home & other	13,808	23.8%

Geography

County GEOID: 12055
State: Florida
Land area: 1,018 sq mi
Water area: 89 sq mi
Center point: 27.3411, -81.3424