County-level Census Bureau data covering income, housing, demographics, education, employment, and more. Counties are the primary administrative division in the U.S. and the most common unit for comparing local conditions across a state.
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023 (released December 2024).
Quick Facts — Highlands County
- What is the median household income in Highlands County?
- The median household income in Highlands County is $55,581 (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023).
- What is the poverty rate in Highlands County?
- The poverty rate in Highlands County is 11.4% (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
- What is the median home value in Highlands County?
- $177,900 (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
- What is the average rent in Highlands County?
- The median gross rent in Highlands County is $980 per month (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
- What percentage of Highlands County residents have a college degree?
- 19.7% of adults in Highlands County hold a bachelor's degree or higher (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
Population
103,808
Median Income
$55,581
Median Home Value
$177,900
Poverty Rate
11.4%
Unemployment (ACS 2023)
5.9%
Median Age
54.0 yrs
Since 2019
Median Income:
+$14,639 (+35.8%)
Home Value:
+$69,800 (+64.6%)
Poverty Rate:
-1.5 pp (-11.6%)
Bachelor's+:
+2.5 pp (+14.5%)
Unemployment:
-3.6 pp (-37.9%)
Demographics
Total Population
103,808
Median Age
54.0
Female
51.0%
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino 21.5%
White (non-Hisp.) 64.2%
Black 9.4%
Asian 1.5%
Two or More 9.7%
Other 6.1%
Asian Subgroups (% of total pop.)
Filipino
0.7%
Indian
0.5%
Chinese
0.1%
Vietnamese
0.1%
Hispanic Subgroups (% of total pop.)
Mexican
8.0%
Puerto Rican
6.9%
Cuban
3.3%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Income & Poverty
Median Household Income
$55,581
±$2,153
-$16,130 vs. state
Per Capita Income
$74,216
Median Family Income
$65,774
Poverty Rate
11.4%
+2.5 pp vs. state
Child Poverty Rate
18.9%
Working-Age Poverty Rate
—
SNAP Recipients
14.9%
Social Security Income
—
Retirement Income
37.1%
Household Income Distribution
< $10k
6.7%
$10–15k
5.1%
$15–25k
10.6%
$25–35k
9.1%
$35–50k
14.4%
$50–75k
20.1%
$75–100k
13.2%
$100–150k
11.9%
$150–200k
4.7%
$200k+
4.3%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Housing
Total Housing Units
58,086
Owner-Occupied
78.9%
Renter-Occupied
21.1%
Vacancy Rate
20.9%
Median Home Value
$177,900
-$147,100 vs. state
Median Gross Rent
$980
Owner Cost Burden (30%+)
20.4%
Renter Cost Burden (30%+)
42.8%
Home Value Distribution
< $50k
15.1%
$50–100k
11.7%
$100–200k
13.9%
$200–300k
22.7%
$300–500k
15.3%
$500k–$1M
4.4%
$1M+
0.8%
Gross Rent Distribution
< $500
6.9%
$500–1k
45.8%
$1–1.5k
34.9%
$1.5–2k
6.6%
$2–2.5k
4.1%
$2.5–3.5k
0.5%
$3.5k+
1.1%
Vehicle Availability
No vehicle
5.5%
1 vehicle
45.0%
2 vehicles
35.3%
3+
14.2%
Housing Type
Single-fam. det.
61.4%
Single-fam. att.
4.9%
2–4 units
3.1%
5–19 units
1.8%
20+ units
2.3%
Mobile home
22.9%
Housing Age
Pre-1940
1.6%
1940–1969
1.7%
1970–1999
18.1%
2000–2009
15.3%
2010+
4.7%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Education
High School or Higher
86.4%
Bachelor's or Higher
19.7%
-13.5 pp vs. state
Graduate Degree
7.3%
Some College / Associate
23.1%
Less Than High School
5.2%
Enrolled in School
—
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Employment
Labor Force Participation
43.0%
Unemployment Rate
5.9%
+1.1 pp vs. state
Work from Home
7.6%
Self-Employed
5.7%
Government Workers
17.4%
Private For-Profit
76.6%
Industry
Edu/Health
26.4%
Retail
12.6%
Construction
10.6%
Prof. Services
10.5%
Arts/Entmt.
7.9%
Public Admin
6.6%
Finance
4.8%
Manufacturing
4.3%
Transportation
3.9%
Agriculture
3.7%
Wholesale
1.8%
Information
1.0%
Occupation
Management
32.6%
Sales
20.7%
Food Prep
20.7%
Construction
14.6%
Production
11.4%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Commute
Median Travel Time
23.1 min
Drove Alone
75.9%
Carpool
12.7%
Public Transit
0.2%
Work from Home
7.6%
Walked
1.9%
Bicycle
—
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Households & Families
Total Households
45,943
Avg. Household Size
2.00
Avg. Family Size
—
Married-Couple Households
48.1%
Single-Mother Households
—
Single-Father Households
—
Living Alone
—
Households with Children
10.9%
Multigenerational
—
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Age Distribution
Under 5
4.1%
5–9
4.6%
10–14
5.1%
15–19
4.6%
20–24
4.1%
25–34
9.1%
35–44
9.7%
45–54
9.6%
55–64
5.8%
65–74
7.4%
75–84
17.3%
85+
13.9%
Under 18: 16.8%
Working age (18–64): 83.2%
65 and over: 35.9%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Social Characteristics
Immigration
Foreign Born
10.8%
Naturalized Citizen
56.0%
Speaks English Less Than Very Well
7.5%
Foreign-Born Origin
Latin America
72.0%
Asia
11.6%
Europe
9.8%
Africa
1.0%
Veterans & Disability
Veteran
11.0%
With a Disability
21.8%
Cognitive Difficulty
—
Ambulatory Difficulty
—
Health Insurance
Insured
87.3%
Uninsured
12.7%
Employer Insurance
—
Medicaid
—
Medicare
—
Technology & Mobility
Broadband Internet
84.7%
Has a Computer
93.3%
Same House 1 Year Ago
88.1%
Moved from Abroad
0.6%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Compare Highlands County
Compare to another county →Where People Move From (IRS Migration Data)
Top origins of people who moved to Highlands County in 2023, by number of tax returns filed (IRS SOI Migration Data).
| Origin | Tax Returns | People (est.) |
|---|---|---|
| Other flows - Midwest | 551 | 957 |
| Other flows - South | 439 | 777 |
| Other flows - Northeast | 386 | 705 |
| Polk County | 306 | 574 |
| Miami-Dade County | 236 | 411 |
| Broward County | 212 | 376 |
| Lee County | 167 | 274 |
| Other flows - West | 146 | 252 |
| Palm Beach County | 120 | 231 |
| Hillsborough County | 101 | 163 |