Highlands County, FL

County

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2020 Population

104,574

1.1% 1-year growth

US Senator

Marco Rubio

Republican Party

US Senator

Rick Scott

Republican Party

2020 Median Age

54.1

1.12% 1-year increase

2020 Poverty Rate

16%

13.8% 1-year decrease

2020 Median Household Income

$43,708

6.76% 1-year growth

2020 Median Property Value

$120,500

11.5% 1-year growth

2020 Employed Population

34,339

2.34% 1-year growth

About

In 2020, Highlands County, FL had a population of 105k people with a median age of 54.1 and a median household income of $43,708. Between 2019 and 2020 the population of Highlands County, FL grew from 103,437 to 104,574, a 1.1% increase and its median household income grew from $40,942 to $43,708, a 6.76% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Highlands County, FL are White (Non-Hispanic) (66.1%), White (Hispanic) (13.2%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (9.25%), Other (Hispanic) (5.59%), and Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (2.17%).

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.

94.2% of the residents in Highlands County, FL are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Highlands County, FL are South Florida State College (611 degrees awarded in 2020) and UR Beauty & Barber Academy (14 degrees).

In 2020, the median property value in Highlands County, FL was $120,500, and the homeownership rate was 77%.

Most people in Highlands County, FL drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 20.6 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.

Population & Diversity

Highlands County, FL is home to a population of 105k people, from which 94.2% are citizens. As of 2020, 11.3% of Highlands County, FL residents were born outside of the country (11.8k people).

In 2020, there were 5.02 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (69.2k people) in Highlands County, FL than any other race or ethnicity. There were 13.8k White (Hispanic) and 9.68k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

94.2%

2020 Citizenship

94%

2019 Citizenship

As of 2020, 94.2% of Highlands County, FL residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2019, the percentage of US citizens in Highlands County, FL was 94%, 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)
69.2k ± 489
White (Hispanic)
13.8k ± 980
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
9.68k ± 428

20.4%

Hispanic Population

21.4k people

20.4% of the people in Highlands County, FL are hispanic (21.4k 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
1,006,483 ± 24,039 people
Haiti
335,997 ± 14,118 people
Colombia
281,766 ± 12,945 people

In 2020, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Florida was Cuba, the natal country of 1,006,483 Florida residents, followed by Haiti with 335,997 and Colombia with 281,766.

Foreign-Born Population

11.3%

2020 Foreign-Born Population

11.8k people

11%

2019 Foreign-Born Population

11.4k people

As of 2020, 11.3% of Highlands County, FL residents (11.8k people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.5%. In 2019, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Highlands County, FL was 11%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

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
3,918 ± 449
Korea
1,428 ± 313
Gulf War (1990s)
651 ± 187

Highlands County, FL has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 2.74 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Highlands County, FL employs 34.3k people. The largest industries in Highlands County, FL are Health Care & Social Assistance (6,071 people), Retail Trade (5,595 people), and Construction (3,356 people), and the highest paying industries are Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($91,250), Information ($66,083), and Wholesale Trade ($55,417).

Males in Florida have an average income that is 1.34 times higher than the average income of females, which is $48,168. The income inequality in Florida (measured using the Gini index) is 0.472, which is lower than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

34.3k

2020 Value

± 1,684

2.34%

1 Year growth

± 6.58%

From 2019 to 2020, employment in Highlands County, FL grew at a rate of 2.34%, from 33.6k employees to 34.3k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Highlands County, FL, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (4,535 people), Sales & Related Occupations (3,859 people), and Management Occupations (2,637 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 Florida.

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

34.3k

2020 Value

± 1,684

2.34%

1 Year growth

± 6.58%

From 2019 to 2020, employment in Highlands County, FL grew at a rate of 2.34%, from 33.6k employees to 34.3k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Highlands County, FL, are Health Care & Social Assistance (6,071 people), Retail Trade (5,595 people), and Construction (3,356 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

$32,975

Median earning men ± $1,973

$26,131

Median earning women ± $1,730

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2020 are Information ($82,176), Wholesale Trade ($53,542), and Public Administration ($44,274).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2020 are Wholesale Trade ($65,450), Public Administration ($47,667), and Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($40,320).

Employment by Industry Sector

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

Y-Axis

8.45%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between May 2020 and May 2021

As of May 2021, there are 145M people employed in Florida. This represents a 8.45% increase in employment when compared to May 2020.

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

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Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

1,125
Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance
444
Finance & Insurance, and Real Estate, Rental & Leasing
428
Retail Trade

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

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$513k
Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance
$149k
Retail Trade
$116k
Manufacturing

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

Domestic Trade

Domestic Production & Consumption

Domestic production and consumption consists of products and services shipped from Florida to other states, or from other states to Florida.

Top Domestic Production in Dollars

In 2020, the top outbound Florida product (by dollars) was Mixed freight with $94.8B, followed by Electronics ($62.6B) and Pharmaceuticals ($59.6B).

The following chart shows the share of these products in relation to all outbound Florida products.

Domestic Trade Growth

Showing data for Florida.

$688B

2020 Value in Florida

$1.41T

Projected 2050 Value in Florida

105% growth

In 2020, total outbound Florida trade was $688B. This is expected to increase 105% to $1.41T by 2050.

The following chart shows how the domestic outbound Florida trade is projected to change in comparison to its neighboring states.

Interstate Trade

Interstate trade consists of products and services shipped from Florida to other states, or from other states to Florida.

Most Common Trade Partners

Georgia
$24.9B
California
$19.2B
Texas
$15.8B

In 2020, the top outbound Florida domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was Georgia with $24.9B, followed by California with $19.2B and Texas and $15.8B.

The following map shows the amount of trade that Florida shares with each state (excluding itself).

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%).

Marco Rubio and Rick Scott 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 27 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.

Senators Elections

US Senators from Florida

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

Marco Rubio

Senator from Florida

Assumed office on January 3, 2011

Rick Scott

Senator from Florida

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

Marco Rubio and Rick Scott 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 Representatives Elections

US Representatives from Florida

Florida is currently represented by 27 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 2020, universities in Highlands County, FL awarded 625 degrees. The student population of Highlands County, FL in 2020 is skewed towards women, with 907 male students and 1,819 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Highlands County, FL are White (284 and 46.1%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (233 and 37.8%), Black or African American (65 and 10.6%), and Asian (13 and 2.11%).

The largest universities in Highlands County, FL by number of degrees awarded are South Florida State College (611 and 97.8%) and UR Beauty & Barber Academy (14 and 2.24%).

The most popular majors in Highlands County, FL are Liberal Arts & Sciences (267 and 42.7%), Criminal Justice - Police Science (35 and 5.6%), and Entrepreneurial Studies (34 and 5.44%).

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 2020 there were 2,726 students enrolled in Highlands County, FL, 33.3% men and 66.7% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 1,189 records, of which 64.5% were women and 35.5% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

Registered Nursing
17 degree-majors awarded
General Business Administration & Management
7 degree-majors awarded
Liberal Arts & Sciences
267 degree-majors awarded

In 2020, the most common concentation for Associates Degree recipients in Highlands County, FL was Registered Nursing with 17 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
611 degrees awarded
UR Beauty & Barber Academy
14 degrees awarded

In 2020, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was South Florida State College with 611 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

In 2020, 261 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Highlands County, FL, which is 0.717 times less than the 364 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2020 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 284 degrees mean that there were 1.22 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Hispanic or Latino, with 233 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 2020.

Public, 4-year or above ($30) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2020.

Public, 4-year or above ($1,220) 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 2020, 1.08% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 1.09% 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 2020 were High School or Equivalent (4.93M), Some college (3.6M), and Bachelors Degree (3.09M).

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 $120,500 in 2020, which is 0.524 times smaller than the national average of $229,800. Between 2019 and 2020 the median property value increased from $108,100 to $120,500, a 11.5% increase. The homeownership rate in Highlands County, FL is 77%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 64.4%.

People in Highlands County, FL have an average commute time of 20.6 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 $43,708. In 2020, the tract with the highest Median Household Income in Highlands County, FL was Census Tract 9613.01 with a value of $63,350, followed by Census Tract 9601.01 and Census Tract 9616.02, with respective values of $56,471 and $53,400.

In 2021, 14.2% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Highlands County, FL. From 2014 to 2021, the indicator declined 1.69%.

Housing

Property

$120,500

Median Property Value 2020

±$5,476

$32,883

Median Property Taxes

±$1,485

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

77%

Homeownership

2020

65.4%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2020

In 2020, 77% of the housing units in Highlands County, FL were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 75.3%.

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 9613.01
Census Tract 9601.01
Census Tract 9616.02

In 2020, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Highlands County, FL was Census Tract 9613.01 with a value of $63,350, followed by Census Tract 9601.01 and Census Tract 9616.02, with respective values of $56,471 and $53,400.

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.

$43,708

Median Household Income

± $1,841

42.7k

Number of Households

± 1,720

In 2020, the median household income of the 42.7k households in Highlands County, FL grew to $43,708 from the previous year's value of $40,942.

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 $60k - $75k range.

Wage Distribution

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

0.472

2020 Wage GINI in Florida

0.473

2019 Wage GINI in Florida

In 2020, the income inequality in Florida was 0.472 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.289% decline from 2019 to 2020, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more 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 2020

Drove Alone (79.4%)
Carpooled (10.3%)
Worked At Home (5.25%)

In 2020, 79.4% of workers in Highlands County, FL drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (10.3%) and those who worked at home (5.25%).

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

20.6 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Highlands County, FL have a shorter commute time (20.6 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.9 minutes). Additionally, 2.64% 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 2021, 14.2% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Highlands County, FL. From 2014 to 2021, the indicator declined 1.69%.

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

Poverty & Diversity

16% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Highlands County, FL (16.5k out of 103k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.8%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 55 - 64, followed by Females 75+ and then Males 55 - 64.

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 2021, 26.2% of the children was living in poverty in Highlands County, FL. From 2014 to 2021, the indicator declined 10.6%.

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.

Security

Crimes & Accidents

Indicator

In 2021, the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population was 318 in Highlands County, FL. From 2014 to 2021, the indicator grew 32.2 per 100,000 population.

The graph shows the trend in the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population.

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Health

87.3% of the population of Highlands County, FL has health coverage, with 21.9% on employee plans, 22.5% on Medicaid, 25.1% on Medicare, 15.2% on non-group plans, and 2.65% on military or VA plans.

Per capita personal health care spending in Florida was $8,076 in 2014. This is a 5.05% increase from the previous year ($7,688).

Primary care physicians in Highlands County, FL see 1728 patients per year on average, which represents a 2.43% increase from the previous year (1687 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 2529 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 1398 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 47.8% were men and 52.2% were women.

COVID-19

Daily New Cases by Date

Showing data at the state level for Florida. Hospitalization data for some states may be delayed or not reported.

Y-Axis

This chart shows the number of COVID-19 daily new cases by date in Florida, as a 7-day rolling average, compared with the four states with the most similar number of confirmed cases.

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Patient to Clinician Ratios

1,728 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Highlands County, FL

Primary care physicians in Highlands County, FL see an average of 1,728 patients per year. This represents a 2.43% increase from the previous year (1,687 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.

Community Mobility

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

This chart presents movement trends over time in the state of Florida across different categories of places such as retail and recreation, groceries and pharmacies, parks, transit stations, workplaces, and residential.

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Coverage

Health Care Diversity

In 2020, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 18% under 18 years, 14.5% between 18 and 34 years, 32% between 35 and 64 years, and 35.5% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 47.8% were men and 52.2% were women.

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

Uninsured People

12.7%

Uninsured

21.9%

Employer Coverage

22.5%

Medicaid

25.1%

Medicare

15.2%

Non-Group

2.65%

Military or VA

Between 2017 and 2018, the percent of uninsured citizens in Highlands County, FL declined by 11% from 14.2% 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 2021, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was 61.7 in Highlands County, FL.

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

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Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2021, 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 30.4% in Highlands County, FL.

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

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