Hardee County, Florida Demographics 2026

Demographic data: ACS 2020–2024 five-year estimates. Sources and methodology

Hardee County, Florida has a population of 25,675, the 52nd most populous county in Florida. The median household income is $60,489 and the median home value is $153,600. The poverty rate is 25.3%.

Hardee County Quick Facts

Population 25,675

Median Household Income $60,48990% MOE ±$6,151

Median Home Value $153,60090% MOE ±$26,119

Poverty Rate 25.3%90% MOE ±4.2 pts

Unemployment Rate 5.9%90% MOE ±1.8 pts

Median Age 35.8 years90% MOE ±0.6 years

Homeownership Rate 71.4%90% MOE ±4.3 pts

Affordability Ratio 2.5x

Bachelor's Degree+ 12.1%90% MOE ±2.2 pts

Adults 25+ with high school education or higher 76.9%

Cities/Places 9

Population 25,675 52nd of 67

Median Income $60,489 19% lower than state

Poverty Rate 25.3%

Unemployment 5.9%

How Hardee County Changed

Change from the non-overlapping 2015–2019 ACS period to 2020–2024. Earlier dollar figures are adjusted to 2024 dollars; changes marked “no clear change” are within the combined 90% margins of error.

Metric	2015–2019	2020–2024	Change
Population	27,131	25,675	-5.4%
Median household income	$47,606	$60,489	+27.1%
Median home value¹	$102,641	$153,600	+49.6%
Median gross rent	$911	$962	No clear change (+5.6%)

¹ The Census Bureau changed its home-value inflation adjustment beginning with the 2022 ACS; interpret that comparison with additional caution.

Median Household Income

Hardee

$60,489

$74,568

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Hardee

$153,600

$359,000

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 22.4%

$25K-$50K 20.7%

$50K-$100K 28.8%

$100K+ 28.1%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

9.4%

$10K-$15K

4.5%

$15K-$20K

5.5%

$20K-$25K

3.0%

$25K-$30K

5.2%

$30K-$35K

4.2%

$35K-$40K

5.7%

$40K-$45K

2.2%

$45K-$50K

3.3%

$50K-$60K

6.1%

$60K-$75K

11.4%

$75K-$100K

11.4%

$100K-$125K

10.3%

$125K-$150K

7.6%

$150K-$200K

4.8%

$200K+

5.3%

Employment

5.9% Unemployment Rate State: 4.8%|National: 5.2%

52.6% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 71.4%

Renter 28.6%

Affordability Index Very Affordable

2.5x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $962/mo 19.1% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

24.4%

18-34

24.0%

35-54

24.1%

55-74

20.4%

75+

7.0%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

High Diversity

A diverse community with significant representation from multiple racial and ethnic groups.

State average: 65 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Cities & Places in Hardee County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Wauchula	4,927	$53,013	38.1%	$191,800
Bowling Green	2,226	$45,357	29.0%	$116,800
Zolfo Springs	2,158	$60,946	32.0%	$115,100
Fort Green Springs	762	$81,042	13.0%	$76,900
Lemon Grove	547	$26,971	39.9%	N/A
Gardner	381	N/A	42.5%	$86,400
Ona	44	N/A	9.1%	N/A
Fort Green	39	N/A	0.0%	N/A
Limestone	25	N/A	28.0%	N/A

Explore Florida Rankings

Cities by Population All cities ranked by size Richest Cities Ranked by median income Most Educated By bachelor's degree rate Most Affordable By housing affordability

Population Overview

Hardee County is located in Florida with a total population of 25,675. It is the 52nd most populous county out of 67 in Florida. The county encompasses 9 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Hardee County is 35.8 years. This is 16% lower than the state median of 42.6 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Hardee County is $60,489. This is 19% lower than the state median of $74,568. It is also 25% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 25.3%. This is 102% higher than the state poverty rate of 12.6%. With more than one in five residents living below the poverty line, economic hardship is a significant challenge for the community. The unemployment rate is 5.9%. This is 22% higher than the state rate of 4.8%. The median home value is $153,600. Housing costs are 57% lower than the state median of $359,000. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.5x, Hardee County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 71.4% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 6% higher than the state average of 67.6%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Hardee County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 46.4% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 42.3%. The Black or African American population (7.2%) is well below the state average of 14.6%. The Hispanic or Latino population is significantly higher than the state average (42.3% vs 27.4%). The Asian population (1.1%) is well below the state average of 2.9%.

Education

12.1% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is among the lowest rates in the state, which may correlate with employment and income patterns. This is 65% lower than the state rate of 34.2%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 76.9%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Hardee County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against Florida and national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of Hardee County, Florida?

Hardee County has a population of 25,675, making it the 52nd most populous county in Florida.

What is the median income in Hardee County?

The median household income in Hardee County is $60,489 with a poverty rate of 25.3%.

How many cities are in Hardee County, Florida?

Hardee County contains 9 Census-designated places.