Highlands County, Florida Demographics 2026

Population Overview

Highlands County is located in Florida with a total population of 105,702. It is the 36th most populous county out of 67 in Florida. The county encompasses 3 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Highlands County is 54.4 years. This is 28% higher than the state median of 42.6 years. 18.8% of residents are 75 or older, suggesting a significant retirement-age population with implications for healthcare services and senior housing.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Highlands County is $54,897. This is 26% lower than the state median of $74,568. It is also 32% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 15.3%. This is 21% higher than the state poverty rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate is 6.4%. This is 32% higher than the state rate of 4.8%. The median home value is $187,900. Housing costs are 48% lower than the state median of $359,000. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.4x. 78.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 16% higher than the state average of 67.6%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Highlands County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 63.1% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 22.2%.

Education

20.5% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 40% 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 86.6%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Highlands 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.