Highlands County, Florida Demographics 2026

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

Highlands County, Florida has a population of 105,702, the 36th most populous county in Florida. The median household income is $54,897 and the median home value is $187,900. The poverty rate is 15.3%.

Highlands County Quick Facts

Population 105,702

Median Household Income $54,89790% MOE ±$2,416

Median Home Value $187,90090% MOE ±$8,429

Poverty Rate 15.3%90% MOE ±1.4 pts

Unemployment Rate 6.4%90% MOE ±1.0 pts

Median Age 54.4 years90% MOE ±0.2 years

Homeownership Rate 78.6%90% MOE ±1.3 pts

Affordability Ratio 3.4x

Bachelor's Degree+ 20.5%90% MOE ±1.4 pts

Adults 25+ with high school education or higher 86.6%

Cities/Places 3

Population 105,702 36th of 67

Median Income $54,897 26% lower than state

Poverty Rate 15.3%

Unemployment 6.4%

How Highlands 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	103,437	105,702	+2.2%
Median household income	$50,388	$54,897	+8.9%
Median home value¹	$133,040	$187,900	+41.2%
Median gross rent	$1,004	$1,035	No clear change (+3.1%)

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

Median Household Income

Highlands

$54,897

$74,568

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Highlands

$187,900

$359,000

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 22.4%

$25K-$50K 22.9%

$50K-$100K 33.4%

$100K+ 21.3%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

7.4%

$10K-$15K

4.9%

$15K-$20K

3.7%

$20K-$25K

6.5%

$25K-$30K

4.3%

$30K-$35K

5.0%

$35K-$40K

5.5%

$40K-$45K

4.0%

$45K-$50K

4.1%

$50K-$60K

8.5%

$60K-$75K

12.2%

$75K-$100K

12.7%

$100K-$125K

7.5%

$125K-$150K

4.8%

$150K-$200K

4.5%

$200K+

4.6%

Employment

6.4% Unemployment Rate State: 4.8%|National: 5.2%

43.6% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 78.6%

Renter 21.4%

Affordability Index Affordable

3.4x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $1,035/mo 22.6% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

16.7%

18-34

14.7%

35-54

19.4%

55-74

30.4%

75+

18.8%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

Moderate Diversity

Moderate diversity with one or two groups making up the majority.

State average: 65 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Cities & Places in Highlands County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Sebring	11,382	$44,184	24.1%	$191,600
Avon Park	10,057	$36,485	23.3%	$144,700
Lake Placid	2,477	$47,018	23.8%	$261,300

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

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.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of Highlands County, Florida?

Highlands County has a population of 105,702, making it the 36th most populous county in Florida.

What is the median income in Highlands County?

The median household income in Highlands County is $54,897 with a poverty rate of 15.3%.

How many cities are in Highlands County, Florida?

Highlands County contains 3 Census-designated places.