Population 25,675 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Hardee County
Household size in Hardee County
| Period | Hardee County | Florida | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.36 | 2.63 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 3.42 | 2.73 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 3.14 | 2.75 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 3.12 | 2.63 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.24 | +0.00 | −0.03 |
Hardee County is a place of big households: 3.12 people per home on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. Numbers like that usually point to plenty of families with kids. Household size has dropped from 3.36 in 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. No other Florida county has larger households.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Hardee County
| Period | Hardee County | Florida | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 35.1 | 40.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 35.3 | 42.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 36.5 | 43.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 36.6 | 43.5 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.4 | +2.7 | +2.3 |
The median resident of Hardee County is 36.6 years old, a few years younger than the national median of 40.1. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 35.1, mirroring the country. Of Florida's 67 counties, only three are younger.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Hardee County
| Period | Hardee County | Florida | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 16.9% | 12.4% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 19.4% | 12.2% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 12.7% | 11.5% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 17.4% | 11.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | +0.5 pts | −1.0 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head just over one in six households in Hardee County (17.4%), well above the national share of 11.6%. Only one other Florida county has a higher share of single-parent households.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Hardee County
Renters in Hardee County
| Period | Hardee County | Florida | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 25.3% | 30.3% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 28.3% | 33.9% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 35.1% | 34.6% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 28.6% | 32.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | +3.3 pts | +2.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
Nearly three in ten households in Hardee County rent their homes (28.6%), a little below the national share of 34.8%; the rest own. Among homeowners, 62.6% have no mortgage at all, well above the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the center and least common in the southeast. The renter share is up 3.3 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Hardee County
| Period | Hardee County | Florida | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 21.6% | 17.2% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 21.2% | 17.6% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 20.8% | 15.4% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 16.0% | 12.5% | 9.6% |
| Change | −5.6 pts | −4.8 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in Hardee County: 16.0% of homes are empty, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand. Since 2006–10, vacancy has fallen 5.6 points, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Hardee County
| Period | Hardee County | Florida | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1980 | 1984 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1983 | 1985 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1986 | 1986 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1988 | 1989 | 1980 |
| Change | +8 | +5 | +6 |
Hardee County has newer housing than the country as a whole: the median home was built in 1988, versus 1980 nationally. The median year built has moved up from 1980 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the southwest, the oldest in the center.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Hardee County
| Period | Hardee County | Florida | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $754 | $1,092 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $658 | $1,123 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $789 | $1,323 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $985 | $1,816 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$231 | +$724 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Hardee County costs $985 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $231 a month since 2006–10, up 31%, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 27.3% of household income on rent, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally. The priciest rents are in the southeast; the most affordable are in the southwest.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Hardee County
Bachelor's degrees in Hardee County
| Period | Hardee County | Florida | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.9% | 26.4% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 10.9% | 27.0% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 10.4% | 30.0% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 12.1% | 34.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +4.2 pts | +8.2 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in Hardee County have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 12.1%, against 35.6% nationally. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 4.2 points, in line with the national trend. Few Florida counties have a lower share of college graduates: only four of 67.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Hardee County
| Period | Hardee County | Florida | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 59.9% | 85.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 65.9% | 86.5% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 76.3% | 88.2% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 75.6% | 90.0% | 89.3% |
| Change | +15.7 pts | +4.4 pts | +4.3 pts |
About a quarter of adults in Hardee County never finished high school, well above the national share: only 75.6% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% nationally. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 15.7 points, a much bigger shift than nationally. Only two of Florida's 67 counties have a lower share of high school graduates.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Hardee County
| Period | Hardee County | Florida | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.2% | 8.9% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 12.9% | 11.0% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.7% | 5.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.8% | 4.8% | 5.4% |
| Change | −6.4 pts | −4.1 pts | −2.7 pts |
At 4.8%, unemployment in Hardee County is close to the national rate of 5.4%. Unemployment is down 6.4 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Hardee County compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hardee County | 3.12 | 36.6 | 17.4% | 28.6% | 16.0% | 1988 | $985 | 12.1% | 75.6% | 4.8% |
| Highlands County | 2.28 | 52.1 | 9.0% | 21.4% | 18.3% | 1986 | $1,160 | 20.7% | 86.3% | 6.8% |
| DeSoto County | 2.64 | 45.3 | 13.3% | 27.5% | 18.2% | 1988 | $918 | 11.7% | 73.9% | 9.7% |
| Polk County | 2.80 | 40.5 | 13.1% | 29.5% | 14.4% | 1992 | $1,499 | 23.4% | 87.7% | 4.9% |
| Manatee County | 2.50 | 49.3 | 7.7% | 25.7% | 17.3% | 1996 | $1,998 | 39.2% | 91.7% | 4.4% |
| Sarasota County | 2.20 | 55.0 | 6.7% | 23.3% | 16.3% | 1990 | $1,986 | 40.3% | 94.6% | 3.8% |
| Charlotte County | 2.22 | 58.3 | 6.0% | 16.2% | 20.0% | 1992 | $1,573 | 26.9% | 92.7% | 4.9% |
| Hillsborough County | 2.66 | 38.8 | 12.1% | 38.5% | 8.0% | 1991 | $1,830 | 37.9% | 89.4% | 4.6% |
| Osceola County | 3.03 | 37.4 | 13.1% | 34.7% | 14.5% | 2002 | $1,870 | 30.7% | 90.0% | 5.2% |
| Glades County | 2.52 | 48.6 | 11.9% | 14.9% | 25.0% | 1993 | $892 | 14.0% | 76.6% | 5.6% |
| Pinellas County | 2.29 | 48.7 | 9.0% | 30.5% | 15.7% | 1975 | $1,754 | 36.4% | 92.6% | 4.6% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Bosque County, TX · Worth County, GA · Brown County, MN · Brown County, IN · Brooks County, GA · Wright County, MO · Wyandot County, OH · Bristol City, VA · Bremer County, IA · Breckinridge County, KY
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Hardee County. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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