Hardee County, Florida
Hardee County
Hardee County is located in South Central Florida, along with Desoto, Hendry, Glades, Highlands, and Okeechobee counties. Incorporated cities are Bowling Green, Wauchula (the county seat), and Zolfo Springs. The county's population is over 25,000.
The major industries for Hardee County are citrus, phosphate mining, vegetable farming, and cattle. The population increases during the harvesting season as a result of migratory workers. Major private sector employers are Florida Institute for Neurological Rehabilitation, Wal-Mart, Mosaic, C.F. Industries, and Peace River Electric Cooperative. Top public sector employers include Hardee School District, County Government, and Hardee County Sheriff's Office.
A rural county, Hardee?s economy is largely driven by agriculture. It is the fifth most productive county in Florida for citrus. Virtually all of the over 12 million boxes of citrus are oranges. 47,000 acres are devoted to commercial citrus production. Hardee County is also number five for the number of cattle and calves. Much of the cattle in the region is sold to ranches in the western portion of the nation before they are mature so that they can grow larger than they would be able to at Florida ranches.
Wauchula is situated along the Peace River, giving it access to maritime recreation, from paddleboarding to canoeing to fishing. The healthcare industry is a large segment of the county's economy; Florida Hospital Wauchula is located in the city. Commercial farms in the area grow blueberries, cucumbers, eggplant, squash, peppers, tomatoes, and watermelons.
Hardee County includes three public golf courses. Throughout the county are recreational lakes, including four at Hardee Lakes County Park. In addition to fishing at the lake, the park includes trails for hiking, horseback riding, and cycling.
Hardee County Florida Cities
There are 4 cities in Hardee County Florida. These are listed below. Click on a link for details.
Bowling Green, Ona, Wauchula, Zolfo Springs,
Hardee County has a population of approximately 27,514 people. The population increased -0.8% from 2010 to 2012. This compared to a 2.7% increase for the State of Florida and a 1.7% increase for the country as a whole. Hardee County is 637.78 square miles and had a population density of 43.5 Persons per square mile in 2010. This compared to 350.6 for Florida and 87.4 for the country.
There are 9,599 housing units in Hardee County (a housing unit is defined by the US Census Bureau as a house, apartment, mobile home, group of rooms, or single room that is occupied as separate living quarters.) Hardee County has a 73.8% homeownership rate compared to Florida's rate of 69.0%. Hardee County's medium household income in 2011 was $38,046, which is lower than the medium income for Florida as a whole: $47,827.
| Region | Population 2012 | Economic Activity 2007 (Millions) | Population Growth 2010 to 2012 | Median Household Income 2011 | Housing Units | Median Price 2007 to 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 313,914,040 | $14,025,202 | 1.7% | $52,762 | 132,312,404 | $186,200 |
| Florida | 19,317,568 | $630,738 | 2.7% | $47,827 | 9,026,965 | $188,600 |
| Hardee County | 27,514 | $418 | -0.8% | $38,046 | 9,599 | $104,100 |
28.5% of the population in Hardee County lives below the poverty line, compared to 14.7% in Florida and 14.3% nationwide. Additional Information:
- Hardee County Census Data
- University of Florida Bureau of Economic and Business Research - Hardee County
Hardee County Economic Activity
The U.S. Bureau of the Census, Economic , 2007 calculated the total value manufacturing, merchant wholesaler, retail sales and food service sales in Hardee County. The Census measured activity of large and medium-sized firms during calendar year 2007. It does not include every aspect of the economy but can be used as a measure of economic activity.
At $418 million, Hardee County's economic activity represents 0.07% of the Florida economy.
| Activity | Value (Millions) | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturers shipments | $0 | 0.0% |
| Merchant wholesaler sales | $0 | 0.0% |
| Retail sales | $400 | 95.7% |
| Accommodation and food services sales | $18 | 4.3% |
| Total | $418 | 100% |
Hardee County Regional Comparisons
Hardee County is located in South Central Florida. This region is responsible for 0.5% of Florida's economic activity. Hardee County represents 12.3% of the region's economy.
| Region | Population 2012 | Economic Activity 2007 (Millions) | Population Growth 2010 to 2012 | Median Household Income 2011 | Housing Units | Median Price 2007 to 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hardee County | 27,514 | $418 | -0.8% | $38,046 | 9,599 | $104,100 |
| Highlands County | 98,128 | $1,496 | -0.7% | $34,913 | 55,276 | $115,600 |
| Okeechobee County | 39,467 | $563 | -1.3% | $36,929 | 18,656 | $124,300 |
| DeSoto County | 34,712 | $305 | -0.4% | $36,407 | 14,617 | $114,900 |
| Glades County | 13,107 | $18 | 1.7% | $39,611 | 7,082 | $95,200 |
| Hendry County | 37,447 | $595 | -4.3% | $37,989 | 14,687 | $103,400 |
| Total | 250,375 | $3,395 | -1.0% | $37,316 | 119,917 | $109,583 |
Hardee Real Estate
There are 9,266 properties in Hardee County. The following table shows a summary of them based on 2013 sales data.
| Usage Type | Property Count | % | Sales Count | Median Price | Median Price/Ft | Sales From | To |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Commercial Property | 0 | 0.00 | 6 | $520,000 | $67 | February 1st, 2013 | August 1st, 2013 |
| Residential Property | 0 | 0.00 | 214 | $46,800 | $36 | January 1st, 2013 | September 1st, 2013 |
Commercial Real Estate in Hardee County, Florida
0( .00%) of the properties in Hardee County are classified as Commercial. 6 of them sold between February 1st, 2013 and August 1st, 2013. The total value of these sales was $3,480,100. The median sales price was $520,000. In 2013 the median sales price for Commercial Property in Hardee County was $67 per sq ft.
Residential Real Estate in Hardee County, Florida
0( .00%) of the properties in Hardee County are classified as Residential. 214 of them sold between January 1st, 2013 and September 1st, 2013. The total value of these sales was $15,198,500. The median sales price was $46,800. In 2013 the median sales price for A Class Residential Property in Hardee County was $69 per sq ft, B Class properties sold for $36/ft and C Class $11/ft.
Additional Details:
Hardee Market Data
| Property Usage | Property Count | Total Sq Ft |
|---|---|---|
| Agricultural | 2,224 | 3,580,737 |
| Government Property | 142 | 795,500 |
| Health Care | 4 | 107,871 |
| Hotel & Motel | 17 | 125,649 |
| Industrial | 65 | 653,056 |
| Land | 1,538 | 322,040 |
| Miscellaneous Property | 29 | 119,728 |
| Mobile/Manufactured | 1,428 | 1,708,721 |
| Multifamily | 218 | 1,158,276 |
| Office | 77 | 268,858 |
| Residential | 4,390 | 7,086,998 |
| Retail | 238 | 1,549,344 |
| Senior Housing | 7 | 48,959 |
| Special Purpose | 169 | 914,413 |
| Sports & Entertaining | 10 | 57,888 |