Highlands County, Florida
Highlands County
Highlands County is located in the south central Florida region, along with Desoto, Hendry, Glades, Okeechobee, and Hardee counties. The largest industries providing employment are education & health services, natural resources & mining, trade & transportation, and government. Major private sector employers for Highlands County are Florida Hospital Heartland Division, Highlands Regional Medical Center, Cross Country Automotive Services, Wal-Mart Sebring, and Medical Data Systems. Top public sector employers are Highlands County School Board and Highlands County Board of Commissioners. Incorporated cities and towns include Avon Park, Lake Placid, and Sebring (county seat)
Highlands County Florida Cities
There are 5 cities in Highlands County Florida. These are listed below. Click on a link for details.
Avon Park, Lake Placid, Lorida, Sebring, Venus,
Highlands County has a population of approximately 98,128 people. The population increased -0.7% 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. Highlands County is 1016.62 square miles and had a population density of 97.2 Persons per square mile in 2010. This compared to 350.6 for Florida and 87.4 for the country.
There are 55,276 housing units in Highlands 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.) Highlands County has a 79.4% homeownership rate compared to Florida's rate of 69.0%. Highlands County's medium household income in 2011 was $34,913, 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 |
| Highlands County | 98,128 | $1,496 | -0.7% | $34,913 | 55,276 | $115,600 |
18.3% of the population in Highlands County lives below the poverty line, compared to 14.7% in Florida and 14.3% nationwide. Additional Information:
- Highlands County Census Data
- University of Florida Bureau of Economic and Business Research - Highlands County
Highlands 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 Highlands 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 $1,496 million, Highlands County's economic activity represents 0.24% of the Florida economy.
| Activity | Value (Millions) | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturers shipments | $306 | 20.5% |
| Merchant wholesaler sales | $0 | 0.0% |
| Retail sales | $1,090 | 72.8% |
| Accommodation and food services sales | $101 | 6.7% |
| Total | $1,496 | 100% |
Highlands County Regional Comparisons
Highlands County is located in South Central Florida. This region is responsible for 0.5% of Florida's economic activity. Highlands County represents 44.1% 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 |
Highlands Real Estate
There are 53,723 properties in Highlands 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 | 50 | $282,500 | $74 | January 1st, 2013 | August 1st, 2013 |
| Government Property | 4,181 | 7.78 | 4 | $28,500 | $68 | February 1st, 2013 | July 1st, 2013 |
| Miscellaneous Property | 162 | 0.30 | 2 | $941,550 | $2,409 | March 1st, 2013 | June 1st, 2013 |
| Residential Property | 0 | 0.00 | 1,819 | $65,000 | $41 | January 1st, 2013 | September 1st, 2013 |
Commercial Real Estate in Highlands County, Florida
0( .00%) of the properties in Highlands County are classified as Commercial. 50 of them sold between January 1st, 2013 and August 1st, 2013. The total value of these sales was $71,635,800. The median sales price was $282,500. In 2013 the median sales price for A Class Commercial Property in Highlands County was $391 per sq ft, B Class properties sold for $74/ft and C Class $24/ft.
Government Real Estate in Highlands County, Florida
4,181( 7.78%) of the properties in Highlands County are classified as Government. 4 of them sold between February 1st, 2013 and July 1st, 2013. The total value of these sales was $308,600. The median sales price was $28,500. In 2013 the median sales price for Government Property in Highlands County was $68 per sq ft.
Miscellaneous Real Estate in Highlands County, Florida
162( .30%) of the properties in Highlands County are classified as Miscellaneous. 2 of them sold between March 1st, 2013 and June 1st, 2013. The total value of these sales was $1,883,100. The median sales price was $941,550. In 2013 the median sales price for Miscellaneous Property in Highlands County was $2,409 per sq ft.
Residential Real Estate in Highlands County, Florida
0( .00%) of the properties in Highlands County are classified as Residential. 1,819 of them sold between January 1st, 2013 and September 1st, 2013. The total value of these sales was $168,111,599. The median sales price was $65,000. In 2013 the median sales price for A Class Residential Property in Highlands County was $71 per sq ft, B Class properties sold for $41/ft and C Class $19/ft.
Additional Details:
Highlands Market Data
| Property Usage | Property Count | Total Sq Ft |
|---|---|---|
| Agricultural | 4,642 | 5,509,553 |
| Government Property | 5,600 | 3,766,712 |
| Health Care | 7 | 475,049 |
| Hotel & Motel | 1,535 | 896,617 |
| Industrial | 437 | 3,750,553 |
| Land | 56,811 | 478,345 |
| Miscellaneous Property | 166 | 1,827,119 |
| Mobile/Manufactured | 5,132 | 5,046,188 |
| Multifamily | 812 | 3,285,589 |
| Office | 357 | 1,676,088 |
| Residential | 34,567 | 64,128,241 |
| Retail | 842 | 6,943,684 |
| Senior Housing | 286 | 1,084,922 |
| Special Purpose | 601 | 3,932,599 |
| Sports & Entertaining | 75 | 321,237 |