Okeechobee County, Florida
Okeechobee County
Okeechobee County is located in South Central Florida, along with Desoto, Hendry, Glades, Highlands, and Hardee counties. Okeechobee County's only city is Okeechobee and this is also the county seat. The second largest freshwater lake in the U.S., Lake Okeechobee, is partially located within Okeechobee County. The U.S. Census Bureau identifies the county as the Okeechobee Micropolitan Statistical Area. The county population is over 39,000.
The leading industries in Okeechobee, Florida are educational, health and social services; retail trade; and arts, entertainment, recreation, accommodation and food services. Major private sector employers include Columbia Raulerson Hospital, Walpole Inc., Larson Dairy Inc., McArthur Farms Inc., and Okeechobee Healthcare. The top public sector employers are Okeechobee School District, Okeechobee Sheriff's Office, and Okeechobee County.
Primarily rural and agricultural, Okeechobee County has the most cattle and calves of any county in Florida. The 1930s Okeechobee Livestock Market is the largest market of its kind in the state by volume, with around 150,000 transactions annually. In addition to raising calves, dairy production is also an important segment of the cattle industry, contributing over $100 million annually. Okeechobee is also a citrus producing county, with an annual production of over 1.5 million boxes, the majority of which are oranges.
The county seat of Okeechobee is home to over 5,000. Just northwest of the city is Okeechobee County Airport, a general aviation facility with a 5,000-foot runway that contributes around $10 million to the local economy. The city?s location near Lake Okeechobee allows for easy access to fishing and the trail that runs its circumference. Okeechobee is known as the "Speckled Perch Capital of World" and hosts the annual Speckled Perch Festival.
Okeechobee County Florida Cities
There are 1 cities in Okeechobee County Florida. These are listed below. Click on a link for details.
Okeechobee County has a population of approximately 39,467 people. The population increased -1.3% 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. Okeechobee County is 768.91 square miles and had a population density of 52 Persons per square mile in 2010. This compared to 350.6 for Florida and 87.4 for the country.
There are 18,656 housing units in Okeechobee 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.) Okeechobee County has a 74.7% homeownership rate compared to Florida's rate of 69.0%. Okeechobee County's medium household income in 2011 was $36,929, 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 |
| Okeechobee County | 39,467 | $563 | -1.3% | $36,929 | 18,656 | $124,300 |
23.7% of the population in Okeechobee County lives below the poverty line, compared to 14.7% in Florida and 14.3% nationwide. Additional Information:
- Okeechobee County Census Data
- University of Florida Bureau of Economic and Business Research - Okeechobee County
Okeechobee 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 Okeechobee 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 $563 million, Okeechobee County's economic activity represents 0.09% of the Florida economy.
| Activity | Value (Millions) | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturers shipments | $0 | 0.0% |
| Merchant wholesaler sales | $85 | 15.1% |
| Retail sales | $431 | 76.5% |
| Accommodation and food services sales | $47 | 8.3% |
| Total | $563 | 100% |
Okeechobee County Regional Comparisons
Okeechobee County is located in South Central Florida. This region is responsible for 0.5% of Florida's economic activity. Okeechobee County represents 16.6% 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 |
Okeechobee Real Estate
There are 19,648 properties in Okeechobee 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 | 22 | $141,000 | $49 | January 1st, 2013 | September 1st, 2013 |
| Government Property | 533 | 2.71 | 6 | $24,850 | $33 | January 1st, 2013 | August 1st, 2013 |
| Residential Property | 0 | 0.00 | 714 | $49,950 | $34 | January 1st, 2013 | October 1st, 2013 |
Commercial Real Estate in Okeechobee County, Florida
0( .00%) of the properties in Okeechobee County are classified as Commercial. 22 of them sold between January 1st, 2013 and September 1st, 2013. The total value of these sales was $10,015,700. The median sales price was $141,000. In 2013 the median sales price for A Class Commercial Property in Okeechobee County was $106 per sq ft, B Class properties sold for $49/ft and C Class $13/ft.
Government Real Estate in Okeechobee County, Florida
533( 2.71%) of the properties in Okeechobee County are classified as Government. 6 of them sold between January 1st, 2013 and August 1st, 2013. The total value of these sales was $362,200. The median sales price was $24,850. In 2013 the median sales price for Government Property in Okeechobee County was $33 per sq ft.
Residential Real Estate in Okeechobee County, Florida
0( .00%) of the properties in Okeechobee County are classified as Residential. 714 of them sold between January 1st, 2013 and October 1st, 2013. The total value of these sales was $47,521,085. The median sales price was $49,950. In 2013 the median sales price for A Class Residential Property in Okeechobee County was $67 per sq ft, B Class properties sold for $34/ft and C Class $8/ft.
Additional Details:
Okeechobee Market Data
| Property Usage | Property Count | Total Sq Ft |
|---|---|---|
| Agricultural | 2,325 | 6,323,708 |
| Government Property | 389 | 1,955,647 |
| Health Care | 3 | 167,573 |
| Hotel & Motel | 48 | 361,429 |
| Industrial | 92 | 1,269,152 |
| Land | 12,692 | 676,729 |
| Miscellaneous Property | 44 | 164,204 |
| Mobile/Manufactured | 7,333 | 9,300,699 |
| Multifamily | 513 | 1,571,891 |
| Office | 173 | 605,598 |
| Residential | 8,179 | 16,240,170 |
| Retail | 383 | 3,094,771 |
| Senior Housing | 2 | 33,450 |
| Special Purpose | 127 | 1,019,453 |
| Sports & Entertaining | 16 | 130,488 |