South Central Florida

Florida

South Central Florida

South Central Florida includes Hardee, Highlands, Okeechobee, DeSoto, Glades, and Hendry counties. Its central location makes it convenient to many large metropolitan areas. There is a large Hispanic population in this region; 50% of Hendry County's population is Hispanic. This region has a more rural, laidback lifestyle. Agriculture is a big industry in the area. Coca-Cola recently spent 2 billion dollars to support the planting of 25,000 acres of orange trees. Cattle ranching is a major industry here, especially in Highlands and Okeechobee Counties. Lake Okeechobee is partially within this region, divided between Okeechobee, Glades, and Hendry Counties. Lake Okeechobee is the nation's second-largest freshwater lake.

South Central Florida Links:

South Central Florida contains the Sebring Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA):

Sebring MSA

Sebring, Florida

The Sebring metropolitan area occupies the same geographical area as Highlands County. Around 100,000 people live in the county. The region's economy is driven by the services, especially healthcare. About one third of residents are age 65 or older.

Highlands County is a major center of agricultural production in Florida. It has the second-largest population of cattle herds in the state. Only neighboring Okeechobee County has more. Highlands produces the third-most oranges of any county in the state.

South Florida State College maintains a campus in Avon Park, a city to the north of Sebring.

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Sebring

The principal city of the region and seat of Highlands County, Sebring is inhabited by over 10,000 people. The city include half a dozen lakes, the largest of which is Lake Jackson. Over 9,000 acres, Lake Jackson is largely shallow and clear. Its shores are composed of sandy beaches. Swimming and boating are popular activities.

A few miles southeast of the city lies Sebring General Airport. The facility provides a home to general aviation craft and also hosts the Sebring International Raceway. In operation since 1950, the raceway holds Twelve Hours of Sebring, an American Le Mans Series automobile race. The event is one of the most prestigious on the endurance racing circuit.

The economy of Sebring is strong in the white collar professional sector. Healthcare is also a strong economic driver.

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Sue Goldthorp

I'm here to help

My name is Sue Goldthorp. I am a real estate broker and co-founder of Visulate. Drop me a line if you would like me to help you buy or sell a property in South Central Florida.

South Central Florida Cities

There are 18 cities in South Central Florida. These are listed below. Click on a link for details.

Arcadia, Avon Park, Bowling Green, Clewiston, Felda, Fort Ogden, Labelle, Lake Placid, Lorida, Moore Haven, Nocatee, Okeechobee, Ona, Palmdale, Sebring, Venus, Wauchula, Zolfo Springs,

South Central Florida Quick Facts

County 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