Highlands County, Florida Population 2024

109,579

Highlands County, Florida's estimated 2024 population is 109,579 with a growth rate of 1.83% in the past year according to the most recent United States census data. Highlands County, Florida is the 36th largest county in Florida. The 2010 population was 98,637 and has seen a growth of 11.09% since that time.

Note: data after 2022 is projected based on recent change
Year
Population
Growth
Change
2029119,4041,9651.67%
2028117,4391,9651.7%
2027115,4741,9651.73%
2026113,5091,9651.76%
2025111,5441,9651.79%
2024109,5791,9651.83%
2023107,6141,9651.86%
2022105,6492,3702.29%
2021103,2791,9301.9%
2020101,349-4,541-4.29%
2019105,8901,4371.38%
2018104,4536250.6%
2017103,8281,7701.73%
2016102,0581,8541.85%
2015100,2041,5681.59%
201498,6365180.53%
201398,118-126-0.13%
201298,244-249-0.25%
201198,493-144-0.15%
201098,63700%
199068,43220,90643.99%
198047,52618,01961.07%
197029,5078,16938.28%
196021,3387,70256.48%
195013,6364,39047.48%
19409,246540.59%
19309,192-110,212-92.3%
2024 Growth Rate
1.83% (1,965)
County Website
Highlands County
State
Florida
County Seat
Sebring
2020 Population
101,349
Area
1018 mi²
Density
108 people/mi²
Growth Since 2020
8.12% (8,230)
Founded
April 23, 1921

Population by Race

Race
Population
Percentage (of total)
White76,63374.88%
Black or African American9,3809.17%
Two or more races7,7137.54%
Other race6,6516.5%
Asian1,4401.41%
Native American5040.49%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander180.02%

White

Black or African American

Two or more races

Other race

Asian

Native American

Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander

Highlands County, Florida Population by Race

Highlands County, Florida Population Pyramid 2024

Highlands County, Florida Median Age

54.1

Total

52.4

Male

55.6

Female

Highlands County, Florida Adults

There are 85,182 adults, (36,571 of whom are seniors) in Highlands County, Florida.

Highlands County, Florida Age Dependency

110.5

Age Dependency Ratio

75.2

Old Age Dependency Ratio

35.3

Child Dependency Ratio

Highlands County, Florida Sex Ratio

Female52,10750.92%
Male50,23249.08%

Highlands County, Florida Population by Age

Highlands County, Florida Renter vs Owner Occupied by Household Type

Household Type
Count
Average Size
Owner
Renter
All44,6852.2578.421.6
Married22,1512.7288.511.5
Non Family16,0461.1872.227.8
Female4,5963.3356.743.3
Male1,8923.0865.334.7

2.76

Average Family Size

2.25

Average Household Size

78.4%

Rate of Home Ownership

Married

Male

Female

NonFamily

owner

renter

Highlands County, Florida Households and Families

Male

Female

Education Attained
Count
Percentage
9th to 12th Grade6,6788.44%
Associates Degree7,2429.16%
Bachelors Degree9,42211.91%
Graduate Degree5,0396.37%
High School Graduate28,09635.52%
Less Than 9th Grade4,2275.34%
Some College18,39023.25%

Less Than 9th Grade

9th to 12th Grade

High School Graduate

Some College

Associates Degree

Bachelors Degree

Graduate Degree

Highlands County, Florida Educational Attainment by Sex (over 25)

Highlands County, Florida Educational Attainment by Race

High School Graduation Rate

Bachelors Rate

Race
Total
High School
Bachelors
White55,64549,98110,959
Hispanic14,03310,3451,994
Black5,9584,844634
2+ Races5,0124,115821
Other Race4,1312,636322
Asian1,1961,000604
Native American33024636
Islander181811

The highest rate of high school graduation is among islander people with a rate of 100%.

The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among islander people with a rate of 61.11%.

Highlands County, Florida Educational Attainment by Race

All

Male

Female

Name
Average
Male
Female
Bachelors Degree$48,177$53,688$46,179
Graduate Degree$66,695$72,292$66,079
High School Graduate$33,492$35,957$28,719
Less Than 9th Grade$27,647$33,885$17,964
Overall$36,118$39,530$31,308
Some College$34,961$40,721$29,508

$36,118

Average Earnings

$39,530

Average Male

$31,308

Average Female

Highlands County, Florida Earnings by Educational Attainment

Highlands County, Florida Language by Age

Only English

Spanish

Other Indo-European Languages

Asian and Pacific Island Languages

Other Languages

Highlands County, Florida Language

79.64% of Highlands County, Florida residents speak only English, while 20.36% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 17.76% of the population.

Highlands County, Florida Language

Highlands County, Florida Poverty by Race

rate

Name
Total
In Poverty
Poverty Rate
White64,9238,00412.33%
Hispanic21,7844,94022.68%
Black9,1862,23024.28%
Other6,5921,65325.08%
Multiple7,6361,19915.7%
Asian1,44018112.57%
Native4965310.69%

15.63%

Overall Poverty Rate

14.9%

Male Poverty Rate

16.35%

Female Poverty Rate

Poverty in Highlands County, Florida

The race most likely to be in poverty in Highlands County, Florida is Other, with 25.08% below the poverty level.

The race least likely to be in poverty in Highlands County, Florida is Native, with 10.69% below the poverty level.

The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 3.73%. Among those working part-time, it was 19.88%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 18.62%.

Highlands County, Florida Poverty

rate

Rate
Poverty
Less Than 9th Grade26.02%
High School16.27%
Some College11.08%
Bachelors or Greater5.18%

Highlands County, Florida Poverty Rate by Education

rate

Rate
Poverty
Male Unemployed45.33%
Female Unemployed36.44%
Female Employed9.11%
Male Employed7.53%

Highlands County, Florida Poverty Rate by Employment Status and Sex

Highlands County, Florida Income by Household Type

Households

Families

MarriedFamilies

NonFamilies

Name
Median
Mean
Families$62,914$81,210
Households$53,679$70,660
Married Families$69,834$89,287
Non Families$30,847$48,159

mean

median

Income by Household Type

Highlands County, Florida Marital Status

Married

Widowed

Divorced

Separated

NeverMarried

Marriage Rates

54.2%

Overall Marriage Rate

57.2%

Male Marriage Rate

51.5%

Female Marriage Rate

Highlands County, Florida Married by Age and Sex

male

female

Highlands County, Florida Marriage

The age group where males are most likely to be married is Over 65, while the female age group most likely to be married is 45-54.

Highlands County, Florida Marital Status by Race

Married

Widowed

Divorced

Separated

NeverMarried

Highlands County, Florida Marital Status

Second Gulf War

First Gulf War

Vietnam

Korea

World War II

9,524

Number of Veterans

8,995

Male Veterans

529

Female Veterans

War
Veterans
Vietnam4,229
Korea1,254
First Gulf War1,106
Second Gulf War749
World War II313

Highlands County, Florida Veterans by War

count

Age Group
Veterans
75+4,519
65 to 742,582
55 to 641,177
35 to 541,044
18 to 34202

Highlands County, Florida Veterans by Age

count

Name
Veterans
% of Total
White8,43012.7%
Hispanic6003.72%
Other Race4429.25%
2+ Races3336.12%
Black3054.38%
Native American143.83%

Highlands County, Florida Veterans by Race

Highlands County, Florida Veterans by Education

Less Than 9th Grade

High School Graduate

Some College

Bachelors or Greater

9.3%

Veteran Poverty Rate

41.17%

Veteran Disability Rate

Highlands County, Florida Veterans by Education

LaborForceParticipation

43.5%

Labor Force Participation

40.5%

Employment Rate

6.8%

Unemployment Rate

Highlands County, Florida Employment by Age

LaborForceParticipation

Highlands County, Florida Employment by Race

LaborForceParticipation

Highlands County, Florida Employment by Education

Origin of Non-Citizens

Europe

Asia

Africa

Oceania

Latin America

North America

Non citizens include legal permanent residents (green card holders), international students, temporary workers, humanitarian migrants, and illegal immigrants.

Origin of Naturalized Citizens

Europe

Asia

Africa

Oceania

Latin America

North America

37.6%

Born in Highlands County, Florida

89.04%

Native Born

10.96%

Foreign Born

5.15%

Non Citizen

5.81%

Naturalized

Place of Birth

89.04% of Highlands County, Florida residents were born in the United States, with 37.6% having been born in Florida. 5.15% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Latin America.

Highlands County, Florida Place of Birth

Sources