Highlands County, Florida Population 2026

Updated April 2026 · US Census ACS 2023 5-Year Estimates · 36th-largest in Florida

The population of Highlands County, Florida is 103,808 as of the 2023 American Community Survey, making it the 36th-largest county in Florida. The median household income is $55,581, the median home value is $177,900, and the median age is 54.2.

The population of Highlands County has grown 11.3% since 2010 (98,637 → 109,778), a +0.77% annualized rate.

Highlands County within Florida · Source: US Census TIGER/Line via us-atlas

103,808

Population

+0.77%

Annual growth

102

People / sq mi

$55,581

Median Income

$177,900

Median Home Value

Highlands County covers 1,018 sq mi of land at 102.0 people per square mile.

About Highlands County, FL

Highlands County is a county in Florida with a population of 103,808. It ranks #36 among counties in Florida by population. The median age is 54.2, older than the national median. The population is 49.0% male and 51.0% female.

The median household income in Highlands County is $55,581, below the US median of $74,580. 11.4% of residents live below the federal poverty level. Home values sit at a median of $177,900, with monthly rent averaging $980. The homeownership rate of 78.9% is higher than the national rate of 64.8%.

Educational attainment in Highlands County reflects 19.7% of adults 25 and older holding a bachelor's degree or higher, below the national average of 34.3%. Roughly 7.6% of workers primarily work from home, below the national work-from-home rate of 14.2%. The average commute is 23.1 minutes each way.

Highlands County Population History (2010-2024)

The county of Highlands County had a population of 98,637 in 2010 and 109,778 in 2024, a 11.3% growth over 14 years. The peak was 109,778 in 2024. Average annual growth rate: 0.78%.

109,778

Population (2024)

98,637

Population (2010)

109,778

Peak (2024)

0.78%

Avg Annual Growth

Year	Population	Change	Annual %	Source
2010	98,637	-	-	estimate
2011	98,493	-144	-0.15%	estimate
2012	98,244	-249	-0.25%	estimate
2013	98,118	-126	-0.13%	estimate
2014	98,636	+518	+0.53%	estimate
2015	100,204	+1,568	+1.59%	estimate
2016	102,058	+1,854	+1.85%	estimate
2017	103,828	+1,770	+1.73%	estimate
2018	104,453	+625	+0.60%	estimate
2019	105,890	+1,437	+1.38%	estimate
2020	101,340	-4,550	-4.30%	estimate
2021	103,286	+1,946	+1.92%	estimate
2022	105,954	+2,668	+2.58%	estimate
2023	108,151	+2,197	+2.07%	estimate
2024	109,778	+1,627	+1.50%	estimate

Race & Ethnicity

White	72.6%
Black or African American	9.4%
Asian	0.0%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	1.6%
Two or More Races	0.0%

Age & Sex

54.2

Median Age

51.0%

Female

49.0%

Male

36.0%

Age 65+

Age Distribution

Under 5

4.1%

5–9

4.6%

10–14

5.1%

15–19

4.6%

20–24

4.1%

25–34

9.1%

35–44

9.7%

45–54

9.6%

55–59

5.8%

60–64

7.4%

65–74

17.3%

75–84

13.9%

85+

4.8%

Children (under 15): 13.8% · Seniors (65+): 36.0%

Income & Poverty

Median household income	$55,581$-16,130 vs state
Mean household income	$72,590
Per-capita income	$32,982
Poverty rate	11.4%+2.5% vs state
Unemployment rate	2.5%
Employment-to-population	40.4%

Top Industries by Employment

Professional & business services

26.4%

Construction

10.6%

Finance & real estate

10.5%

Education & health care

7.9%

Public administration

6.6%

Arts, entertainment & food

5.8%

Information

4.8%

Manufacturing

4.3%

The largest employment sector in Highlands County is professional & business services, accounting for 26.4% of workers.

How residents commute

0.2%

Drive alone

1.9%

Carpool

75.9%

Public transit

7.6%

Work from home

23.1 min

Avg commute

Housing

$177,900$-147,100 vs state

Median home value

$980

Median rent

78.9%

Homeownership rate

58,086

Total housing units

79.1%

Occupied

20.9%

Vacant

21.1%

Renter-occupied

Social & access

87.3%

With health insurance

93.3%

With broadband internet

47.3%

Foreign-born

11.0%

Veterans (18+)

21.8%

With a disability

79.7%

Speak language other than English at home

Education

86.4%

High School+

19.7%

Bachelor's+

Largest cities in Florida

Jacksonville (961,739)Miami (446,663)Tampa (393,389)Orlando (311,732)St. Petersburg (260,646)Hialeah (221,901)Port St. Lucie (220,453)Cape Coral (206,387)Tallahassee (199,696)Fort Lauderdale (183,032)All Florida cities →

Other counties in Florida

Miami-Dade County (2,685,296)Broward County (1,946,127)Palm Beach County (1,507,453)Hillsborough County (1,489,634)Orange County (1,440,471)Duval County (1,007,189)Pinellas County (960,565)Lee County (792,692)Polk County (760,961)Brevard County (620,533)All Florida counties →

Part of Florida

Florida demographic profile All Florida data →

Metro areas in Florida

Miami (6,138,876)Tampa (3,240,469)Orlando (2,721,022)Jacksonville (1,645,707)North Port (865,031)Cape Coral (792,692)Lakeland (760,961)Deltona (689,939)All US metros →

County rankings

US Counties by Population Richest US Counties by Median Household Income Expensive US Counties by Home Value Educated US Counties Counties With Highest Poverty Rates Youngest US Counties by Median Age Oldest US Counties by Median Age Cheapest US Counties by Median Home Value Racially Diverse US Counties Counties With Largest Hispanic Population All rankings →

Frequently Asked Questions

Highlands County, Florida has a population of 103,808 according to the US Census Bureau's 2023 American Community Survey 5-year estimates, making it the 36th-largest county in Florida. Population density is 102 people per square mile.

The population of Highlands County has grown 11.3% since 2010 (98,637 → 109,778), a +0.77% annualized rate.

The median household income in Highlands County, Florida is $55,581, with mean (average) household income of $72,590 and per-capita income of $32,982. 11.4% of residents live below the federal poverty level.

In Highlands County, the largest racial and ethnic groups are White (72.6%), Black or African American (9.4%), Hispanic or Latino (1.6%). Figures are from the US Census Bureau's 2023 ACS 5-year estimates and reflect self-reported responses.

The median age in Highlands County, Florida is 54.2 years. Residents are 51.0% female and 49.0% male.

The median home value in Highlands County is $177,900 and median monthly rent is $980. 78.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. The county has 58,086 total housing units, 20.9% of which are vacant.

The largest employment sector in Highlands County, Florida is professional, scientific, and management services, employing 26.4% of workers. The unemployment rate is 2.5%.

Jacksonville is among the largest cities associated with Highlands County, Florida, with a population of 961,739.