DeSoto County, Florida Income Statistics
DeSoto County Wealth Score
The wealth index reflects the overall economic prosperity and financial well-being of a county's residents based on income levels, employment rates, and income inequality metrics.
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D
DeSoto County Well below averageLess wealthy than 89% of counties in Florida
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | DeSoto County | Florida Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $53,666 | $74,580 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $39,455 | $52,322 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 5.4% | 5.4% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 3.7% | 11.6% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 2.3% | 11.0% | 13.2% |
The median household income in DeSoto County is about 28% lower than in Florida. Income has been growing faster in DeSoto County (5.4%/yr) than in Florida (5.4%/yr).
About 4% of adults in DeSoto County earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, lower than the Florida average of 12%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in DeSoto County, Florida grew by 44.9% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $53,666 in 2024. That's an average of about 5.4% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in DeSoto County
| Metric | DeSoto County | Florida Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.562 | 0.551 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $47,112 | $60,595 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $40,088 | $50,762 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 14.9% | 16.2% | 18.4% |
The Gini coefficient measures how evenly income is shared between richer and poorer households, from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns nearly everything). The lower the number, the more equally income is distributed. In DeSoto County, it is 0.562, higher than Florida's 0.551, so income is less evenly distributed here than there, and higher than the US's 0.552, so income is less evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 18% more than women's income in DeSoto County, Florida. Over a 35-year career, a 18% wage gap accumulates to roughly $245,840 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in DeSoto County, Florida has narrowed from about -24% to 15% in 2024. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $12,325 since 2009.
Sharply against the trend: the pay gap in DeSoto County widened by 38.9 points while Florida's narrowed by 2.5 points.
Employment
| Metric | DeSoto County | Florida Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 9.5% | 4.8% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 4.7% | 15.7% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 23 | 23 | 22 |
Approximately 1,408 people are unemployed in DeSoto County, Florida.
The average commute time in DeSoto County is 23 minutes, about the same as in Florida.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in DeSoto County, Florida has fallen from 10.3% to 9.5% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 12.8% in 2012 and fell as low as 4.8% in 2019.
DeSoto County, FL Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
DeSoto County, FL is the 5th largest of the 6 counties compared here, 35,386 residents against a local median of 201,064. The measure that sets DeSoto County, FL apart most is unemployment: 9.5%, 77% above the local median of 5.4%. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
Median household income tells the same story from another angle: $53,666 against a local median of $69,727, 23% below it. Every measure here with a clear better direction points the same way, and it is the wrong way: DeSoto County, FL reads weaker than its neighbours on all of them. The counties themselves sit within 2.6% of each other on unemployment, a tighter band than the gap between any of them and DeSoto County, FL, which makes it a genuine outlier here rather than one end of a wide local spread. DeSoto County, FL has the 6th lowest unemployment of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Income growthAverage yearly change in median household income since 2016. Each year is measured in its own dollars, so this is growth before inflation. | Unemployment | Income inequalityGini coefficient: 0 would mean every household earns the same, 1 that a single household earns everything. The lower the number, the more equally income is shared here. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DeSoto County, FL | 35,386 | $53,666 #6/6 | 5.4%/yr #5/6 | 9.5% #6/6 | 0.562 #5/6 |
| Hardee County, FL | 25,673 | $61,052 | 6.8%/yr | 5.9% | 0.591 |
| Charlotte County, FL | 201,064 | $69,727 | 5.7%/yr | 5.4% | 0.524 |
| Highlands County, FL | 105,700 | $55,582 | 5.7%/yr | 6.4% | 0.518 |
| Sarasota County, FL | 459,530 | $83,523 | 5.8%/yr | 3.7% | 0.515 |
| Lee County, FL | 815,257 | $76,097 | 5.3%/yr | 4.0% | 0.535 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, DeSoto County, Florida has an overall wealth index grade of D, making it somewhat worse than Florida, and somewhat worse than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in DeSoto County, Florida.
How Rich Is DeSoto County, Florida?
DeSoto County has a wealth index grade of D. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; a D grade means residents are somewhat worse off than the U.S. average. The median household income is $53,666, about 28% lower than the Florida average of $74,580.
How fast is household income rising in DeSoto County, Florida?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in DeSoto County, Florida rose 45%, from $37,027 to $53,666. Over the same years, income here lagged behind Florida as a whole: +45% against +57%.
What was the median household income in DeSoto County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in DeSoto County, Florida was $50,886, up 13% from $44,998 in 2022. The Florida median that year was $71,864.
What was the median household income in DeSoto County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in DeSoto County, Florida was $36,603. By 2024 it had risen 47% to $53,666.
How strong is the job market in DeSoto County, Florida?
Unemployment in DeSoto County, Florida is 9.5%, well above the Florida rate of 4.8%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
What is the Gini coefficient in DeSoto County, Florida?
The Gini coefficient in DeSoto County is 0.562. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is higher than the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed less equally than in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in DeSoto County, Florida?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in DeSoto County, Florida has narrowed from about -24% to 15% in 2024. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $12,325 since 2009.
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