Hardee County, Florida Income Statistics
Hardee 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
Hardee County Well below averageLess wealthy than 92% of counties in Florida
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Hardee County | Florida Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $61,052 | $74,580 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $40,292 | $52,322 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 6.8% | 5.4% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 4.8% | 11.6% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 5.4% | 11.0% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Hardee County is about 18% lower than in Florida. Income has been growing faster in Hardee County (6.8%/yr) than in Florida (5.4%/yr).
About 5% of adults in Hardee 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 Hardee County, Florida grew by 55.3% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $61,052 in 2024. That's an average of about 6.8% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Hardee County
| Metric | Hardee County | Florida Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.591 | 0.551 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $49,675 | $60,595 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $41,593 | $50,762 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 16.3% | 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 Hardee County, it is 0.591, 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 19% more than women's income in Hardee County, Florida. Over a 35-year career, a 19% wage gap accumulates to roughly $282,870 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Hardee County, Florida has widened from about 5% to 16% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 29% in 2017, and in 2012 women out-earned men by 12%. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $6,550 since 2009.
Sharply against the trend: the pay gap in Hardee County widened by 11.3 points while Florida's narrowed by 2.5 points.
Employment
| Metric | Hardee County | Florida Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 5.9% | 4.8% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 4.3% | 15.7% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 21 | 23 | 22 |
Approximately 625 people are unemployed in Hardee County, Florida.
The average commute time in Hardee County is 21 minutes, shorter than the 23 minutes in Florida.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Hardee County, Florida has fallen from 11.8% to 5.9% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 13.9% in 2013.
Hardee County, FL Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Hardee County, FL is the smallest of the 6 counties compared here, 25,673 residents against a local median of 201,064. Where Hardee County, FL breaks from the counties next to it is income growth, sitting 25% above the local median of 5.5%/yr at 6.8%/yr. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
The counties themselves sit within 0.4%/yr of each other on income growth, a tighter band than the gap between any of them and Hardee County, FL, which makes it a genuine outlier here rather than one end of a wide local spread. Hardee County, FL has the highest income growth 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hardee County, FL | 25,673 | $61,052 #4/6 | 6.8%/yr #1/6 | 5.9% #4/6 | 0.591 #6/6 |
| DeSoto County, FL | 35,386 | $53,666 | 5.4%/yr | 9.5% | 0.562 |
| Polk County, FL | 790,685 | $66,901 | 5.3%/yr | 4.8% | 0.543 |
| Highlands County, FL | 105,700 | $55,582 | 5.7%/yr | 6.4% | 0.518 |
| Manatee County, FL | 429,651 | $78,967 | 5.5%/yr | 4.6% | 0.533 |
| Charlotte County, FL | 201,064 | $69,727 | 5.7%/yr | 5.4% | 0.524 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Hardee 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 Hardee County, Florida.
How Rich Is Hardee County, Florida?
Hardee 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 $61,052, about 18% lower than the Florida average of $74,580.
How has median household income changed in Hardee County, Florida?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Hardee County, Florida rose 55%, from $39,300 to $61,052. Over the same years, income here lagged behind Florida as a whole: +55% against +57%.
What was the median household income in Hardee County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Hardee County, Florida was $54,372, up 22% from $44,663 in 2022. The Florida median that year was $71,864.
What was the median household income in Hardee County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Hardee County, Florida was $40,194. By 2024 it had risen 52% to $61,052.
What is the Gini coefficient in Hardee County, Florida?
The Gini coefficient in Hardee County is 0.591. 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 Hardee County, Florida?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Hardee County, Florida has widened from about 5% to 16% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 29% in 2017, and in 2012 women out-earned men by 12%. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $6,550 since 2009.
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