Highlands County, Florida Housing Market Prices
Highlands County Home Prices and Rent at a Glance
The median home price (often called the average home price), rent costs, affordability metrics, and housing stock characteristics for this housing market.
-
Median home price 67% below the Florida median Cheaper than 83% of counties in Florida$103,434
-
Median rent 38% below the Florida median$1,034
Median Home Price Map: Nearby Counties
Housing Market Overview
| Metric | Highlands County | Florida Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $103,434 | $311,338 | $248,835 |
| Price Trend (Annual %) | 5.0% | 11.2% | 7.5% |
| Median Gross Rent | $1,034 | $1,668 | $1,407 |
| Rent Trend (Annual %) | 4.5% | 6.2% | 5.1% |
| Household Income Trend (Annual %) | — | — | — |
The median home price in Highlands County is about 67% lower than in Florida. Rent is about 38% lower than the Florida average.
Median Home and Rent Price Trends
Median Home Prices, 2015-2024
Median Rent Prices, 2015-2024
Both home prices and rent are rising in Highlands County, up about 5.0% and 4.5% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
Median rent in Highlands County rose about 45.7% between 2015 and 2024, from $710 to $1,034. Over the same span, rent in Florida rose about 66.5%.
Affordability
On average, housing unit costs 1.9 yearly household incomes in Highlands County.
Buying the median-priced home in Highlands County costs roughly 8.3 years of rent at the median monthly rate. That is a relatively low price-to-rent ratio, which tends to favor buying over renting in Highlands County. The price-to-rent ratio in Florida is about 15.6.
| Metric | Highlands County | Florida Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $103,434 | $311,338 | $248,835 |
| Median Household Income | $55,582 | $74,580 | $80,455 |
| Price-to-Income Ratio | 1.9 | 4.2 | 3.1 |
Home Prices vs Income Over Time
Between 2015 and 2024, the median home price in Highlands County rose about 23.0%, while median household income rose about 57.2% between 2009 and 2025 — income grew faster than the home price.
Income Growth vs Housing Cost Growth (Year-over-Year %)
Compare income and housing cost trends.
Occupancy & Tenure
| Metric | Highlands County | Florida Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homeownership Rate | 62.8% | 57.7% | 58.5% |
| Rental Rate | 17.1% | 27.7% | 31.2% |
| Vacancy Rate | 20.0% | 14.6% | 10.2% |
| Median Tenure (years) | 14.0 | 13.0 | 15.0 |
| Median Year Moved In | 2012 | 2013 | 2011 |
Highlands County has a homeownership rate of 62.8%, higher than the Florida average of 57.7%. Its housing vacancy rate is 20.0%, compared with 14.6% in Florida.
Housing Stock
| Metric | Highlands County | Florida Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Household Size | 2.22 people | 2.50 people | 2.53 people |
| Median Structure Built Year | 1986 | 1988 | 1978 |
| Median Number of Rooms | 5.2 | 5.2 | 5.5 |
The typical housing unit in Highlands County was built around 1986. On average, 2.2 people live in a home with about 5.2 rooms, staying for about 14.0 years on average.
Highlands County, FL Housing Compared With Nearby Counties
Highlands County, FL is the 2nd largest of the 6 counties compared here, 105,700 residents against a local median of 35,386. The measure that sets Highlands County, FL apart most is median home price: $103,434, 45% below the local median of $187,847.
The counties themselves spread $191,867 on median home price, so Highlands County, FL sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Highlands County, FL has the 5th highest median home price of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median home price | Median rent | Homeownership |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Highlands County, FL | 105,700 | $103,434 #5/6 | $1,034 #3/6 | 78.6% #2/6 |
| Glades County, FL | 12,560 | $185,126 | $885 | 85.1% |
| Okeechobee County, FL | 40,816 | $187,847 | $1,082 | 73.9% |
| Hardee County, FL | 25,673 | $38,262 | $961 | 71.4% |
| DeSoto County, FL | 35,386 | $220,318 | $932 | 72.5% |
| Polk County, FL | 790,685 | $230,129 | $1,363 | 70.5% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the housing market in Highlands County, Florida.
What is the median home price in Highlands County, Florida?
The median home price in Highlands County, Florida is $103,434, lower than the Florida average of $311,338.
What is the average home price in Highlands County, Florida?
The typical home price in Highlands County, Florida, reported as the median sale price, is $103,434. The median is used instead of a mathematical average because it is not skewed by a small number of very expensive or very cheap homes, so it better reflects what a typical buyer pays.
What is the median rent in Highlands County, Florida?
The median gross rent in Highlands County, Florida is $1,034 per month, lower than the Florida average of $1,668.
What was the median gross rent in Highlands County in 2020?
In 2020, the median gross rent in Highlands County, Florida was $801 per month.
What is the price-to-rent ratio in Highlands County, Florida?
The price-to-rent ratio in Highlands County, Florida is about 8.3, meaning it would take roughly 8.3 years of rent payments at the median rent to equal the median home price. That is a relatively low price-to-rent ratio, which tends to favor buying over renting in Highlands County.
Are home prices or rent rising faster in Highlands County, Florida?
Both home prices and rent are rising in Highlands County, up about 5.0% and 4.5% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
What is the homeownership rate in Highlands County, Florida?
62.8% of households in Highlands County, Florida own their home, higher than the Florida average of 57.7%.
What is the vacancy rate in Highlands County, Florida?
The housing vacancy rate in Highlands County, Florida is 20.0%, higher than the Florida average of 14.6%.
Analyze any area in the US
Get local demographics for any address, aggregated by drive time or radius, on the interactive map.
Explore the map →