Highlands County, Florida Income Statistics
Highlands 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
Highlands County Well below averageLess wealthy than 73% of counties in Florida
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Highlands County | Florida Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $55,582 | $74,580 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $45,762 | $52,322 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 5.7% | 5.4% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 6.0% | 11.6% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 4.6% | 11.0% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Highlands County is about 25% lower than in Florida. Income has been growing faster in Highlands County (5.7%/yr) than in Florida (5.4%/yr).
About 6% of adults in Highlands 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 Highlands County, Florida grew by 63.9% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $55,582 in 2024. That's an average of about 5.7% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Highlands County
| Metric | Highlands County | Florida Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.518 | 0.551 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $50,363 | $60,595 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $43,791 | $50,762 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 13.0% | 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 Highlands County, it is 0.518, lower than Florida's 0.551, so income is more evenly distributed here than there, and lower than the US's 0.552, so income is more evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 15% more than women's income in Highlands County, Florida. Over a 35-year career, a 15% wage gap accumulates to roughly $230,020 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Highlands County, Florida has widened from about 12% to 13% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 17% in 2017, and was narrowest at 8% in 2014. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $2,847 since 2009.
Against the trend: the pay gap in Highlands County widened by 1.1 points while Florida's narrowed by 2.5 points.
Employment
| Metric | Highlands County | Florida Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 6.4% | 4.8% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 8.6% | 15.7% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 17 | 23 | 22 |
Approximately 2,498 people are unemployed in Highlands County, Florida.
The average commute time in Highlands County is 17 minutes, shorter than the 23 minutes in Florida.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Highlands County, Florida has fallen from 13.3% to 6.4% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 15.1% in 2013 and fell as low as 5.8% in 2023.
Highlands County, FL Wealth 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. There is no headline here. Every measure below sits within 15% of the median across the nearest counties, which makes Highlands County, FL an unremarkable member of its own neighbourhood rather than an outlier in it.
The largest of those small differences is income inequality, 10% below the local median at 0.518 against 0.577. Highlands County, FL has the lowest income inequality 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Highlands County, FL | 105,700 | $55,582 #4/6 | 5.7%/yr #3/6 | 6.4% #4/6 | 0.518 #1/6 |
| Glades County, FL | 12,560 | $46,143 | 4.0%/yr | 7.1% | 0.615 |
| Okeechobee County, FL | 40,816 | $57,564 | 5.8%/yr | 4.4% | 0.577 |
| Hardee County, FL | 25,673 | $61,052 | 6.8%/yr | 5.9% | 0.591 |
| 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 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Highlands 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 Highlands County, Florida.
How Rich Is Highlands County, Florida?
Highlands 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 $55,582, about 25% lower than the Florida average of $74,580.
How fast is household income rising in Highlands County, Florida?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Highlands County, Florida rose 64%, from $33,911 to $55,582. Over the same years, income here outpaced Florida as a whole: +64% against +57%.
What was the median household income in Highlands County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Highlands County, Florida was $55,119, up 4% from $53,240 in 2022. The Florida median that year was $71,864.
What was the median household income in Highlands County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Highlands County, Florida was $43,657. By 2024 it had risen 27% to $55,582.
How strong is the job market in Highlands County, Florida?
Unemployment in Highlands County, Florida is 6.4%, well above the Florida rate of 4.8%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
What is the Gini coefficient in Highlands County, Florida?
The Gini coefficient in Highlands County is 0.518. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is lower than the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed more equally than in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in Highlands County, Florida?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Highlands County, Florida has widened from about 12% to 13% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 17% in 2017, and was narrowest at 8% in 2014. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $2,847 since 2009.
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