Key Indicators – Hardee County
Source: Health Data, Hardee, Florida, countyhealthrankings.org, 2025
Source: flhealthcharts.gov, 2023, 2024
Updated 09/04/25 1759
Maps – Quality of Life
Map – Life Expectancy
Life span is a key indicator of a population’s overall health, quality of healthcare, access to resources, and general living conditions.
Life expectancy in Hardee County is 74.0 years. This value is below the statewide median for life expectancy in Florida counties(75.3 years).
Source: Health Data, Hardee, Florida, countyhealthrankings.org, 2025
Map – Population Without Health Insurance
The percentage of a population with health insurance is a key indicator of the community’s overall health and access to healthcare. Those without health insurance may elect to seek no treatment at all due to costs.
In Hardee County, approximately, 18% of residents lack health insurance coverage of any kind. This ranks amongst the highest percentages for uninsured persons in the state of Florida.
Source: Health Data, Hardee, FL, countyhealthrankings.org, 2025
Map – Children Without Health Insurance
The percentage of a population with health insurance is a key indicator of the community’s overall health and access to healthcare. Those without health insurance may elect to seek no treatment at all due to costs.
In Hardee County, 4.6% of children(aged 0-18 years) lack health insurance of any kind. Hardee County has one of the lowest percentages of uninsured children in the state of Florida.
Source: Children Without Health Insurance (Aged 0-18 Years) (Census ACS), FLhealthcharts.gov, 2023
Map – Medicaid Enrollment
Medicaid helps cover medical costs for adults and children with limited income and resources. Medicaid enrollment can be used as a key measure of a community’s economic and public health well-being.
In Hardee County, almost 1 in 3 county residents is enrolled in Medicaid(30.3%). This is one of the highest rates of Medicaid enrollment in the state of Florida.
Source: Health Data, Hardee, FL, countyhealthrankings.org, 2025
Map – Residents per Physician
This map displays the ratio of the number of residents in a county to the number of physicians practicing in the county; this number includes all practicing medical doctors regardless of specialty. A high ratio indicates a heavy patient load for doctors and may result in poor access to care and subsequent poor health outcomes.
The Florida Bureau of Community Health Assessment and Vital Statistics (flhealthcharts.gov) reports there are 4 physicians within Hardee County, meaning there are 6,410 residents per physician in the county. The resident-to-physician ratio in Hardee County is among the worst rates in the state of Florida; however, Hardee County residents may access medical care in neighboring larger counties.
Source: Medical Doctors (MD, Physicians), FLhealthcharts.gov, 2024
Map – Mental Health Availability
This map displays the ratio of the number of residents in a county to the number of licensed mental health counselors(LMHC) practicing in the county. A high ratio indicates a heavy patient load for counselors and may result in poor access to care and subsequent poor mental health outcomes.
The Florida Bureau of Community Health Assessment and Vital Statistics(flhealthcharts.gov) reports there are 3,663 residents per licensed mental health counselor in Hardee County. The resident to licensed mental health counselor ratio in Hardee County is among the worst in Florida; however, Hardee County residents may access mental health care in neighboring larger counties.
Source: Licensed Mental Health Counselors (LMHC), FLhealthcharts.gov, 2024
Map – Hospitalizations for Mental Health Issues
Mental disorders, if untreated, can lead to a significant reduction in quality of life and even death.
Residents of Hardee County are hospitalized for mental health disorders at a rate of 428.4 per 100,000 people. Hardee County ranks in the lowest 20% of Florida counties for mental health hospitalization rates. It is worth noting that the counties with the lowest mental health hospitalization rates in Florida are rural, like Hardee, and this may result from a lack of treatment or access rather than a strong countywide mental health system.
Source: Hospitalizations for Mental Disorders, FLhealthcharts.gov, 2024
Map – Residents per Dentist
This map shows the ratio of residents to practicing dentists in a county. A high ratio suggests a heavy patient load for dentists, which can lead to reduced access to dental care and poorer outcomes for residents needing dental or orthodontic services.
The Florida Bureau of Community Health Assessment and Vital Statistics(flhealthcharts.gov) reports there is 1 dentist practicing within Hardee County, meaning there are 25,680 residents per practicing dentist in the county. The resident to dentist ratio in Hardee County is among the worst rates in the state of Florida, however, Hardee County residents may access dental care in neighboring larger counties.
Map – Access to Parks
Easy access to nearby parks and recreation areas promotes physical activity. In turn, regular physical activity is one of the best predictors of physical and mental well-being.
In Hardee County, 14.4% of residents live within one-half mile of a park or recreational facility. This number puts Hardee County among the lowest 40% of Florida counties. Hardee Lakes Park, situated within Hardee County, is a large and well-regarded park, visited by many residents of both Hardee County and its surrounding areas. Hardee County residents may live more than one-half mile from Hardee Lakes Park, but still enjoy local access to a sought-after outdoor recreational area.
Source: Population Living Within One-half Mile of a Park, FLhealthcharts.gov, 2024
Quality of Life Statistics – Hardee County
ALICE Dashboard
Some families exceed the income level of the Federal Poverty Line, but still struggle to collect enough income to make ends meet and provide basic necessities. These families fall below the ALICE threshold.
ALICE is an acronym for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed, and represents the growing number of families who are unable to afford the basics of housing, child care, food, transportation, health care, and technology. These workers often struggle to keep their own households from financial ruin, while keeping our local communities running.
