Select a Domain Below to Explore the Data for Hardee County
At A Glance
With a population of approximately 25,000, Hardee County is centrally located in Florida, with the County seat being located in Wauchula. The County encompasses 638 square miles and is the 40th-largest county in Florida by land area. The County is home to Bowling Green, Fort Green, Gardner, Lemon Grove, Limestone, Ona, Wauchula, Wauchula Hills, Sweetwater, and Zolfo Springs.
Key Indicators – Hardee County
Population & Demographics – Hardee County
Total Population
In 2020, the official U.S. Census Bureau count put the population of Hardee County at 25,327. This number represents a sizeable decline from the estimated population in 2016 (27,302). Hardee county is one of thirty plus counties in the state of Florida that saw a sizeable decline in population in the 2020 census. Nearly all of these counties represent small, rural, and largely agricultural populations. The U.S. Census Bureau believes that the official number likely represents an undercount of the population in Hardee and similar counties. While the population of Hardee County likely declined from 2016 to 2020, the true population is probably greater than the official 2020 census population count.
From 2020 to the most recent estimate, Hardee County has seen a slow increase in population (1.3%). The population in Hardee County is expected to increase slightly from 2020 to 2030, but is unlikely to return to 2016 population levels for some time.
Age Distribution
Since 2012, the median age of the population of Hardee County has increased slightly from 33.1 years of age to 35.2 years of age. Despite the increase in median age, the population of Hardee County remains younger than the population of the United States (median age = 39.0) and much younger than the population of Florida (median age = 42.4 years). Additionally, the population of Hardee County is younger than the population of neighboring Highlands and Polk counties.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 5-year Estimates, 2012-2023.
Change in Age Over Time
Hardee County has traditionally had a population younger than that of Florida. The percentage of Hardee County citizens aged less than 18 years(25.3) has decreased since 2000, but is still well above the percentage of those under 18 years of age statewide(19.6). The population of seniors(aged 65 and over) in Hardee County has increased since 2000, now making up 16.3% of the Hardee County population.
Racial Demographics
Note: The U.S. Census Bureau defines “Hispanic” as an ethnicity rather than a race. Officially, in the census statistics, a person of any race can be of Hispanic ethnicity. For the purposes of this chart, Hispanic populations have been separated into their own category regardless of their census recognized race.
White, non-Hispanic residents are the largest racial group in Hardee County(47.0%), yet, the White population in Hardee County is significantly lower than the percentage of White residents statewide(52.6%). Hispanic residents make up a much larger percentage of Hardee County(42.6%) than the percentage of the statewide population(27.8%). The percentage of Black, non-Hispanic residents in Hardee County(7.6%) is less than half the percentage of the same racial group throughout Florida(15.6%). Less than 3% of Hardee County’s population is made up of the remaining racial groups.
Source: countyhealthrankings.org, Health Data, Florida, Hardee, Florida, 2025