Highlands County, Florida facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Highlands County
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Highlands County Courthouse
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Location within the U.S. state of Florida
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 Florida's location within the U.S. |
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| Country |  United States |
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| State |  Florida |
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| Founded | April 23, 1921 | |
| Named for | county's terrain | |
| Seat | Sebring | |
| Largest city | Sebring | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 1,106 sq mi (2,860 km2) | |
| • Land | 1,017 sq mi (2,630 km2) | |
| • Water | 89 sq mi (230 km2) 8.1%% | |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 101,235 | |
| • Density | 101/sq mi (39/km2) | |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) | |
| Congressional district | 18th | |
Highlands County is a special area called a county in the middle of Florida, a state in the United States. It's known for its beautiful natural areas and friendly towns. In 2020, about 101,235 people called Highlands County home. The main town, or "county seat," where the government offices are, is Sebring.
Highlands County is also part of a larger area called the Sebring, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area. This means it's a place with a central city and surrounding communities that are closely connected.
Contents
Highlands County History
Highlands County was created a long time ago, in 1921. It was formed along with three other counties: Charlotte, Glades, and Hardee. Before that, they were all part of a bigger area called DeSoto County.
The county got its name from its land. It has many higher areas, or "highlands." In 2012, it was noted for having one of the oldest populations in America.
Geography of Highlands County
Highlands County covers a total area of about 1,106 square miles. Most of this is land, about 1,017 square miles. The rest, about 89 square miles, is water. This makes it the 14th largest county in Florida by area.
The Kissimmee River forms the eastern border of Highlands County. The largest lake in the county is Lake Istokpoga. This lake is connected to the Kissimmee River by two canals.
Neighboring Counties
Highlands County shares its borders with several other counties:
- Osceola County, Florida - to the northeast
- Okeechobee County, Florida - to the east
- Glades County, Florida - to the south
- Charlotte County, Florida - to the southwest
- DeSoto County, Florida - to the west
- Hardee County, Florida - to the west
- Polk County, Florida - to the north
Protected Natural Areas
Part of the Lake Wales Ridge National Wildlife Refuge is located in Highlands County. This refuge helps protect special plants and animals.
Highlands County Population
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1930 | 9,192 | — | |
| 1940 | 9,246 | 0.6% | |
| 1950 | 13,636 | 47.5% | |
| 1960 | 21,338 | 56.5% | |
| 1970 | 29,507 | 38.3% | |
| 1980 | 47,526 | 61.1% | |
| 1990 | 68,432 | 44.0% | |
| 2000 | 87,366 | 27.7% | |
| 2010 | 98,786 | 13.1% | |
| 2020 | 101,235 | 2.5% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 107,614 | 8.9% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010-2019 |
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In 2020, there were 101,235 people living in Highlands County. These people lived in over 42,721 households. A household is a group of people living together in one home.
The population of Highlands County has grown a lot over the years. For example, in 1930, there were only about 9,192 people. By 2020, that number had grown to over 100,000!
Transportation in Highlands County
Getting around Highlands County is easy with its network of roads, airports, and train lines.
Major Highways
Several important roads pass through the county, making it easy to travel to other parts of Florida:
U.S. Route 27
State Road 17
U.S. Route 98
State Road 64
State Road 66
State Road 70
Sebring Parkway/Panther Parkway
Airports
If you need to fly, Highlands County has two airports:
- Sebring Regional Airport (KSEF)
- Avon Park Executive Airport (KAVO)
Rail Services
Trains also run through the county, helping to move goods and people:
- CSX Transportation (CSXT)
- Amtrak (AMTK)
Economy of Highlands County
The economy of Highlands County relies on many different businesses. These businesses provide jobs for the people who live here.
Top Employers
Some of the biggest private employers in Highlands County include:
- Advent Health Hospital
- Walmart
- Agero
- Highlands Regional Medical Center
- Delray Plants
- Palms of Sebring
- Alan Jay Automotive Network
- Lake Placid Health Care
- Positive Medical Transport
- E-Stone USA
Libraries in Highlands County
Highlands County is part of the Heartland Library Cooperative. This group of libraries serves Highlands County and other nearby counties like Glades, DeSoto, Hardee, and Okeechobee.
The main library is in Sebring. There are three library branches within Highlands County itself: in Avon Park, Lake Placid, and Sebring.
Communities in Highlands County
Highlands County has several towns and cities where people live.
Cities
Town
Other Communities
There are also many smaller, unincorporated communities in the county. These are places that don't have their own city government.
- Avon Park Lakes
- Brighton
- Cornwell
- DeSoto City
- Fort Basinger
- Fort Kissimmee
- Hicoria
- Lorida
- Placid Lakes
- Spring Lake
- Sun 'n Lake of Sebring
- Sylvan Shores
- Venus
See also
In Spanish: Condado de Highlands para niños
