Hardee County is one of about 3,141 counties and county equivalents in the United States. It has 637.3 sq. miles in land area and a population density of 45.2 per square mile. In the last three decades of the 1900s its population grew by 80.9%. On the 2000 census form, 98.0% of the population reported only one race, with 8.3% of these reporting African-American. The population of this county is 35.7% Hispanic (of any race). The average household size is 3.06 persons compared to an average family size of 3.40 persons. In 2007 retail trade was the largest of 20 major sectors. It had an average wage per job of $22,095. Per capita income grew by 1.0% between 1996 and 2006 (adjusted for inflation).

People & Income Overview (By Place of Residence)	Value	Rank in U.S.	Industry Overview (2007) (By Place of Work)	Value	Rank in U.S.
Population (2007)	28,830	1453	Covered Employment	8,339	1582
Growth (%) since 1990	47.9%	293	Avg wage per job	$27,305	2347
Households (2000)	8,166	1706	Manufacturing - % all jobs in County	2.3%	2606
Labor Force (persons) (2007)	12,071	1583	Avg wage per job	$24,233	2634
Unemployment Rate (2007)	4.4	1722	Transportation & Warehousing - % all jobs in County	0.4%	2958
Per Capita Personal Income (2006)	$19,545	3023	Avg wage per job	$46,322	389
Median Household Income (2005)	$31,989	2426	Health Care, Social Assist. - % all jobs in County	0.0%	2181
Poverty Rate (2005)	24.6	263	Avg wage per job	$0	2183
H.S. Diploma or More - % of Adults 25+ (2000)	58.0	3,075	Finance and Insurance - % all jobs in County	3.1%	926
Bachelor's Deg. or More - % of Adults 25+ (2000)	8.4	2,951	Avg wage per job	$38,908	1118