Highlands County is one of about 3,141 counties and county equivalents in the United States. It has 1,028.3 sq. miles in land area and a population density of 96.6 per square mile. In the last three decades of the 1900s its population grew by 196.1%. On the 2000 census form, 98.5% of the population reported only one race, with 9.3% of these reporting African-American. The population of this county is 12.1% Hispanic (of any race). The average household size is 2.30 persons compared to an average family size of 2.70 persons. In 2007 health care and social assistance was the largest of 20 major sectors. It had an average wage per job of $36,652. Per capita income grew by 7.6% 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)	99,349	569	Covered Employment	28,515	715
Growth (%) since 1990	45.2%	342	Avg wage per job	$28,315	2080
Households (2000)	37,471	528	Manufacturing - % all jobs in County	3.3%	2489
Labor Force (persons) (2007)	40,340	673	Avg wage per job	$39,236	1262
Unemployment Rate (2007)	4.8	1375	Transportation & Warehousing - % all jobs in County	1.9%	1723
Per Capita Personal Income (2006)	$25,016	2156	Avg wage per job	$32,735	2445
Median Household Income (2005)	$31,104	2561	Health Care, Social Assist. - % all jobs in County	16.2%	313
Poverty Rate (2005)	16.6	1103	Avg wage per job	$36,652	631
H.S. Diploma or More - % of Adults 25+ (2000)	74.5	2,059	Finance and Insurance - % all jobs in County	2.0%	2081
Bachelor's Deg. or More - % of Adults 25+ (2000)	13.6	1,757	Avg wage per job	$41,434	844