Land Area: 637.3 square miles

Population density: 42.3 per sq. mile

Largest City: Wauchula (pop. 4,377)

Employment by Industry:
Agriculture, Forestry, and Fishing: 38%
Government: 24.2%
Services: 14.9%
Retail Trade: 12.4%

Housing units: 9,892

Homeownership rate: 73.4%

Median monthly costs for houses with a mortgage in Hardee County in 2000: $615

Average household size in Hardee County: 3.06

Median age: 32.7 years

Major Airports Serving Hardee County:
Sarasota-Bradenton International (SRQ) - 52 miles from county seat
Tampa International (TPA) - 73 miles from county seat
Orlando International (MCO) - 88 miles from county seat

Major Seaport Serving Hardee County:
Port of Manatee - 48 miles from county seat