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Living in
Highland City.
Highland City is an unincorporated community in Polk County, FL. It has no city government: the county runs it, and the Census counts it as its own place.
About
Life in Highland City
Highland City is a community of 12,732 people in Florida. The median household income is $90,947, median rent runs about $1,993 per month, and median home values are around $347,100. The unemployment rate is 4.8%.
Highland City at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
39.2 yrs
Poverty Rate
5.9%
Foreign-Born
9.7%
Broadband Internet
94.8%
of households
Median household income
Demographics9.7% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Highland City: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Highland City, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (21.2%), and 12.1% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
27.0%
of residents
65 and Older
14.6%
of residents
Households with Kids
40.2%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
17.0%
of households
Married Couples
62.0%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.87
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 19% above FL average
Rent, home values, and income in Highland City
In Highland City, rent runs 19% above the FL average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
51.0%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
16.6%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
97.1
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$2,485
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
79.3%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
2000
median year built
Vacant Homes
7.3%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $261,534 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.9 pts above FL average
Unemployment in Highland City
Unemployment in Polk County, which includes Highland City, is 0.9 percentage points higher than the FL average.
Unemployment rate
Highland City: Polk County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Polk County (county-wide) · Annual averages
Highland City is about 2% of Polk County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
What Highland City Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute29 min avg
How Highland City residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Highland City, most residents drive alone to work (76%), and 63% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 9 mi
Lakeland Linder International Airport (LAL)
Regional airport · few flights91k passengers boarded in 2025
- 40 mi
Tampa International Airport (TPA)
Major hub12.1M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 43% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in the area policed by the Polk County Sheriff's Office, which covers Highland City, runs 43% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
186.8
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
487.9
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Policed by Polk County Sheriff's Office (county-wide rate)
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 6 events in 2024
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively High
96.5 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Polk County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Polk County, which includes Highland City, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 6 recorded events in 2024.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 6 | Tornado | $80,000 |
| 2023 | 6 | Hail | $10,000 |
| 2022 | 7 | Hail | $50.0M |
| 2021 | 6 | Thunderstorm Wind | $43,000 |
| 2020 | 6 | Tropical Storm | $275,000 |
| 2019 | 6 | Thunderstorm Wind | $10.1M |
| 2018 | 6 | Thunderstorm Wind | $100,000 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
1 earthquake of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Polk County, county-wide
Highland City is about 2% of Polk County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Air Quality34 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Polk County, which includes Highland City, is typically good — 339 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
34
Good Days
339
per year
Moderate Days
16
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Polk County, county-wide
Highland City is about 2% of Polk County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Climate92°F summers, 51°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Highland City has hot summers (avg high 92°F) and warm winters (avg low 51°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
84°/61°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
92°/72°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
85°/65°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
75°/51°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
54.3"
Annual Snowfall
0.0"
Hot Days/Year
121
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
2
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
132
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 73°F | 50°F | 2.66" |
| Feb | 76°F | 52°F | 2.10" |
| Mar | 80°F | 56°F | 2.84" |
| Apr | 84°F | 61°F | 2.72" |
| May | 89°F | 66°F | 2.95" |
| Jun | 91°F | 71°F | 8.28" |
| Jul | 92°F | 73°F | 7.56" |
| Aug | 92°F | 73°F | 7.78" |
| Sep | 90°F | 72°F | 7.31" |
| Oct | 85°F | 66°F | 3.03" |
| Nov | 79°F | 58°F | 1.49" |
| Dec | 75°F | 53°F | 2.16" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Highland City
Uninsured
8.9%
of residents
No hospitals inside Highland City's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Bartow Regional Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 3.6 mi away · Bartow
Lakeland Regional Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 8.3 mi away · Lakeland
Winter Haven Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 10.5 mi away · Winter Haven
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education14.8:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Highland City
Highland City's student/teacher ratio is 14.8:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 33.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
1
within city limits
Private Schools
0
within city limits
College Degree Rate
33.1%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
14.8:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Highland City (within 15 miles)
Public · 2-year · 7,180 students · in-state tuition $2,694 · 35% graduate · median earnings $44,710 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 4,813 students · in-state tuition $33,740 · 44% graduate · median earnings $49,323 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 2,656 students · in-state tuition $46,168 · 66% graduate · median earnings $60,802 (10 yrs after entry)
Florida Polytechnic University
13.3 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 1,689 students · in-state tuition $4,940 · 54% graduate
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: De Soto National Memorial, 56 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Highland City
Highland City has 2 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being De Soto National Memorial (56 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
De Soto National Memorial
National Memorial
56 mi awayCanaveral National Seashore
National Seashore
89 mi awayCities Near Highland City
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Highland City?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Highland City FAQ
Is Highland City, Florida affordable?⌄
Highland City's median rent is $1,993/month, which is significantly above the national average. The median household income is $90,947/year. Median home value is $347,100.
Is Highland City, Florida safe?⌄
Highland City is policed by the Polk County Sheriff's Office, whose violent crime rate across its service area was 187 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 488 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Highland City, Florida?⌄
Polk County, which includes Highland City, has an unemployment rate of 4.8%, which is slightly above the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Highland City, Florida?⌄
The cost of living in Highland City is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,993/month and median household income is $90,947/year. The median home value is $347,100. About 51% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Highland City, Florida?⌄
The average commute in Highland City is 29 minutes, which is about average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from