Highlands County, Florida
112,722 parcels. Parcel data edition 2026-10-26.
Who owns the land
| Measure | County | Of what | Florida | Rank in state (highest first) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Out-of-state owners | 18.1% | 18,898 of 104,486 parcels with a known mailing state | 14.1% | 13 of 63 |
| Absentee owners | 70.3% | Estimated from 84,000 in-state parcels whose addresses could be compared, plus out-of-state owners | 38.9% | 2 of 58 |
| Vacant lots | 56.3% | 63,495 of 112,722 parcels in all | 19.1% | 7 of 67 |
| Inherited (estate or heirs) | 0.7% | 751 of 112,718 parcels with an owner name | 0.5% | 27 of 67 |
| Owned by individuals | 78.3% | 88,305 of 112,718 parcels with an owner name | 80.5% | 50 of 67 |
| Publicly owned | 4.9% | 5,469 of 112,718 parcels with an owner name | 2.7% | 8 of 67 |
Where out-of-state owners live
By the owner's mailing address, for the 18,898 out-of-state parcels.
| Mailing state | Parcels | Share |
|---|---|---|
| New York | 2,350 | 12.4% |
| Puerto Rico | 2,181 | 11.5% |
| California | 1,250 | 6.6% |
| Michigan | 1,136 | 6.0% |
| New Jersey | 1,061 | 5.6% |
| Georgia | 1,060 | 5.6% |
| Ohio | 835 | 4.4% |
| North Carolina | 745 | 3.9% |
| Illinois | 742 | 3.9% |
| Pennsylvania | 723 | 3.8% |
| 42 other states and territories | 6,809 | 36.0% |
| US military mail (APO/FPO) | 1 | under 0.1% |
| Outside the US, or an unrecognized code | 5 | under 0.1% |
Housing context
| Measure | County | Florida | Rank in state (highest first) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fair market rent, 2 bedrooms | $1,271/month | $1,471/month (median county) | 45 of 67 |
| Fair market rent, change over 5 years | +45.9% | +49.3% (median county) | 46 of 67 |
| Median home value (owners' estimate) | $187,900 | $276,000 (median county) | 50 of 67 |
| Price-to-rent (home value / a year of rent) | 12.3 | 15.3 (median county) | 50 of 67 |
| Housing units, 2020 to 2025 | +5.8% | +9.0% | 42 of 67 |
Rent: HUD FMR (FY26); HUD sets one rent for a whole metro area. Rent change: HUD FMR, FY2021 to FY2026. Home value: Census American Community Survey, 2020-2024 average; price-to-rent divides it by twelve months of the HUD rent above. Housing units: Census Housing Unit Estimates (vintage 2025).
Compared with neighboring counties
| County | Out-of-state owners | Absentee owners | Vacant lots | Inherited (estate or heirs) | Owned by individuals | Publicly owned | 2BR rent | Rent change, 5 yrs | Price-to-rent | Housing units 2020-25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Highlands County | 18.1% | 70.3% | 56.3% | 0.7% | 78.3% | 4.9% | $1,271 | +45.9% | 12.3 | +5.8% |
| Charlotte County | 27.2% | no data | 42.4% | 0.3% | 75.9% | 1.2% | $1,470 | +37.8% | 18.6 | +19.3% |
| DeSoto County | 8.6% | no data | 42.0% | 1.5% | 76.0% | 2.2% | $1,209 | +63.8% | 12.0 | +4.5% |
| Glades County | 13.5% | 55.4% | 48.6% | 1.2% | 68.4% | 9.4% | $1,252 | +59.5% | 9.1 | +6.8% |
| Hardee County | 6.6% | 46.4% | 43.5% | 1.5% | 72.6% | 2.0% | $1,248 | +66.4% | 10.3 | +3.8% |
| Okeechobee County | 12.7% | 64.3% | 45.1% | 0.3% | 82.3% | 2.7% | $1,346 | +61.0% | 11.9 | +1.0% |
| Osceola County | 16.8% | 41.2% | 19.7% | 0.5% | 75.2% | 1.9% | $1,972 | +49.3% | 14.9 | +24.9% |
| Polk County | 13.8% | 42.1% | 29.7% | 1.0% | 79.6% | 1.8% | $1,497 | +46.3% | 14.8 | +17.7% |