Okeechobee County Census Data

HOUSEHOLDS AND FAMILIES: From 2005-2007 there were 13,000 households in Okeechobee County. The average household size was 3 people.

Families made up 72 percent of the households in Okeechobee County. This figure includes both married-couple families (53 percent) and other families (19 percent). Nonfamily households made up 28 percent of all households in Okeechobee County. Most of the nonfamily households were people living alone, but some were composed of people living in households in which no one was related to the householder.

The Types of Households in Okeechobee County, Florida in 2005-2007

	Married-couple families	53%
	Other families	19%
	People living alone	22%
	Other nonfamily households	5%

Percent of households

NATIVITY AND LANGUAGE: Data for this section cannot be displayed because the number of sample cases is too small. Displaying the data would risk disclosing information for individuals.

GEOGRAPHIC MOBILITY: From 2005-2007, 81 percent of the people at least one year old living in Okeechobee County were living in the same residence one year earlier; 9 percent had moved during the past year from another residence in the same county, 5 percent from another county in the same state, 3 percent from another state, and 1 percent from abroad.

Geographic Mobility of Residents of Okeechobee County, Florida in 2005-2007

	Same residence	81%
	Different residence, same county	9%
	Different county, same state	5%
	Different state	3%
	Abroad	1%

Percent of people age 1 year and over

EDUCATION: From 2005-2007, 69 percent of people 25 years and over had at least graduated from high school and 9 percent had a bachelor's degree or higher. Thirty-one percent were dropouts; they were not enrolled in school and had not graduated from high school.

The total school enrollment in Okeechobee County was 8,500 from 2005-2007. Nursery school and kindergarten enrollment was 1,100 and elementary or high school enrollment was 6,300 children. College or graduate school enrollment was 1,100.

The Educational Attainment of People in Okeechobee County, Florida in 2005-2007

	Graduate or professional degree	3%
	Bachelor's degree	7%
	Associate's degree	6%
	Some college, no degree	18%
	High school diploma or equivalency	36%
	Less than high school diploma	31%

Percent of people 25 years and over

DISABILITY: In Okeechobee County, among people at least five years old from 2005-2007, 22 percent reported a disability. The likelihood of having a disability varied by age - from 10 percent of people 5 to 15 years old, to 16 percent of people 16 to 64 years old, and to 52 percent of those 65 and older.

INDUSTRIES: From 2005-2007, for the employed population 16 years and older, the leading industries in Okeechobee County were Educational services, and health care, and social assistance, 16 percent, and Retail trade, 13 percent.

Employment by Industry in Okeechobee County, Florida in 2005-2007

	Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, and mining	12%
	Construction	12%
	Manufacturing	3%
	Wholesale trade	4%
	Retail trade	13%
	Transportation and warehousing, and utilities	4%
	Information	1%
	Finance and insurance, and real estate and rental and leasing	4%
	Professional, scientific, and management, and administrative and waste management services	6%
	Educational services, health care, and social assistance	16%
	Arts, entertainment, and recreation, and accommodation, and food services	8%
	Other Services (except public administration)	6%
	Public administration	9%

Percent of employed people 16 years and over

OCCUPATIONS AND TYPE OF EMPLOYER: Among the most common occupations were: Sales and office occupations, 25 percent; Service occupations, 20 percent; Management, professional, and related occupations, 20 percent; Production, transportation, and material moving occupations, 13 percent; and Construction, extraction, maintenance and repair occupations, 13 percent. Seventy-seven percent of the people employed were Private wage and salary workers; 16 percent was Federal, state, or local government workers; and 6 percent was Self-employed in own not incorporated business workers.

TRAVEL TO WORK: Seventy-one percent of Okeechobee County workers drove to work alone from 2005-2007, 19 percent carpooled, 5 percent took public transportation, and 3 percent used other means. The remaining 2 percent worked at home. Among those who commuted to work, it took them on average 26.4 minutes to get to work.

INCOME: The median income of households in Okeechobee County was $38,139. Seventy-three percent of the households received earnings and 20 percent received retirement income other than Social Security. Forty-two percent of the households received Social Security. The average income from Social Security was $14,627. These income sources are not mutually exclusive; that is, some households received income from more than one source.

POVERTY AND PARTICIPATION IN GOVERNMENT PROGRAMS: From 2005-2007, 18 percent of people were in poverty. Twenty-nine percent of related children under 18 were below the poverty level, compared with 11 percent of people 65 years old and over. Fourteen percent of all families and 25 percent of families with a female householder and no husband present had incomes below the poverty level.

Poverty Rates in Okeechobee County, Florida in 2005-2007

	People age 65 and over	11%
	Related children under 18 years	29%
	All families	14%
	Female householder families	25%

Percent below poverty level

POPULATION OF Okeechobee County: From 2005-2007, Okeechobee County had a total population of 40,000 - 19,000 (46 percent) females and 21,000 (54 percent) males. The median age was 36.7 years. Twenty-four percent of the population was under 18 years and 17 percent was 65 years and older.

The Age Distribution of People in Okeechobee County, Florida in 2005-2007

	65 and over	17%
	45 to 64	23%
	25 to 44	26%
	18 to 24	10%
	Under 18	24%

Percent of population

For people reporting one race alone, 84 percent was White; 9 percent was Black or African American; 1 percent was American Indian and Alaska Native; 1 percent was Asian; less than 0.5 percent was Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander, and 5 percent was Some other race. One percent reported Two or more races. Twenty-two percent of the people in Okeechobee County was Hispanic. Sixty-seven percent of the people in Okeechobee County was White non-Hispanic. People of Hispanic origin may be of any race.

HOUSING CHARACTERISTICS: From 2005-2007, Okeechobee County had a total of 16,000 housing units, 22 percent of which were vacant. Of the total housing units, 51 percent was in single-unit structures, 3 percent was in multi-unit structures, and 45 percent was mobile homes. Thirty percent of the housing units were built since 1990.

The Types of Housing Units in Okeechobee County, Florida in 2005-2007

	Single-unit structures	51%
	In multi-unit structures	3%
	Mobile homes	45%

Percent of housing units

OCCUPIED HOUSING UNIT CHARACTERISTICS: From 2005-2007, Okeechobee County had 13,000 occupied housing units - 9,800 (77 percent) owner occupied and 2,900 (23 percent) renter occupied. Six percent of the households did not have telephone service and 7 percent of the households did not have access to a car, truck, or van for private use. Multi Vehicle households were not rare. Forty-two percent had two vehicles and another 14 percent had three or more.

HOUSING COSTS: Data for this section cannot be displayed because the number of sample cases is too small. Displaying the data would risk disclosing information for individuals.

County Profile Highlights