City · Florida
Wauchula, Florida
Wauchula, city, in Hardee County, Florida. Wauchula had 4,946 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 1.3% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 4,900 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 4,927 (±31). GEOID 1275375.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
4,946
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 4,900 · ACS 2020-2024: 4,927 ±31
Median household income
$53,013
±$27,915 (90% margin)
Florida: $74,568
Median home value
$191,800
±$43,898 (90% margin)
Florida: $359,000
Median gross rent
$1,017
±$142 (90% margin)
Florida: $1,669
Where is Wauchula and what county is it in?
Wauchula is a city in Hardee County, Florida. It covers 3.3 square miles of land, 1,500 residents per square mile in 2020.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Wauchula, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 4,946 people lived in Wauchula on July 1, 2025, up 1.3% since 2020, slower than Florida (+8.9%). The 2020 Census counted 4,900 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 4,927 (±31).
| Measure | Wauchula | Hardee County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 4,927 ±31 | 25,675 | +124 |
| Households | 1,658 ±225 | 8,219 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.87 ±0.38 | 2.91 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 1,881 ±270 | 9,942 | no clear change |
Wauchula's population since 2000
From 4,368 in 2000 to 4,946 in 2025: up 13.2%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Wauchula as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Wauchula?
The median resident of Wauchula is 28.8 years old; 39.3% are under 18 and 10.5% are 65 or older. The largest group is Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 59.4%, then non-Hispanic white residents at 36.5%.
| Measure | Wauchula | Hardee County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 28.8 ±11.9 | 35.8 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 39.3% ±5.3 pts | 24.4% | – |
| 65 years and over | 10.5% ±4.3 pts | 16.1% | – |
| Male | 49.8% ±6.4 pts | 54.6% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 59.4% ±8.6 pts | 42.3% | +21.2 pts |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 36.5% ±9.4 pts | 46.4% | −13.1 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 2.0% ±2.1 pts | 7.2% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.1 pts | 1.1% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.1 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.1 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 2.0% ±3.0 pts | 2.6% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.1 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 5.3% ±3.9 pts | 11.7% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 30.5% ±9.8 pts | 31.0% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 5.0% ±3.3 pts | 5.0% | – |
| With a disability | 10.2% ±4.0 pts | 16.7% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 19.2% ±9.5 pts | 20.1% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 80.5% ±11.2 pts | 76.9% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 9.3% ±5.5 pts | 12.1% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 1.7% ±1.7 pts | 4.5% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 87.5% ±8.7 pts | 90.7% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 2.4% ±4.2 pts | 1.1% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Wauchula earn?
Half of Wauchula's 1,658 households earn less than $53,013 a year (±$27,915), against $60,489 in Hardee County and $74,568 in Florida. In 2015-2019 it was $43,569 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 38.1% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Wauchula | Hardee County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $53,013 ±$27,915 | $60,489 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $69,330 ±$17,540 | $84,981 | – |
| Per capita income | $25,650 ±$5,523 | $28,365 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 38.1% ±14.2 pts | 25.3% | +17.8 pts |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 57.6% ±19.3 pts | 39.3% | +34.7 pts |
| Households receiving SNAP | 21.6% ±12.6 pts | 24.9% | – |
| Households with a computer | 100.0% ±3.1 pts | 97.7% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 91.7% ±7.2 pts | 88.2% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Wauchula?
Owners occupy 43.2% of Wauchula's occupied homes and renters 56.8%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $191,800 by its owner (±$43,898). The median renter pays $1,017 a month including utilities, and 51.4% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Wauchula | Hardee County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $191,800 ±$43,898 | $153,600 | +$109,220 |
| Median gross rent | $1,017 ±$142 | $962 | +$176 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 51.4% ±16.7 pts | 40.7% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,854 ±$1,172 | $1,385 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 43.2% ±14.9 pts | 71.4% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 56.8% ±14.9 pts | 28.6% | – |
| Housing units | 1,881 ±270 | 9,942 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±7.1 pts | 1.2% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 3.5% ±5.5 pts | 2.7% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 45.9% ±14.0 pts | 57.7% | – |
| Mobile homes | 2.7% ±3.6 pts | 27.1% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±2.7 pts | 0.8% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 3.0% ±4.0 pts | 8.5% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 9.9% ±7.2 pts | 5.8% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 8.3% ±7.0 pts | 6.0% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How do people in Wauchula work and get to work?
66.3% of Wauchula's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 27.0 minutes.
| Measure | Wauchula | Hardee County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 54.0% ±8.1 pts | 52.6% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 0.2% ±0.5 pts | 5.9% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 66.3% ±16.7 pts | 69.7% | – |
| Carpooled | 27.2% ±15.2 pts | 22.5% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.6% ±1.9 pts | 1.0% | – |
| Walked | 4.4% ±7.6 pts | 1.8% | – |
| Worked from home | 0.2% ±0.6 pts | 4.3% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 27.0 min ±3.6 | 26.8 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Wauchula?
2 census tracts lie mostly in Wauchula, and 3 more reach into it (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $47,130 (Tract 9704.01) to $55,179 (Tract 9703.01).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9703.01Hardee County | 5,000 | $55,179 |
| Tract 9704.01Hardee County | 4,064 | $47,130 |
| Tract 9703.02Hardee County | 2,625 | $59,063 |
| Tract 9701.01Hardee County | 3,234 | $67,679 |
| Tract 9704.02Hardee County | 2,323 | $51,380 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Wauchula) · Census block assignment files
How does Wauchula compare with other places in Florida?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Wauchula is the 4,928th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 230th-most populous of 411 in Florida.
Wauchula ranks 624th of 754 places in Florida with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 230th | 411 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 247th | 328 |
| Residents per square mile | 470th | 770 |
| Median household income | 624th | 754 |
| Per capita income | 644th | 763 |
| Median home value | 646th | 749 |
| Median gross rent | 637th | 710 |
| Poverty rate | 10th | 634 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 713th | 733 |
| Median age | 746th | 762 |
| Owner-occupied share | 720th | 760 |
| Travel time to work | 413th | 764 |
Wauchula's figures with every place in Florida (CSV)
Every place in Florida, sortable · Compare Wauchula with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Wauchula?
21 of the 57 figures for Wauchula on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Wauchula are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Wauchula.