Census tract · Highlands County
Census Tract 9603, Highlands County, Florida
Census Tract 9603, GEOID 12055960300, in Highlands County, Florida, mostly within Avon Park (97% of its census blocks). 4,442 residents in the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (±501); the 2020 Census counted 4,334.
Residents, 2020-2024
4,442
±501 (90% margin)
2020 Census count: 4,334
Median household income
$30,393
±$8,479 (90% margin)
Highlands County: $54,897
Median home value
$148,500
±$31,851 (90% margin)
Highlands County: $187,900
Median gross rent
$593
±$448 (90% margin)
Highlands County: $1,035
Where is Census Tract 9603?
Census Tract 9603 is one of 35 census tracts in Highlands County, Florida. It covers 1.57 square miles of land, 2,761 residents per square mile in 2020. Its GEOID, 12055960300, names it uniquely (how tract numbers and GEOIDs work).
| Place | Share of the tract |
|---|---|
| Avon Park | 97% |
6 census tracts border Census Tract 9603: Tract 9601.01 ($64,889), Tract 9601.02 ($44,255), Tract 9601.05 ($46,750), Tract 9602 ($42,014), Tract 9604.01 ($50,126) and Tract 9605.01 ($41,250). The figure in brackets is each tract's median household income.
Whether a tract counts as low- or moderate-income for bank lending (the Community Reinvestment Act) is set by the FFIEC against its metro area's family income: look it up in the FFIEC census geocoder.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 block assignment files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Census Tract 9603?
The 2020-2024 American Community Survey puts Census Tract 9603's population at 4,442 (±501) in 2,071 households; the 2020 Census counted 4,334 residents and 1,997 housing units.
| Measure | Tract 9603 | Avon Park |
|---|---|---|
| Total population | 4,442 ±501 | 10,057 |
| Households | 2,071 ±309 | 4,721 |
| Average household size | 2.12 ±0.23 | 2.06 |
| Housing units | 2,480 ±337 | 5,579 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Census Tract 9603?
The median resident of Census Tract 9603 is 40.1 years old; 15.7% are under 18 and 17.2% are 65 or older. The largest group is Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 46.0%, then non-Hispanic Black residents at 27.4%. 14.6% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Tract 9603 | Avon Park |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.1 ±3.7 | 49.5 |
| Under 18 years | 15.7% ±4.3 pts | 15.1% |
| 65 years and over | 17.2% ±7.1 pts | 31.8% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 46.0% ±8.5 pts | 33.5% |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 24.2% ±5.6 pts | 35.7% |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 27.4% ±7.5 pts | 24.0% |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.2 pts | 0.5% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.1% ±0.1 pts | 0.3% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.2 pts | 0.0% |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 2.3% ±1.9 pts | 2.7% |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.2 pts | 3.3% |
| Born outside the United States | 14.6% ±5.8 pts | 12.1% |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 49.8% ±8.7 pts | 31.3% |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 4.1% ±2.5 pts | 9.5% |
| With a disability | 31.3% ±9.8 pts | 31.0% |
| No health insurance coverage | 16.5% ±6.6 pts | 13.4% |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 70.6% ±9.2 pts | 79.7% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 3.3% ±2.1 pts | 10.7% |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 1.3% ±1.2 pts | 3.4% |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 73.8% ±9.0 pts | 83.1% |
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 Census Tract 9603 earn?
Half of the 2,071 households in Census Tract 9603 earn less than $30,393 a year (±$8,479), against $54,897 across Highlands County: 31st highest of the county's 31 tracts with a reliable estimate. 27.6% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Tract 9603 | Avon Park |
|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $30,393 ±$8,479 | $36,485 |
| Mean household income | $41,288 ±$7,335 | $48,272 |
| Per capita income | $20,259 ±$2,211 | $23,787 |
| People below the poverty line | 27.6% ±9.0 pts | 23.3% |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 18.4% ±15.7 pts | 14.6% |
| Households receiving SNAP | 31.9% ±9.3 pts | 28.3% |
| Households with a computer | 98.0% ±3.1 pts | 95.3% |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 82.2% ±9.7 pts | 86.7% |
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 Census Tract 9603?
Owners occupy 44.9% of Census Tract 9603's occupied homes and renters 55.1%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $148,500 by its owner (±$31,851).
| Measure | Tract 9603 | Avon Park |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $148,500 ±$31,851 | $144,700 |
| Median gross rent | $593 ±$448 | $921 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 46.1% ±18.5 pts | 44.9% |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,160 ±$113 | $1,360 |
| Owner-occupied homes | 44.9% ±10.9 pts | 58.7% |
| Renter-occupied homes | 55.1% ±10.9 pts | 41.3% |
| Housing units | 2,480 ±337 | 5,579 |
| Single-family detached homes | 54.8% ±8.9 pts | 50.8% |
| Mobile homes | 0.9% ±1.0 pts | 14.7% |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±2.1 pts | 2.0% |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 3.7% ±3.2 pts | 3.3% |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 3.8% ±2.3 pts | 5.6% |
| Households with no vehicle | 13.4% ±7.1 pts | 8.3% |
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 Census Tract 9603 get to work?
78.6% of Census Tract 9603's workers drive alone and 3.8% work from home. The average trip to work takes 24.4 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 11.2%.
| Measure | Tract 9603 | Avon Park |
|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 52.6% ±9.4 pts | 44.3% |
| Unemployment rate | 11.2% ±6.6 pts | 9.2% |
| Drove alone to work | 78.6% ±10.0 pts | 79.8% |
| Carpooled | 12.6% ±9.2 pts | 12.5% |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±2.9 pts | 0.1% |
| Walked | 0.0% ±2.9 pts | 0.8% |
| Worked from home | 3.8% ±2.5 pts | 3.8% |
| Mean travel time to work | 24.4 min ±9.4 | 24.6 min |
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
How does Census Tract 9603 compare with the other tracts in Highlands County?
Among Highlands County's tracts with a reliable estimate, Census Tract 9603 ranks as shown below (1 = highest).
| Measure | In Highlands County | In Avon Park |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 8th of 32 | 3rd of 9 |
| Residents per square mile | 1st of 35 | 1st of 9 |
| Median household income | 31st of 31 | 9th of 9 |
| Per capita income | 31st of 32 | 9th of 9 |
| Median home value | 23rd of 31 | 5th of 8 |
| Poverty rate | 2nd of 29 | 1st of 8 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 30th of 30 | 9th of 9 |
| Median age | 30th of 33 | 9th of 9 |
| Owner-occupied share | 31st of 32 | 9th of 9 |
The tracts next to it on Highlands County's income ladder
| Tract | Rank | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9609 | 28th | $39,792±$9,793 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 9613.03 | 29th | $36,607±$21,984 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 9612.01 | 30th | $35,615±$8,444 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 9603 | 31st | $30,393±$8,479 |
"Within the margin": the two incomes differ by less than their combined 90% margins, so the survey cannot say which is higher and the ranks between them are not firm.
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Census Tract 9603?
2 of the 18 figures for Census Tract 9603 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.
A census tract's figures rest on a few hundred sampled households over five years, so its margins are wider than a city's. Two tracts differ only when the gap between them is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins). 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 · Check it at data.census.gov
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections