Hardee County, Florida

County Distress Index: Serious · 78.6 | 25,760 people · 4th most distressed in Florida
American Default Research

Behind on your mortgage or facing eviction? Take a 2-minute assessment to see your options.

Hardee County, FL shows significant household financial distress with a score of 78.6 — 93rd nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Housing Cost Burden, where a large share of households spend more than 30% of income on housing. Within Florida, it ranks 4th of 67 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 4 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Hardee County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 89.4 — worse than roughly 89% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 89.4
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 95
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 99
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 73
Homeownership Rate 65
Consumer Credit Distress 82.9
Debt in Collections 86
Medical Debt 80
Auto Loan Delinquency 72
Credit Card Delinquency 88
Uninsured Rate 92
Subprime Credit Population 83
Structural Poverty 79.4
Unemployment Rate 91
Poverty Rate 87
Income vs. State Median 90
Child Poverty Rate 75
Disability Rate 57
Transfer Income Dependency 74
Economic Vitality 77.8
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 85
Rent-to-Income Ratio 91
Business Formation Rate 40
House Price Change (YoY) 76
Legal Distress 17.8
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 18

Scores are percentile-based: 50 = national median, higher = more distressed.

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Hardee County
Hardee County, FL 78.6 Serious —
Polk County, FL 79.0 Serious +0.4
DeSoto County, FL 74.9 Serious -3.7
Highlands County, FL 72.1 Serious -6.5
Hillsborough County, FL 71.5 Serious -7.1
Manatee County, FL 57.4 Elevated -21.2

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Hardee County
Kleberg County, TX 78.6 Serious -0.0
Lanier County, GA 78.7 Serious +0.1
Sunflower County, MS 78.7 Serious +0.1
Decatur County, GA 78.7 Serious +0.2
Pike County, AL 78.4 Serious -0.2

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for Hardee County as a CSV file.

Find Help in Hardee County

Find an Attorney

The Florida Bar — Lawyer Referral Service offers a lawyer referral service for bankruptcy, foreclosure defense, and consumer rights.

The Florida Bar — Lawyer Referral Service 1-800-342-8011

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Hardee County residents at no cost.

Florida Rural Legal Services (FRLS) 1-239-334-4554
Legal Services of Greater Miami (LSGMI) 1-305-576-0080
Coast to Coast Legal Aid of South Florida 1-954-736-2400
Community Legal Services of Mid-Florida (CLSMF) 1-800-405-1417
Bay Area Legal Services 1-800-625-2257
Legal Services of North Florida 1-850-385-9007
Three Rivers Legal Services 1-866-256-8091

Self-Help Resources

The Florida Bar — Foreclosure Crisis Help for Consumers Official Florida Bar resource page for homeowners facing foreclosure, including information on finding an attorney, legal aid referrals, and understanding the foreclosure process.
Florida Courts — Residential Mortgage Foreclosure Cases Florida Supreme Court page with information on residential mortgage foreclosure cases, including links to administrative orders, mediation resources, and the Managed Mediation program.
Florida AG — Resources Available to Distressed Homeowners Florida Attorney General's office page with resources for distressed homeowners, including information on mortgage fraud, foreclosure rescue scams, and how to file complaints.
Florida LawHelp Statewide legal aid directory connecting Floridians with free legal information and local legal aid providers for foreclosure prevention and other civil legal needs.

American Default Research does not endorse, rate, or rank any provider. Verify attorney credentials with your state bar.

Need legal help? Find a foreclosure defense attorney in Florida →

Continue Reading

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Hardee County, Florida?

    Hardee County has a County Distress Index score of 78.6 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 93rd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 4th in Florida out of 67 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Hardee County?

    The primary driver of distress in Hardee County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 89.4 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Hardee County compare to neighboring counties?

    Hardee County (78.6) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Polk County, FL (79.0); DeSoto County, FL (74.9); Highlands County, FL (72.1).

  • How is the County Distress Index calculated?

    The County Distress Index uses PCA-weighted percentile scoring across five statistically derived factors: Consumer Credit Distress (47.5%), Housing Cost Burden (22.3%), Structural Poverty (13.6%), Economic Vitality (9.2%), and Legal Distress (7.4%). Each county's indicators are ranked against all 3,144 U.S. counties. A score of 50 means the county is at the national median; higher scores indicate greater distress.

  • How often is the CDI updated?

    Annually, aligned to Census American Community Survey and Urban Institute Debt in America release windows — the slowest-moving source inputs. Between annual refreshes, faster-cadence indicators (BLS unemployment, QCEW wages) may drive light mid-year updates if a specific component moves meaningfully. Current data compiled April 14, 2026; next full refresh early 2027.

  • What does the Serious zone mean?

    The CDI divides counties into five zones: Healthy (below 46), Normal (46–55), Elevated (55–71), Serious (71–86), and Crisis (86 and above). Hardee County's score of 78.6 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

  • What data sources power Hardee County's CDI score?

    Hardee County's CDI score draws on Urban Institute Debt in America (Equifax credit-bureau panel), U.S. Census Bureau (American Community Survey 5-year, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates), Bureau of Labor Statistics (LAUS, QCEW), U.S. Courts Administrative Office (F-5A bankruptcy filings), and HUD Fair Market Rents. Every number on this page traces to one of these public sources.

  • What is the population of Hardee County?

    Hardee County, Florida has a population of approximately 25,760 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.