Okeechobee County, Florida: commercial real estate data.
Okeechobee County, Florida had an estimated 42,369 residents on July 1, 2024, up 6.9 percent since the 2020 census base of 39,640, across 769 square miles. County output reached $2.75 bn in 2024, 922 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 26 7(a) approvals worth $20.5 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Okeechobee County
How many people live in Okeechobee County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202440,816
- Households15,113
- Average household size2.70
- Median household income$57,984
- Median age40.8
- Median gross rent$1,082 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$193,000
- Home value to household income3.3 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income22.4 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher15.8 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree5.3 percent
- Adults 25 and over28,995
- Population under 188,721
- Share under 1821.4 percent
- Population 65 and over8,169
- Share 65 and over20.0 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6423,926
- Civilian labor force16,698
- Unemployment rate4.4 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over52.0 percent
- Rank by population among Florida counties47th of 67
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included1191st of 3,222
Okeechobee County is the 47th largest of 67 Florida counties by population. A median home costs 3.3 times median household income, which is moderately unaffordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 21.4 percent against 20.0 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Okeechobee County
Is Okeechobee County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202442,369
- Census 2020 base population39,640
- Population change since the 2020 census base6.88 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024766
- Births, 2024524
- Deaths, 2024563
- Natural change, 2024-39
- Net domestic migration, 2024597
- Net international migration, 2024210
- Total net migration, 2024807
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 20242,450
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents314th of 3,144
The county has grown 6.88 percent since the 2020 census base. Deaths exceeded births in 2024 and the population still grew, so all of the growth came from people moving in. A market held up by migration is more sensitive to a change in relative cost than one growing from household formation.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Okeechobee County
Where are people moving to Okeechobee County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving1,309
- People arriving, from those returns2,368
- Tax returns filed by households leaving910
- Net household movement399
- Adjusted gross income arriving$82.1 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$40.4 m
- Average income of an arriving household$62,728
- Average income of a leaving household$45,803
- Largest single originSt. Lucie County (205 households)
- Largest single destinationSt. Lucie County (84 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| St. Lucie County | 205 | 356 | $9.8 m |
| Palm Beach County | 184 | 335 | $10.1 m |
| Broward County | 74 | 138 | $7.6 m |
| Martin County | 73 | 154 | $4.7 m |
| Glades County | 54 | 92 | $4.1 m |
| Highlands County | 48 | 91 | $1.4 m |
| Miami-Dade County | 38 | 59 | $2.1 m |
| Indian River County | 31 | 62 | $1.6 m |
Households arriving report $16,925 more average income than households leaving, so the migration is raising local spending power rather than just moving it around. The largest single source of arrivals is St. Lucie County, which is the catchment a retail or multifamily study should look at first.
US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Okeechobee County
What is the Okeechobee County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$2.75 bn
- County GDP, 2023$2.77 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 2024-0.5 percent
- GDP change over five years57.8 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Florida areas BEA publishes42nd of 67
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes1041st of 3,127
- GDP per resident$67,484
Output grew -0.5 percent in the latest year and 57.8 percent over five, which is the trend line a lender will read behind any single year figure.
US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional, table CAGDP2, CAGDP2, through 2024.
Okeechobee County
Employment by industry in Okeechobee County
- Covered employment, annual average12,349
- Establishments reporting1,089
- Average annual pay$48,406
- Average weekly wage$931
- Retail trade, employment1,847
- Retail trade, average annual pay$34,959
- Administrative and support and waste management services, employment1,511
- Administrative and support and waste management services, average annual pay$39,873
- Accommodation and food services, employment1,073
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$26,032
- Construction, employment906
- Construction, average annual pay$50,580
- Other services, except public administration, employment396
- Manufacturing, employment386
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 1,847 | 147 | $34,959 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 1,511 | 82 | $39,873 |
| Accommodation and food services | 1,073 | 68 | $26,032 |
| Construction | 906 | 172 | $50,580 |
| Other services, except public administration | 396 | 87 | $42,254 |
| Manufacturing | 386 | 26 | $64,459 |
| Wholesale trade | 356 | 42 | $57,423 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 267 | 64 | $61,875 |
Retail trade is the largest private sector at 1,847 jobs, 15.0 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Okeechobee County
How many businesses are in Okeechobee County?
- Establishments, all industries922
- Employment at those establishments7,980
- Annual payroll$339.1 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents22.6
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against. County Business Patterns counts private establishments with paid employees in March 2023, while the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages above counts every unemployment-insured employer, public ones included, as a 2024 annual average, so the two establishment and employment counts differ.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Okeechobee County
Building permits in Okeechobee County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 202418
- Declared construction value permitted$6.6 m
- Single family units authorized18
- Multifamily units authorized0
- Multifamily share of units0.0 percent
- Average declared value per unit$366,766
- Units authorized per 1,000 households1.2
Single-family homes are 100.0 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Okeechobee County
SBA loans in Okeechobee County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded26
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$20.5 m
- Average 7(a) approval$787,550
- Median 7(a) approval$600,000
- 10th percentile approval$135,000
- 90th percentile approval$1,913,500
- Largest single approval$2,700,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)698
- Jobs per approval26.8
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active17
- Distinct industries receiving approvals17
- Median 7(a) term122 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer38.5 percent
- Loans on real estate terms10
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter13
- Franchise loans6
- Franchise share of approvals23.1 percent
- Leading industry by approval countChild Day Care Services (4)
- Most active lenderSouthState Bank, National Association (6)
- 504 approvals recorded16
- 504 gross approval dollars$10.0 m
- Average 504 approval$624,625
- Median 504 approval$626,500
- Distinct CDCs active3
- 504 jobs per approval7.6
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved12.2
- Most active CDCFlorida First Capital Finance Corporation, Inc. (7)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$30.5 m
The average approval of $787,550 sits well above the median of $600,000, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. 38.5 percent of approvals run on real estate terms of 240 months or more, so this is a market where SBA credit is buying buildings, not just funding operations.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30. US Small Business Administration, 504 FOIA release, FY2010 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Okeechobee County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Okeechobee County
Do SBA loans in Okeechobee County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded5
- Paid in full5
- Charged off0
- Status: Paid in full5
- Status: Exempt from disclosure15
- Status: Cancelled6
Only 5 loans have reached a final outcome, fewer than the 30 a charge-off rate needs, so no rate is published.
Compare against the national and state SBA charge-off rates, computed the same way over resolved loans only.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Okeechobee County
How large is Okeechobee County?
- Land area769 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Florida counties27th of 67
- Width, east to west32.9 mi
- Height, north to south47.3 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary6
- Residents per square mile of land53
- Establishments per square mile1.20
US Census Bureau county boundary geometry, TIGER, adjacency computed from shared boundary vertices, TIGER county boundaries. US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year. US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Okeechobee County
Flood risk in Okeechobee County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Okeechobee County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 120177
- Community Rating System class of the county's own communityClass 8
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book2
- Of those, participating in the NFIP2
- NFIP participation rate100.0 percent
- Best Community Rating System class in the county A lower CRS class is a larger flood insurance premium discount.Class 8
- Communities carrying a CRS class1
- Radon levels in Okeechobee County, EPA zone predicted average indoor radon screening level less than 2 pCi/LZone 3
The county's own community in the status book, unincorporated Okeechobee County (community 120177), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries Community Rating System class 8, a flood insurance premium discount for policies written there. The EPA places Okeechobee County in radon zone 3, a predicted average indoor radon screening level less than 2 pCi/L. The zone is a screening prediction for the county and does not substitute for a test at an address. The best Community Rating System class among the county's communities is 8, which carries a flood insurance premium discount for policies written in that community. 100.0 percent of the county's listed communities participate in the National Flood Insurance Program, per Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26.
Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26. US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Traffic counts, zoning and the flood zone at an address are not on this page; they resolve at the address in the platform. How this page was built →
Feasibility studies
When a Okeechobee County site needs a document a lender will accept.
The same data layer behind this page is the one the studies are written from. A study for a Okeechobee County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202440,816
- Households15,113
- Average household size2.70
- Median household income$57,984
- Median age40.8
Common questions
Okeechobee County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Okeechobee County, Florida?
The Census Bureau estimates 42,369 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 40,816, in 15,113 households, ranking 47th of 67 Florida counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Okeechobee County's population growing?
The population has grown 6.88 percent since the 2020 census base of 39,640, to 42,369 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 524 births against 563 deaths, with net migration of 807. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Okeechobee County?
$57,984. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $193,000, which is 3.3 times income, and median gross rent is $1,082 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Okeechobee County?
922 establishments, employing 7,980 people with an annual payroll of $339.1 m. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is employment by industry in Okeechobee County?
Retail trade is the largest private sector at 1,847 jobs, 15.0 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 12,349 jobs at an average annual pay of $48,406, or $931 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Okeechobee County?
26 7(a) approvals totaling $20.5 m since FY2020, across 17 lenders, with a median approval of $600,000, plus 16 504 approvals worth $10.0 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Okeechobee County?
18 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $6.6 m. Multifamily was 0.0 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Okeechobee County?
Zone 3, a predicted average indoor radon screening level less than 2 pCi/L. Source: US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Where do people moving to Okeechobee County come from?
The largest single origin is St. Lucie County, with 205 households. Arriving households report an average income of $62,728 against $45,803 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Okeechobee County on this page?
No. Annual average daily traffic resolves in the platform rather than in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here. It is a gap we know about rather than a figure we estimated.
Is zoning published for Okeechobee County?
No. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame, to be confirmed locally.
Okeechobee County
Cities and places in Okeechobee.
3 Census places lie wholly or partly in Okeechobee County. All 3 carry enough published place level data for a page of their own and are linked.
| Place | Type | Population | SBA 7(a) approvals, projects in this county | Lies in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Okeechobee | city | 5,479 | 26 | Wholly in this county |
| Taylor Creek | CDP | 4,457 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Cypress Quarters | CDP | 1,697 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
Nearby