Is Highland City, FL a Good Place to Live?
Highland City is a small city of 12,456 in Florida, with a median household income of $85,301 and a 2.4% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 104 (US average = 100), which is 4% above the national average.
Strengths: Highland City stands out for solid school ratings (B-).
Trade-offs: No major red flags stand out in the available data. Whether Highland City is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Highland City city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 104.2Highland City's overall cost of living index is 104.2, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Highland City costs roughly 4% more than the average American city.
| Metric | Highland City, FL | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $265,200 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,614 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 79.4% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $85,301 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Very SafeHighland City's violent crime rate is 56.0 per 100,000 residents — 85% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Highland City is served primarily by POLK. The student-to-teacher ratio is 19.3:1 (slightly above the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Highland City, FL | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | POLK | — |
| Elementary Schools | 87 | — |
| Middle Schools | 25 | — |
| High Schools | 36 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 19.3:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 31.6% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 88.6% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Highland City sees average highs of 72.9°F in January and 91.9°F in July, with 54.3 inches of annual precipitation .
| Metric | Highland City, FL |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 72.9°F |
| Average High — July | 91.9°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 54.3" |
| Annual Snowfall | Trace / None |
Demographics
| Metric | Highland City, FL | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 12,456 | — |
| Median Age | 38.1 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 2.4% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 28.6 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 67.6% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 11.1% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 16.0% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 2.8% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 24.3% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 13.2% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in Highland City
Highland City, FL is covered by 1 ZIP code: