The Town FilesWauchula, Florida
City in Hardee County · population 4,900 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $191,800
- Household income
- $53,013
- Jan low / Jul high
- 48° / 92°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 19
- Median age
- 28.8
Wauchula is a city of 4,900 people in Hardee County, Florida. The median home is worth $191,800, below the typical Florida town ($331,600).
How Wauchula ranks
Percentile among Florida towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Florida towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Wauchula is worth $191,800, below the typical Florida town ($331,600). Homes cost about 3.6 times the median household income of $53,013, which is more affordable than 80% of Florida towns. Median rent is $1,017 a month. 43.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Wauchula | Typical Florida town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $191,800 | $331,600 |
| Median rent | $1,017 | $1,569 |
| Median household income | $53,013 | $71,140 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.6× | 4.5× |
| Homeownership | 43.2% | 73.5% |
| Median year built | 1991 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 3.2% | — |
Who lives in Wauchula
| People | Wauchula | Typical Florida town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 28.8 | 42.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 10.5% | 20.2% |
| Under 18 | 39.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 9.3% | 28.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 38.1% | 11.3% |
| Veterans | 5.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 5.3% | — |
| Work from home | 0.2% | 13.5% |
| Average commute | 27.0 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 91.7% | 92.4% |
Weather in Wauchula
July highs average 91.8°F and January lows 47.7°F. About 52.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical Florida town: 0.0 in). Expect about 117 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 5 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
19 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Wauchula since 1950, compared with 35 for the typical Florida town. The strongest, an EF1, struck on September 10, 2017 about 1.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 4, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 11 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on April 11, 2021.
Severe weather in Hardee County since 1996
Hardee County has been included in 36 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, freezing, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| October 11, 2024 | Hurricane | DR-4834: Hurricane Milton |
| October 7, 2024 | Hurricane | EM-3622: Hurricane Milton |
| August 10, 2024 | Tropical Storm | DR-4806: Hurricane Debby |
| August 3, 2024 | Tropical Storm | EM-3605: Tropical Storm Debby |
| August 31, 2023 | Hurricane | DR-4734: Hurricane Idalia |
Jobs and pay in Hardee County
Hardee County had 7,044 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $47,192 a year. Unemployment was 4.1% in 2023; in Wauchula itself the ACS puts it at 0.2%.
Public schools in Wauchula
6 public schools with 3,849 students, about 17.0 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| HARDEE SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | 9-12 | 1,335 | 20.5 |
| HARDEE JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL | 6-12 | 1,089 | 16.5 |
| WAUCHULA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | PK-5 | 572 | 14.0 |
| NORTH WAUCHULA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | PK-5 | 545 | 14.7 |
| HILLTOP ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | PK-5 | 264 | 15.5 |
| PIONEER CAREER ACADEMY | 5-12 | 44 | 44.0 |
Towns near Wauchula
- Fort Meade, FL15.1 mi · 5,100 people · home $175,900
- Avon Park, FL18.8 mi · 9,658 people · home $144,700
- Alturas, FL21.9 mi · 4,084 people · home $165,800
- Frostproof, FL22.3 mi · 2,877 people · home $150,500
- Sebring, FL22.6 mi · 10,729 people · home $191,600
- Arcadia, FL22.7 mi · 7,420 people · home $177,700
- Bartow, FL23.5 mi · 19,309 people · home $234,100
- Southeast Arcadia, FL25.1 mi · 6,299 people · home $169,200
Wauchula questions
Is Wauchula, Florida a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Wauchula scores better for retirees than 12% of Florida towns and quieter than 29%. 10.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 28.8).
How much does a house cost in Wauchula?
The median owner-occupied home in Wauchula is valued at $191,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $53,013, so homes cost about 3.6 times income. Median rent is $1,017 a month.
What is the weather like in Wauchula?
July highs average 91.8°F and January lows 47.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 52.0 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Wauchula get tornadoes?
19 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Wauchula since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF1 on September 10, 2017. The typical Florida town has had 35.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)