Lake Placid, FL · standard

ZIP Code 33852

Highlands County, Florida — Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.

Reviewed by PlainZIP Editorial Team, ZIP Code Data Editors · June 13, 2026

21,790
25/sq mi: $54,284
Median income: $213,500
Median home value: 20.9%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Lake Placid pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with below-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

20th pct
household income, US ZIPs: 47th pct
home value, US ZIPs: 25
people per sq mi: 81%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 33852 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 33852 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 864.7 square miles in Lake Placid, Highlands County, Florida. The area is home to 21,790 residents, producing a population density of 25 people per square mile, and falls within the New York time zone. These USPS and Census boundary values drive every downstream statistic on this page, including the benchmarks that compare 33852 against Florida and the nation.

On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 33852 sits at $54,284 (30% below the Florida average), while per-capita income is $34,423. The poverty rate stands at 13.2% and the unemployment rate at 7.3%. On housing, the median home value is $213,500 (43% below the state average) with median rent at $1,158 per month, and 81.4% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 33852 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.

Education and household profile round out the picture: 20.9% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 54.2, and the average commute is 27 minutes. Use the benchmarks above to see where 33852 sits relative to Florida and the national baseline rather than viewing the numbers in isolation. Every figure is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, HUD Fair Market Rents, and FHFA Home Price Index data, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with HUD →

Top industries in ZIP 33852

Construction

76
Retail trade

67
Health care and social assistance

43
Other services (except public administration)

43
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services

37

What this shows Establishment counts come from the Census ZIP Code Business Patterns program, which counts physical business locations rather than employees or revenue.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + HUD FMR + FHFA HPI ACS demographics, ZBP business establishments, HUD Fair Market Rents, FHFA HPI for ZIP 33852, Lake Placid, FL · 2023 Accessed 2026-06-13 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; HUD FMR + FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.

Quick Facts

21,790

Population

864.7

Area (sq mi)

People / sq mi

New York

Time Zone

standard

ZIP Type

Neighborhood Scorecard

Get an A-F grade across income, safety, housing, rent, education, commute, and childcare for this ZIP code.

View Scorecard →

Who lives in ZIP 33852?

54.2

Median Age

52.5%

Male

47.5%

Female

14.2%

Foreign-Born

White 72.7%

African American 5.5%

Asian 0.9%

American Indian or Alaska Native 1.1%

Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%

Two or More Ethnicities 14.7%

Hispanic or Latino 21.9%

Hispanic or Latino is an ethnicity category from the Census Bureau and may overlap with other categories above.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

How much do residents earn?

$54,284

Median Household Income

-30% vs state

$34,423

Per Capita Income

13.2%

Poverty Rate

7.3%

Unemployment Rate

26.5 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 33852 ranks nationally

Household income vs. every US ZIP code

Median household income — the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked

$54,284 20th percentile higher than 20% of 30,318 US ZIPs

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US ZIPs. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau — ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2019–2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What is the education profile here?

High School Graduate or Higher 57.8%

Bachelor's Degree or Higher 20.9%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What does housing look like?

12,815

Total Housing Units

9,972

Occupied Units

2,843

Vacant Units

2.22

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 81.4%

Renter 18.6%

$213,500

Median Home Value

-43% vs state

$1,158

Median Rent

1987

Median Year Built

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

How have home values changed over time?

FHFA House Price Index, annual appreciation data based on repeat sales and appraisals

+4.9%

YoY Change (2024)

363

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+263%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 33852 have increased 4.9% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +263% cumulative appreciation.

Year	Annual Change	HPI Index
2020	+7.5%	213
2021	+18.7%	253
2022	+23.0%	311
2023	+11.3%	347
2024	+4.9%	363

Source: Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) House Price Index, All-Transactions, Five-Digit ZIP Codes (Developmental Index). Index base = 100 in year 2000. Data through 2024. ZIP codes with few transactions may show missing values.

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 449 business establishments in ZIP 33852, employing approximately 3,371 people with a combined annual payroll of $128,844,000.

449

Businesses

3,371

Employees

$128.8M

Annual Payroll

Industry Sectors

Industry	Establishments	% of Total
Construction	76	16.9%
Retail trade	67	14.9%
Health care and social assistance	43	9.6%
Other services (except public administration)	43	9.6%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services	37	8.2%
Professional, scientific, and technical services	33	7.3%
Accommodation and food services	31	6.9%
Real estate and rental and leasing	29	6.5%
Transportation and warehousing	24	5.3%
Finance and insurance	20	4.5%
Wholesale trade	10	2.2%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting	9	2.0%
Manufacturing	8	1.8%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation	6	1.3%
Educational services	5	1.1%
Utilities	4	0.9%
Information	4	0.9%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP), 2023. Employment figures may include noise for disclosure avoidance.

More ZIP Codes in Highlands County

Highlands County Lake Placid, FL Florida

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 33852 in? ▼

ZIP code 33852 (Lake Placid) is located in Highlands County, Florida. Highlands County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/highlands-fl.

What is the population of ZIP code 33852? ▼

ZIP code 33852 in Lake Placid, FL has a population of 21,790 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in ZIP 33852? ▼

The median household income in ZIP 33852 is $54,284, which is 29% below the national average of $76,288.

What is the average home value in ZIP 33852? ▼

The median home value in ZIP 33852 is $213,500, which is 23% below the national average of $278,155.

What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 33852? ▼

The largest racial group in ZIP 33852 is White at 72.7%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 21.9% of the population.

How many businesses are in ZIP code 33852? ▼

ZIP code 33852 has 449 business establishments employing approximately 3,371 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.

What are the main industries in ZIP code 33852? ▼

The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 33852 are: Construction (76), Retail trade (67), Health care and social assistance (43). There are 17 industry sectors represented in total.

How have home values changed in ZIP code 33852? ▼

According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 33852 increased by 4.9% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 263%. This is a developmental index based on repeat sales and appraisal data from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

What is the education level in ZIP code 33852? ▼

In ZIP code 33852, 57.8% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 20.9% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).

What is the average commute time in ZIP 33852? ▼

The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 33852 is 26.5 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend more time traveling to work than typical.

What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 33852? ▼

In ZIP code 33852, approximately 81.4% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 18.6% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 33852? ▼

The poverty rate in ZIP code 33852 is 13.2% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.