Okeechobee, FL · standard

ZIP Code 34972

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

20,180
9/sq mi
$61,040
Median income
$220,000
Median home value
14.7%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Okeechobee pairs a below-median household income with below-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

31th pct
household income, US ZIPs
49th pct
home value, US ZIPs
9
people per sq mi
63%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 34972 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 34972 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 2346.5 square miles in Okeechobee, Okeechobee County, Florida. The area is home to 20,180 residents, producing a population density of 9 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 34972 against Florida and the nation.

On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 34972 sits at $61,040 (21% below the Florida average), while per-capita income is $25,374. The poverty rate stands at 20.5% and the unemployment rate at 4.1%. On housing, the median home value is $220,000 (41% below the state average) with median rent at $1,063 per month, and 62.8% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 34972 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.

Education and household profile round out the picture: 14.7% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 37.9, and the average commute is 28 minutes. Use the benchmarks above to see where 34972 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 34972

Top 5 sectors by establishment count

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 34972.

establishments

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 · ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) As of 2023

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 34972, Okeechobee, FL · 2023 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

20,180

Population

2346.5

Area (sq mi)

9

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 34972?

37.9

Median Age

56.1%

Male

43.9%

Female

13.9%

Foreign-Born

White 60.9%
African American 14.5%
Asian 0.5%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 17.3%
Hispanic or Latino 29.4%

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?

$61,040

Median Household Income

-21% vs state

$25,374

Per Capita Income

20.5%

Poverty Rate

4.1%

Unemployment Rate

28.4 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 34972 ranks nationally

Household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$61,040 31st percentile higher than 31% of 30,318 US ZIPs

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 7,092 US ZIPs (23%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). This entry sits in this band. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 2,855 US ZIPs (9%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 1,362 US ZIPs (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 686 US ZIPs (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 364 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 186 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $200,000–$220,000: 324 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. This ZIP $0 $200K+ every reporting US ZIP, bucketed by value

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 50.7%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 14.7%

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

What does housing look like?

7,185

Total Housing Units

6,290

Occupied Units

895

Vacant Units

2.77

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 62.8%
Renter 37.2%

$220,000

Median Home Value

-41% vs state

$1,063

Median Rent

1989

Median Year Built

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

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

+11.7%

YoY Change (2024)

357

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+257%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 34972 have increased 11.7% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +257% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +7.4% 220
2021 +8.0% 237
2022 +29.8% 308
2023 +3.6% 319
2024 +11.7% 357

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 500 business establishments in ZIP 34972, employing approximately 4,674 people with a combined annual payroll of $216,122,000.

500

Businesses

4,674

Employees

$216.1M

Annual Payroll

15

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Construction 77 15.4%
Health care and social assistance 72 14.4%
Retail trade 70 14.0%
Other services (except public administration) 51 10.2%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 44 8.8%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 39 7.8%
Accommodation and food services 30 6.0%
Transportation and warehousing 27 5.4%
Wholesale trade 23 4.6%
Real estate and rental and leasing 19 3.8%
Manufacturing 12 2.4%
Finance and insurance 12 2.4%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 10 2.0%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting 8 1.6%
Information 4 0.8%

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

More ZIP Codes in Okeechobee County

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 34972 in?
ZIP code 34972 (Okeechobee) is located in Okeechobee County, Florida. Okeechobee County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/okeechobee-fl.
What is the population of ZIP code 34972?
ZIP code 34972 in Okeechobee, FL has a population of 20,180 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 34972?
The median household income in ZIP 34972 is $61,040, which is 20% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 34972?
The median home value in ZIP 34972 is $220,000, which is 21% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 34972?
The largest racial group in ZIP 34972 is White at 60.9%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 29.4% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 34972?
ZIP code 34972 has 500 business establishments employing approximately 4,674 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 34972?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 34972 are: Construction (77), Health care and social assistance (72), Retail trade (70). There are 15 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 34972?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 34972 increased by 11.7% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 257%. 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 34972?
In ZIP code 34972, 50.7% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 14.7% 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 34972?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 34972 is 28.4 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 34972?
In ZIP code 34972, approximately 62.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 37.2% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 34972?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 34972 is 20.5% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

ZIP Code Research Guides

Official Data Resources for Okeechobee, FL

Verify and explore additional data for this area using these official government sources.