DeSoto County, Florida
Located in Florida, DeSoto County has a population of 35,386 residents and a median age of 43.5 years, making it the #1,332 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 24.1%. The median home value is $174,100, and the median household income is $54,417, which is 28% below the national median.
Demographics
DeSoto County has a population of 35,386, making it the #1,332 most populous county in the US. The median age is 43.5 years, which is 11.8% above the national median.
Population Trend
Rankings →Year-over-Year Population Growth
Age & Sex Distribution
Race & Ethnicity
Nativity
Geographic Mobility (Past Year)
Economy
The median household income in DeSoto County is $54,417, ranking #2,507 out of 3,222 counties — 27.6% below the national median. The poverty rate is 24.1% and unemployment stands at 9.5%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in DeSoto County is $174,100 (-38.2% vs national). Renters pay a median of $932/mo and the homeownership rate is 72.5%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In DeSoto County, 10.8% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 67.9% below the national average, ranking #3,157 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in DeSoto County is 76.6 years. 26.9% of adults report poor or fair health and 22.6% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
20.4% of adults in DeSoto County smoke , 44.2% are obese , and 18.0% report excessive drinking. The drug overdose death rate is 20.3 per 100,000.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
The homicide rate in DeSoto County is 8.2 per 100,000 and the suicide rate is 17.0 per 100,000. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 32.0 per 100,000.
Homicide Rate Trend
Families & Children
26.2% of children in DeSoto County live in poverty and the infant mortality rate is 7.4 per 1,000 live births. The teen birth rate is 35.1 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Teen Birth Rate Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in DeSoto County is 47.9%. The mean commute time is 34.2 min, which is 23.9% above the national average.
Voter Turnout Trend
Mean Commute Time Trend
Rankings →Elections
In the 2024 presidential election, DeSoto County voted Republican with a margin of 43.0%. The vote was 28.2% Dem / 71.2% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted 10.9 toward Republicans .
Vote Share Over Time
About DeSoto County, Florida
DeSoto County, Florida has a total population of 35,386, making it the 1,332nd most populous county in the United States. The median age in DeSoto County is 43.5 years, which is 11.8% above the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in DeSoto County is $54,417, which ranks #2,507 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 27.6% below the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 24.1%, higher than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 9.5%.
The median home value in DeSoto County is $174,100, 38.2% below the national median. Renters in DeSoto County pay a median gross rent of $932 per month. The homeownership rate is 72.5%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In DeSoto County, 10.8% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 67.9% below the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 80.1% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 34.2 min.
DeSoto County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 54.9% of the population, followed by Hispanic or Latino (30.1%) and Black (non-Hispanic) (12.3%).
All data for DeSoto County, Florida comes from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates. These figures are estimates based on survey sampling and are subject to margin of error. For the most detailed and up-to-date data, visit the Census Bureau's official data portal.