City · DeSoto County, Florida

Arcadia, Florida

Arcadia is a city in DeSoto County, Florida, part of the Arcadia, FL metro area. It has 7,707 residents. Arcadia, Florida has a quality-of-life score of 1 out of 100 (very low), ranking #15,536 of 15,651 US cities and towns. Within Florida it ranks #776 of 780 cities and towns. It ranks best on effective property tax rate (low), child care cost burden (low) and comfortable days (high). It ranks worst on job growth (low), hot days (high) and arts, entertainment and recreation (low).

1Very low

Quality-of-life score: #15,536 of 15,651 cities and towns
Florida: #776 of 780 in FL
Population: 7,707 (2020-2024)
Land area: 4 mi²
Density: 1,731.8 /mi²
FIPS code: 1201750

Percentile-based score (100 is the best in the country) from 72 of 80 indicators, with the default “Explorer” weights.

Open in the map

Scores by category

Each category averages its indicators' percentile scores among US cities and towns.

Safety23#12,005/15,637
Economy5#14,851/15,631
Housing11#13,397/14,977
Health18#12,872/15,609
Healthcare12#13,828/15,650
Environment39#9,484/15,453
Education3#15,200/15,649
Infrastructure1#15,533/15,650
Community10#14,040/15,651
Leisure & amenities1#15,456/15,651

Strengths · Weaknesses

Indicators where Arcadia, Florida ranks highest and lowest among US cities and towns (score = percentile, 100 = best). Values marked “DeSoto County value” are the county’s: the source publishes no figure for this city or town, and the county holding most of its residents stands in.

Strengths

Effective property tax rate · low0.53%
85/100Florida 0.78%United States 0.94%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B25090
Child care cost burden · low23.1%
84/100Florida 25.9%United States 27.9%2023 & 2024University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteDeSoto County value
Comfortable days · high30.6%
81/100Florida 32.4%United States 26.8%2016-2025NOAA National Centers for Environmental InformationDeSoto County value
Depression · low20.6%
81/100Florida 18.0%United States 20.7%2023Centers for Disease Control and PreventionModel-based estimate
Time spent in the emergency room · low136 min
77/100Florida 158 minUnited States 170 minOct 2024–Sep 2025Centers for Medicare & Medicaid ServicesDeSoto County value
High ozone days · low0 days
76/100Florida 0 daysUnited States 7 days2022Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · U.S. Environmental Protection AgencyDeSoto County value

Weaknesses

Job growth · low-7.2%
1/100Florida 0.0%United States 0.1%2026 Q1U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsProvisional dataDeSoto County value
Hot days · high132 days
2/100Florida 102 daysUnited States 42 days2016-2025NOAA National Centers for Environmental InformationDeSoto County value
Arts, entertainment and recreation · low0.8 /10k
2/100Florida 5.9 /10kUnited States 5.5 /10k2025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsDeSoto County value
Poverty rate · high31.8%
2/100Florida 12.1%United States 12.1%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B17001
Physical inactivity · high40.5%
2/100Florida 25.5%United States 26.5%2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteModel-based estimate
Voter turnout · low48.4%
3/100Florida 68.0%United States 65.2%2024U.S. Election Assistance CommissionDeSoto County value

Trends

The largest changes over about five years, next to the country's over the same periods.

Broadband subscriptionsImproving
49.5% (2015-2019) → 76.0% (2020-2024)
+27 pts5 yearsCensus table B28002US 82.7% → 91.0%
Rent-burdened householdsImproving
67.1% (2015-2019) → 50.0% (2020-2024)
−17 pts5 yearsCensus table B25070US 49.6% → 51.1%
Uninsured residents (under 65)Worsening
15.8% (2015-2019) → 24.1% (2020-2024)
+8.3 pts5 yearsCensus table B27010US 10.8% → 9.8%
Public transit commutersWorsening
6.9% (2015-2019) → 0.0% (2020-2024)
−6.9 pts5 yearsCensus table B08301US 5.0% → 3.2%
Median household incomeImproving
$29,964 (2015-2019) → $39,677 (2020-2024)
+32%5 yearsCensus table B19013US $65,712 → $81,604
Rent as share of incomeImproving
35.6% (2015-2019) → 30.0% (2020-2024)
−5.6 pts5 yearsCensus table B25071US 29.8% → 30.6%

What changed in five years

How each measure moved between two periods about five years apart, read against whether more or less is better, the published margin of error and the same change in other places.

Over about five years, Arcadia, Florida improved on 2 of 14 measures with a comparison and declined on 1. 11 moved within the margin of error and 0 barely changed.

Earlier (2015-2019)
Latest (2020-2024)
Lower standingHigher standing

Position is the place's standing among cities and towns: further right is better, whichever way the measure counts.

Improved2

Broadband+27 points49.5% → 76.0%
Household income+32%$29,964 → $39,677

Declined1

Uninsured+8.3 points15.8% → 24.1%

All 14 measures

Change of every measure of Arcadia, Florida between two periods about five years apart
Measure	Before	After	Change	Reading	Favourable vs peers
Average commute time	21.2 min2015-2019	26.9 min2020-2024	+5.7 min	Within the margin of error	8%
Bachelor's degree or higher	11.0%2015-2019	11.3%2020-2024	+0.3 points	Within the margin of error	30%
Broadband subscriptions	49.5%2015-2019	76.0%2020-2024	+27 points	Improved	96%
Child poverty rate	47.1%2015-2019	49.9%2020-2024	+2.9 points	Within the margin of error	27%
Effective property tax rate	0.67%2015-2019	0.53%2020-2024	−0.1 points	Within the margin of error	45%
High school diploma or higher	76.4%2015-2019	73.2%2020-2024	−3.3 points	Within the margin of error	10%
Home price to income ratio	3.5×2015-2019	4.5×2020-2024	+0.9×	Within the margin of error	24%
Income inequality (Gini index)	0.4802015-2019	0.4512020-2024	−0.029	Within the margin of error	73%
Median household income	$29,9642015-2019	$39,6772020-2024	+32%	Improved	60%
Poverty rate	34.8%2015-2019	31.8%2020-2024	−3 points	Within the margin of error	70%
Rent as share of income	35.6%2015-2019	30.0%2020-2024	−5.6 points	Within the margin of error	85%
Rent-burdened households	67.1%2015-2019	50.0%2020-2024	−17 points	Within the margin of error	91%
Unemployment rate	6.2%2015-2019	5.7%2020-2024	−0.5 points	Within the margin of error	60%
Uninsured residents (under 65)	15.8%2015-2019	24.1%2020-2024	+8.3 points	Declined	4%

“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 14640 cities and towns that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.

Sources: American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. Values are the latest and the one five years earlier of the same publisher dataset; datasets that changed publisher in between are never compared.

Survey estimates (American Community Survey) compare the two most recent 5-year windows that do not share years, so the margin of error of the difference holds. The 2015-2019 window predates the pandemic and 2020-2024 includes it.
A change counts only when it is larger than 1.645 times the square root of the two standard errors squared, summed (a 90% margin). Measures published without a margin must change by at least 5% to count.
“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 15651 cities and towns that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.
Standing is a percentile among the same places: 0 is the lowest value on the measure (or the worst when lower is better), 100 the best.

Cities and towns like Arcadia, Florida five years ago that improved

The places whose measures looked most like those of Arcadia, Florida in the earlier period, ranked by how many measures improved beyond the margin of error, minus how many declined. A comparison of published data, not a forecast and not advice.

For comparison, Arcadia, Florida itself moved +4.9 points in standing on average over the same 10 measures (standings of all places average about zero).

How the ranking works

Similarity is the root-mean-square difference of standings in the earlier period over the measures most places have. Places are ranked by measures that improved beyond the margin of error minus those that declined (a count that estimation noise in small places cannot inflate), then by the mean change of standing over the measures a place has in both periods. Only places with more improvements than declines and a rise in standing are listed. Standings are relative, so a place can improve in absolute terms and still lose standing.

Who lives here

Age, race and education of residents, from the American Community Survey. Shares are of all residents (age), residents of every origin (race) or adults 25 and over (education).

Age and sex

7,707 residents (±16)

Men
Women

80 and over†
70–79†
60–69†
50–59†
40–49†
30–39†
20–29†
10–19
Under 10†

Share of all residents, each sex

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: Under 10 men (−3.4 points).

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B01001View table on data.census.gov

Race and Hispanic origin

7,707 residents (±16)

Arcadia, Florida
Florida share

White36%2,766
Black22%1,665
Hispanic or Latino41%3,168
Asian0.0%0
American Indian and Alaska Native0.0%0
Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander0.0%0
Other or two or more races1.4%†108

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: Hispanic or Latino (+13.7 points).

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B03002View table on data.census.gov

Education

5,081 residents (±306)

Arcadia, Florida
Florida share

No high school diploma27%1,364
High school or GED36%1,829
Some college17%†854
Associate degree9.1%†460
Bachelor's degree6.8%†343
Graduate degree4.5%†231

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: High school or GED (−13.0 points).

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B15003View table on data.census.gov

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Income

How household income is spread, not just the middle: each bar is the share of households in that income range.

Household income

3,189 households (±346)

Arcadia, Florida
Florida share

Under $25k34%1,098
$25k–50k34%1,074
$50k–75k8.2%†260
$75k–100k11%†336
$100k–150k11%†338
$150k–200k2.6%†83
$200k or more0.0%0

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: $150k–200k (+2.6 points).

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B19001View table on data.census.gov

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Homes

Who owns and who rents, what homes cost, and what the housing stock looks like.

Owners and renters

3,189 households (±346)

Arcadia, Florida
Florida share

Own49%1,573
Rent51%1,616

No change since 2015–2019 is larger than the margin of error.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B25003View table on data.census.gov

Rent paid

1,509 households (±246)

Arcadia, Florida
Florida share

Under $75016%†244
$750–1,00041%†625
$1,000–1,50034%†517

Home values

1,573 homes (±305)

Arcadia, Florida
Florida share

Under $150k36%†569
$150k–250k31%†488
$250k–400k17%†260

Age of homes

3,595 homes (±340)

Arcadia, Florida
Florida share

2010 or later4.8%†173
2000–200914%†497
1980–199919%†675

Size of homes

3,595 homes (±340)

Arcadia, Florida
Florida share

Studio5.4%†195
1 bedroom11%†398
2 bedrooms40%1,422

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Getting to work

How workers travel to their job and how long it takes them.

How people get to work

3,209 workers (±408)

Arcadia, Florida
Florida share

Drive alone61%1,955
Carpool33%†1,058
Public transit0.0%0
Walk0.3%†11
Bike2.6%†82
Work from home3.2%†103
Other0.0%0

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: Carpool (+18.1 points).

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B08301View table on data.census.gov

Time to get to work

3,106 workers (±416)

Arcadia, Florida
Florida share

Under 15 min45%1,396
15–29 min11%†339
30–44 min12%†381

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Jobs and pay

What the largest occupations here pay, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes pay by metro area, not by county or city. The metro area page lists its largest occupations and lets you look up any job.

Pay in the Arcadia, FL

Local businesses

Employer businesses and sole proprietors by industry, per resident and against the state and the nation. Counts of businesses next to counts of people, not a measure of demand.

The Census Bureau publishes business counts by county, not by city, so these are the figures of DeSoto County, the county holding most of Arcadia's residents.

DeSoto County has 566 employer establishments, 156 for every 10,000 residents (0.63× the US rate of 248; 0.55× Florida's), with 6,281 paid employees at an average annual pay of $44,898. The Census Bureau also counts 2,427 nonemployer businesses, mostly sole proprietors.

Establishments: 566; 2,427 nonemployers
Per 10,000 residents: 156; US 248 · Florida 282
Paid employees: 6,281
Average annual pay: $44,898; US $68,342

Employer establishments, employees, average pay and nonemployers of DeSoto County by industry, with the density per resident against the nation

Specialty trade contractors	67	18.5	1.19×About typical	302	$35,228	244
Services to buildings and dwellings	38	10.5	1.55×More than typical	248	$41,343	345
Religious organizations	31	8.5	1.54×More than typical	131	$26,458	—
Landscaping services	30	8.3	2.36×More than typical	231	$42,234	162
Restaurants and other eating places	28	7.7	0.42×Fewer than typical	381	$20,787	10
Truck transportation	28	7.7	1.53×More than typical	330	$45,036	88
Construction of buildings	23	6.3	0.84×About typical	67	$37,776	137
Other specialty trade contractors	23	6.3	2.53×More than typical	118	$32,898	103
Ambulatory health care services	20	5.5	0.26×Fewer than typical	201	$63,831	95
Lessors of real estate	20	5.5	0.45×Fewer than typical	48	$34,542	192
Foundation, structure and building exterior contractors	18	5	1.57×More than typical	108	$30,426	30
Grocery and convenience stores	18	5	1.67×More than typical	279	$29,082	7

Rank places for an industry Open DeSoto County

County Business Patterns (2023); Nonemployer Statistics (2024)

Per-resident figures divide by the population estimate of 2023: 36,269 residents here, 336,755,052 in the United States. County Business Patterns counts establishments in 2023; the Nonemployer Statistics count businesses in 2024.
“More than typical” is a density at least 1.25 times the nation's per resident, “fewer” at most 0.8 times, with at least 10 establishments. It compares counts of businesses with counts of people: it says nothing about demand, incomes, size, quality or profit, and visitors and commuters are not residents.
The Census Bureau adds noise to employment and payroll to protect confidentiality, and withholds some figures: an industry with few establishments can show employees or pay as unavailable.
Industries overlap: a narrower industry (full-service restaurants) is part of a broader one (restaurants), so the rows do not add up.
Industries follow the North American Industry Classification System; the two surveys use different editions (NAICS 2017 and 2022), which this page matches industry by industry.

Federal contracts performed here

No federal contract obligations recorded here in FY2026.

Grants and other federal assistance are counted by county here, not split among cities: Arcadia is mostly in DeSoto County.

See federal money in DeSoto County

Representation in Congress

Members serving today, with their record in the current Congress (party-unity votes cast with their caucus, roll calls missed). Not a grade.

Arcadia, Florida is represented in the 119th Congress by these members.

House

Scott FranklinR-FL-18 · 100% of residentsWith party 100%Missed 0.7%

Senate

Explore Congress The 2026 races

County

A city can lie in several counties. Some indicators are published for counties only: the page marks them.

DeSoto County4100% of residents

Metro area

The metro or micro area the city belongs to.

Arcadia, FL8

Other cities and towns in DeSoto County

Largest first.

Southeast Arcadia27,555

Similar cities and towns

Closest indicator profiles across the country (no model: score distances).

Data and sources

Latest published value of each indicator; periods differ by source. Values flagged by their publisher are marked.

PLACES: Local Data for Better HealthCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2025
Local Area Unemployment StatisticsU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2025
American Community Survey 5-Year EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2017-2024
Population Estimates ProgramU.S. Census Bureau · release 2025
Small Area Health Insurance EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
Small Area Income and Poverty EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
County Health Rankings & RoadmapsUniversity of Wisconsin Population Health Institute · release 2022-2025+2026-03-supplement

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