Heartland

Heartland… a word that conjures up traditional values. Values like community, hard work, honesty, integrity, natural beauty, and simple living.

We share those values. We’re Florida’s Heartland and we invite you to experience all that Florida has to offer.

We’re more than just beaches and amusement parks. In Florida’s Heartland, we still value a good day’s work, time spent outdoors with family, and a handshake deal.

Come see why Florida’s Heartland is the perfect place to enjoy the best things in life… year ’round.

The Region

The Florida Heartland is a region of Florida located to the north and west of Lake Okeechobee, composed of six inland, non-metropolitan counties — DeSoto, Glades, Hardee, Hendry, Highlands, and Okeechobee. In 2000, The US Census Bureau recorded the population of the region at 229,509. In 2010, the US Census Bureau recorded the population of the region at 253,399, a growth rate of 11.0%.

The region is primarily rural in nature with the main economic driver being agriculture. Important products grown in this area include tomatoes, beef, sugarcane, cucumbers and citrus products, including oranges.

More sparsely populated than neighboring regions that have been pumped up by retirees and tourism, this area has remained more like “Old Florida”. This region has no salt water coastline and has had little impact from tourism compared to coastal areas of the state.

There is simply no better location for business in the Southeast than Florida’s Heartland. The region is in a prime location to serve domestic and international markets. Businesses in the Heartland are strategically positioned to benefit from a unique set of assets such as:

• Seven deep water ports
• Eight international airports, two regional airports, and nine municipal airparks
• Three railroads
• Three major interstates plus the Florida Turnpike
• Numerous major feeder highways
• Countless acres of available land
• Two foreign trade zones
• A workforce of approximately 125,000 within the region and approximately 3 million in contiguous counties

Florida’s Heartland also offers the highest quality of place and natural resources with all the advantages of a small community, and the convenience and support of five nearby metropolitan cities: Tampa/St. Petersburg, Orlando, West Palm Beach/Fort Lauderdale, Miami-Dade, Bradenton/Sarasota.