Highlands County, Florida
11 ZIP codes · Avg score 78/100 · Grade B · Updated 2026-06-03
Homeowners across Highlands County's 11 ZIP codes live with water safety scores that generally beat state and national averages.
How Highlands County Compares
How Highlands County Compares
Highlands County scores 5 points above the Florida state average (73/100) and 10 points above the national average (68/100).
Data: EPA SDWIS Last verified: 2026-06-03
ZIP Code Risk Map
Water Quality Map: Highlands County, Florida
Each dot represents a ZIP code. Color indicates water quality grade. Tap a dot for details.
Key Risk Factors
Health risk index: 16.6 (asthma 9.5%, diabetes 18.3%)
Estimated additional annual cost per homeowner: $4,607, driven primarily by sea_level
Infrastructure: 0.285% avg pipe failure probability, 9% of ZIPs at high risk
45.8% of homes built before 1978 (lead paint era)
Violation History (2021–2025)
↑ Worsening trendEPA violation counts by year across Highlands County water systems. Health-based shown in red, total in blue.
Peak year: 2024 with 12 violations. Past 5 years: 26 total (26 health-based). Health-based violations are rising versus the prior 2-year window — worth closer monitoring.
Source: EPA SDWIS historical violations. Data may lag 6–12 months for the most recent year.
County Health Indicators vs National Average
Black markers indicate national averages. Source: CDC PLACES, Census ACS.
Infrastructure Overview
Sources: Census ACS (housing age), EPA SDWIS (infrastructure risk model), state bridge inspection data.
Compound Risk Breakdown
Estimated additional annual cost per homeowner: $4,607
Bar widths proportional to share of total annual risk cost. Source: compound risk model (FEMA, EPA, USGS).
Housing Age Distribution
57,240 housing units in Highlands County
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS B25034 (Year Structure Built).
Water Safety Affordability
How much it costs to fix water issues relative to home values in Highlands County
Remediation costs are relatively manageable for most homeowners in Highlands County, representing a small fraction of property value.
Remediation includes water filtration, lead abatement, radon mitigation, and flood protection where applicable. Source: Census ACS, EPA SDWIS.
Health Outcomes vs National Average
CDC PLACES data for Highlands County residents
Black markers = national averages. Red = above national avg. Green = below. Source: CDC PLACES, Census ACS.
Water Systems with Most Violations
Top 5 systems in Highlands County ranked by EPA violation count.
| # | Water System | Population | Violations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Spring Lake Improvement Distirct | 4,030 | 110 |
| 2 | Lake Josephine Heights | 1,325 | 108 |
| 3 | Sun N Lakes of Sebring Water | 7,710 | 103 |
| 4 | Buttonwood Bay Mhp | 2,000 | 90 |
| 5 | Sebring Water ; Sewer System | 44,900 | 90 |
22 total water systems serve Highlands County.
All ZIP Codes in Highlands County
11 ZIP codes tracked in Highlands County.
| # | ZIP Code | City | Safety Score | Grade | Violations | Home Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 33862 | Lake Placid | 98 | A | 18 (1 health) | — |
| 2 | 33852 | Lake Placid | 89 | A | 18 (1 health) | $206K |
| 3 | 33871 | Sebring | 84 | B | 18 | — |
| 4 | 33870 | Sebring | 76 | B | 18 | $154K |
| 5 | 33872 | Sebring | 76 | B | 18 | $194K |
| 6 | 33875 | Sebring | 76 | B | 18 | $217K |
| 7 | 33876 | Sebring | 76 | B | 18 | $162K |
| 8 | 33960 | Venus | 73 | B | 0 | $206K |
| 9 | 33826 | Avon Park | 72 | B | 13 | — |
| 10 | 33857 | Lorida | 72 | B | 20 (9 health) | $132K |
| 11 | 33825 | Avon Park | 67 | C | 13 | $152K |
Recommended Buyer Guides for Highlands County
Designed to find the guide that fits the county, not the other way around — the system reads EPA detections, FEMA hazard layers, and CDC lead-exposure markers, then outputs the categories that resolve those specific risks for households here, with NSF-certified products surfaced when the matching contaminant appears in the local monitoring data.
- Best Under-Sink Reverse Osmosis Systems — Multi-contaminant removal at the kitchen tap
Deep Dive Reports
Detailed analysis for Highlands County, Florida
Overview
Highlands County in Florida covers 11 ZIP codes with an average Home Safety Score of B (78/100).
10 of 11 ZIP codes have recorded EPA violations. 11 health-based violations have been documented.
← Back to Florida water quality report
Data Sources
- Water quality: EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS)
- Home values: U.S. Census Bureau ACS (median estimates by ZCTA)
Updated daily.