COUNTY REPORT FL

Highlands County, Florida

Name: Home Safety Data for Highlands County, Florida
Creator: ZipCheckup
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

11 ZIP codes · Avg score 70/100 · Grade B

ZipCheckup grade for Highlands County: B.

This ZIP has a few items worth a quick check.

Highlands County earns an A or B, the top two of ZipCheckup's five grades, based on the average composite Home Safety Score of its scored ZIP codes. That composite can draw on drinking water records, radon zones, PFAS monitoring and air quality data, so a strong grade summarizes several sources and is not a reading from anyone's tap. Scores also vary from one ZIP code to another, and the 11 ZIP reports listed for the county show where each one stands.

How Highlands County Compares

Highlands County70/100

Florida avg80/100

National avg73/100

How Highlands County Compares

County Grade

70/100

Avg Safety Score

ZIP Codes

Water Systems

Highlands County scores 10 points below the Florida state average (80/100) and 3 points below the national average (73/100).

Data: ZipCheckup Home Safety Score model 4.0.0; EPA SDWIS, UCMR 5, EPA radon zones, EPA AirData

County Grade

Avg Safety Score

ZIP Codes

Sebring

Best ZIP: 33876 (81/100)

Sebring

Lowest ZIP: 33875 (67/100)

$178K

Median Home Value

$800

Avg Remediation (0.45% of home value)

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.

A B C D F

Key Risk Factors

Health risk index: 16.6 (asthma 9.5%, diabetes 18.3%)

Modeled additional annual cost estimate per homeowner: $3,394, largest modeled factor: Sea Level

33% of homes built before 1980 (lead paint was banned for residential use in 1978)

County Health Indicators vs National Average

Asthma 9.5% (national: 8.9%)

Diabetes 18.3% (national: 10.5%)

Obesity 36.7% (national: 32.4%)

Black markers indicate national averages. Source: CDC PLACES, Census ACS.

Infrastructure Overview

1988

Median Build Year

33%

Pre-1980 Housing

29/100

Infrastructure Stress Indicator

18%

ZIPs with High Infrastructure Stress

Moderate

Lead Pipe Risk

Modeled area-level indicator, not a failure probability. Sources: Census ACS housing age, EPA DWINSA infrastructure needs, EPA SDWIS violations, and EPA lead indicators.

Compound Risk Breakdown

Estimated additional annual cost per homeowner: $3,394

Sea Level Rise $1,773/yr

Flood $1,100/yr

Wildfire $545/yr

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

Pre-1940 2%

1940–1959 6%

1960–1979 25%

1980–1999 48%

2000+ 20%

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

$178K

Median Home Value

$800

Est. Remediation Cost

0.5%

of Home Value

Remediation as % of home value low burden

Modeled remediation costs in Highlands County can be compared with the median property value; actual costs vary by property.

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

Asthma 9.5% (US avg: 8.9%)

Diabetes 18.3% (US avg: 11%)

Obesity 36.7% (US avg: 32.4%)

Black markers = national averages. Red = above national avg. Green = below. Source: CDC PLACES, Census ACS.

Water systems mapped to Highlands County ZIP codes

8 community water systems mapped to Highlands County ZIP codes; EPA may list more systems serving the county.

City of Avon Park,
Serves ~19,361 people 11 violations

C
Sun N Lakes of Sebring Water
Serves ~7,710 people 10 violations

C
Spring Lake Improvement Distirct
Serves ~4,098 people 4 violations

B
City of Frostproof,
Serves ~3,425 people 15 violations

B
Placid Lakes Utilities, Inc.
Serves ~3,307 people 9 violations

B
Southeast
Serves ~2,828 people 23 violations

C

Show all 8 water systems

Lake Placid, Town of
Serves ~2,675 people 11 violations

B
Buttonwood Bay Mhp
Serves ~2,000 people 5 violations

C

17 water systems mapped to Highlands County ZIP codes in our data; EPA may list more systems serving the county.

Systems with the most violations in Highlands County

5 water systems with violations in EPA records.

Southeast
Serves ~2,828 people 23 violations

C
New Harmony M H P
Serves ~26 people 22 violations

C
City of Frostproof,
Serves ~3,425 people 15 violations

B
City of Avon Park,
Serves ~19,361 people 11 violations

C
Lake Placid, Town of
Serves ~2,675 people 11 violations

B

All ZIP Codes in Highlands County

11 ZIP codes tracked in Highlands County.

#	ZIP Code	City	Safety Score	Grade	Violations	Home Value
1	33876	Sebring	81	B	4	$162K
2	33825	Avon Park	70	B	39 (6 health)	$152K
3	33852	Lake Placid	70	B	30 (5 health)	$206K
4	33870	Sebring	67	C	102	$154K
5	33872	Sebring	67	C	70	$194K
6	33875	Sebring	67	C	58 (4 health)	$217K
7	33826	Avon Park	—	—		—
8	33857	Lorida	—	—	15	$132K
9	33862	Lake Placid	—	—		—
10	33871	Sebring	—	—		—
11	33960	Venus	—	—		$206K

Recommended Buyer Guides for Highlands County

Read the note next to each link: it gives the reason, such as a radon zone designation or housing age, that led to the recommendation.

Best Under-Sink Reverse Osmosis Systems — Multi-contaminant removal at the kitchen tap

Deep Dive Reports

Detailed analysis for Highlands County, Florida

💧

Water Quality

EPA violations, contaminant trends, and enforcement actions across the county

🏠

Home Affordability

Remediation costs vs. home values, equity trap analysis by ZIP

$800 avg remediation

🌊

Flood Risk

NFIP claim history and recorded rated-zone context across the county, plus FEMA property-map guidance

Overview

Highlands County in Florida covers 11 tracked ZIP records with an average Home Safety Score of B (70/100) across 6 scored records.

7 of 7 ZIP codes with a reported violation count in the available EPA record have recorded EPA violations. 11 health-based violations appear in the available health breakdown.

← Back to Florida Home Safety Profile

Data Sources

Water quality: EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS)
PFAS screening: EPA UCMR 5
Radon zones: EPA Map of Radon Zones
Air quality: EPA AirData annual AQI
Home values: U.S. Census Bureau ACS (median estimates by ZCTA)

Reporting periods vary by source. Missing data is shown as unavailable, not as zero.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is water safe in Highlands County?

Highlands County receives an average Home Safety grade of B from its scored ZIP records (11 ZIP codes tracked); this is a composite index, not a tap-water test.

How many water systems serve Highlands County?

We map 17 public water systems to 11 ZIP codes in our data for Highlands County. EPA may list more systems serving the county, so this is not a full count.

What is the biggest environmental risk in Highlands County?

In ZipCheckup's cost model, the factor with the largest estimated average annual cost in Highlands County is sea level. Across all modeled risk factors, the estimated average additional annual cost is $3,394 per homeowner; actual costs vary by home.

How old are homes in Highlands County?

The median home build year in Highlands County is 1988. 33% of homes were built before 1980; homes built before 1978 may contain lead-based paint, and older homes may have older plumbing materials.

How does Highlands County compare to Florida?

Highlands County has an average Home Safety Score of 70/100 under model 4.0.0, which is below the Florida state average of 80/100.

Explore More

Lead Risk Rankings 2026 Water Safety Rankings 2026 Home Safety Rankings 2026 Water Filter Matcher Find the right filter for your water Home Safety Score Full safety breakdown by ZIP

Florida State Overview →