1st Advantage MortgageAbout 83% of Hernando County homes are owner-occupied, and the median household income is $66,058. Those figures describe the county, not you: compare at least three written offers by APR and total cost, and confirm the lender's license before you apply.
On this page
- Who lives in Hernando County
- Hernando County housing compared with Florida
- Paychecks and income spread in Hernando County
- How Hernando County residents earn a living
- The counties around Hernando County
- The communities that make up Hernando County
- What a median Hernando County budget can carry
- What the numbers mean for Hernando County borrowers
- Hernando County households compared
- Checklist for Hernando County applicants
- Licensing and complaints for Hernando County
- Nearby and statewide guides
- Frequently asked questions
Who lives in Hernando County
Roughly 207,018 residents live in Hernando County, Florida, 27th by population among the state's 67 counties and county equivalents. Land area is 473 square miles (2024 Gazetteer), so density runs near 438 per square mile. It is one of the counties that make up the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL metropolitan statistical area (OMB, 2023). The Census Bureau counts 22 places in the county (1 incorporated, 21 census-designated); the largest is Spring Hill, with about 119,983 residents, or 58% of the county.
Hernando County housing compared with Florida
A typical Hernando County rental runs $1,298 a month including utilities, which is 22% below Florida. By the Census definition, 56% of Hernando County renters are cost-burdened. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $276,000, about 4.2 times the median household income. Owners occupy 83% of homes.
| Home costs | Hernando County | Florida | U.S. middle county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $1,298/mo | $1,669/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $276,000 | $359,000 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 83% | 68% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 56% | 60% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 30% | 35% | n/a |
| Mobile homes | 14.4% | 8.0% | n/a |
| Vacant units | 11% | 15% | n/a |
In an owner-heavy county like Hernando County, many borrowers can also choose a home equity loan or line of credit. Those can price lower but put the house on the line, so compare the two in writing; our personal loan vs. HELOC guide walks through it. When half or more of renters are already stretched, a new payment needs a stress test: what happens if a paycheck is a week late?
Paychecks and income spread in Hernando County
Hernando County households have a median income of $66,058 (ACS 2020 to 2024), which ranks 36th of 67 in Florida.
| Band | Hernando County | Compared with Florida |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 22.9% | +0.6 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 47.9% | +6.9 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 23.5% | -2.1 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 5.6% | -5.4 pts |
About 23% of households earn under $35,000, while 29% clear $100,000. Census counts 11.7% of Hernando County residents in poverty, against 12.6% across Florida. The Gini index of income inequality is 0.426 (0 is perfect equality). For a borrower in Hernando County, the county median is only context: a lender looks at the income you can document, so pay stubs, benefit letters or tax returns matter more than any average.
How Hernando County residents earn a living
The biggest employer of Hernando County residents, by industry, is education and health care at 24% of workers, followed by retail trade (14%). Education and health care stands out: 24% of workers here, versus 21% statewide. ACS puts five-year average unemployment at 5.3% in Hernando County. Long commutes are common here: 28% of workers spend 45 minutes or longer getting to work.
| Top industries | Hernando County share | +/- vs Florida |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 23.9% | +2.9 pts |
| Retail trade | 14.1% | +2.1 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 12.2% | -2.0 pts |
| Construction | 9.4% | +1.2 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 9.1% | -1.8 pts |
| Finance, insurance and real estate | 6.9% | -1.2 pts |
Where long drives are the norm, a car repair is one of the most common surprise bills. A small repair fund can keep a breakdown from turning into a loan.
The counties around Hernando County
Six nearby counties, 17 to 51 miles away by the straight-line distance between their centers. 5 of the six report a higher median household income than Hernando County; Hillsborough County is highest at $79,540 and Citrus County lowest at $56,546.
| County | Distance | Median income | Median rent | Owners |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hernando County | - | $66,058 | $1,298/mo | 83% |
| Pasco County, FL | 17 mi | $70,492 | $1,505/mo | 76% |
| Citrus County, FL | 21 mi | $56,546 | $1,107/mo | 85% |
| Sumter County, FL | 30 mi | $76,508 | $1,269/mo | 88% |
| Hillsborough County, FL | 47 mi | $79,540 | $1,667/mo | 61% |
| Pinellas County, FL | 48 mi | $72,646 | $1,642/mo | 70% |
| Lake County, FL | 51 mi | $73,161 | $1,586/mo | 78% |
The communities that make up Hernando County
22 Census places fall mainly inside Hernando County; the 14 biggest are below. They account for 176,218 residents, leaving about 15% of the county in unincorporated, unnamed areas. Hernando Beach has the highest median household income on the list ($101,875) and High Point the lowest ($49,368), counting places with at least 500 residents. Median rent ranges from $1,055 in Ridge Manor to $1,746 in North Weeki Wachee. No Hernando County place has a separate guide yet; this county page serves all 22.
| Community | Type | Residents | Household income (median) | Rent (median) | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring Hill | CDP | 119,983 | $68,432 | $1,440 | 5 mi |
| Brooksville | city | 9,457 | $54,926 | $1,137 | 8 mi |
| North Weeki Wachee | CDP | 8,979 | $64,891 | $1,746 | 2 mi |
| South Brooksville | CDP | 5,099 | $61,196 | $1,260 | 6 mi |
| Timber Pines | CDP | 5,007 | $59,185 | $1,460 | 8 mi |
| Brookridge | CDP | 4,923 | $53,989 | $1,133 | 2 mi |
| North Brooksville | CDP | 4,227 | $78,458 | $1,150 | 12 mi |
| Ridge Manor | CDP | 3,935 | $57,857 | $1,055 | 21 mi |
| High Point | CDP | 3,548 | $49,368 | $1,091 | 1 mi |
| Hill 'n Dale | CDP | 3,083 | $57,500 | $1,373 | 15 mi |
| Hernando Beach | CDP | 2,675 | $101,875 | $1,449 | 11 mi |
| Masaryktown | CDP | 1,262 | $60,938 | n/a | 9 mi |
| Weeki Wachee Gardens | CDP | 1,068 | $56,765 | n/a | 6 mi |
| Garden Grove | CDP | 637 | $71,033 | $1,116 | 8 mi |
CDPs are unincorporated communities the Census Bureau defines for counting.
What a median Hernando County budget can carry
Lenders compare monthly debt payments with gross monthly income, the debt-to-income ratio. For a Hernando County household at the medians it works out like this; treat it as an illustration only.
- Median income divided by twelve: $5,505 before taxes
- Rent at the median, $1,298, takes 24% of that
- 43% debt-to-income limit: $1,069 left for all other debt payments
Car, student loan and card payments come out of that room first. Try your own numbers in the calculator.
What the numbers mean for Hernando County borrowers
What the Hernando County figures suggest, and what to check first:
- Uninsured care. 11% lack coverage here; nonprofit hospitals must publish an assistance policy, so ask for it first (guide).
- Long drives. With 28% of commutes over 45 minutes, tires and repairs are fixed costs in many Hernando County budgets.
- Manufactured homes. 14% of Hernando County housing units are mobile homes, and their repairs are often paid with unsecured loans. Get the quote in writing.
- Benefit income. With half of residents older than 48, lenders often see pension and Social Security income, which counts like wages.
Hernando County households compared
21% of Hernando County adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or more. The uninsured rate is 11.2%, against 11.5% for Florida.
| Hernando County | Florida | U.S. county median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 47.7 | 42.6 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 21.1% | 34.1% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 9.6% | 10.1% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 11.2% | 11.5% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 4.5% | 6.0% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 14.4% | 15.7% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 11.7% | 12.6% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 5.3% | 4.8% | 4.4% |
| One-way commute | Share of Hernando County workers |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 22.7% |
| 15 to 29 min | 32.1% |
| 30 to 44 min | 17.5% |
| 45 to 59 min | 12.0% |
| 60+ min | 15.7% |
Checklist for Hernando County applicants
A short checklist for Hernando County borrowers:
- Size the loan to the bill, not to the most a lender offers.
- Shop at least three lenders, including one Hernando County-area credit union.
- Verify the Florida license before giving out your Social Security number.
- Confirm the first due date before setting up autopay.
Licensing and complaints for Hernando County
Consumer lenders serving Hernando County are licensed by the state, not the county; in Florida that is the Florida Office of Financial Regulation. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau accepts complaints nationwide. Statewide data and rules: Florida guide.
Nearby and statewide guides
The Florida guide covers the whole state.
Frequently asked questions
What does a typical Hernando County household make?
About $66,058 a year at the median (ACS 2020-24), 11% below the Florida median.
What do renters pay in Hernando County?
$1,298 a month at the median, about 24% of median household income.
Should Hernando County homeowners use home equity instead?
Maybe, but weigh the risk: 83% of Hernando County homes are owner-occupied, and a home-equity loan or line is secured by the house while a personal loan usually is not.
I live in a small Hernando County town. Is this my guide?
Yes. If your town has no city guide, this county page is the local one; it covers Spring Hill, Brooksville, North Weeki Wachee, South Brooksville, Timber Pines and 17 more.
Does living in Hernando County change what I qualify for?
Not in our fit check, which uses only the amount, credit range, income and payments you enter, the same for a Hernando County resident as anyone. Lenders decide under fair-lending law.