Hardee County, Florida: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Wauchula, Bowling Green and Zolfo Springs
Hardee County is a power-producing county: the plants here serve load well beyond its borders. Hardee County is home to Wauchula, Bowling Green and Zolfo Springs. Its power plants have 2,201 MW of capacity, 93% of it natural gas. Next door, Hillsborough County has 17 data centers. Construction employs 322, down 11.5% since 2019. 150 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar.
Cities and towns in Hardee County
Hardee County is home to Wauchula, Bowling Green and Zolfo Springs.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Fort Green, Fort Green Springs, Gardner, Lemon Grove, Limestone, Ona.
Residents are 2025 Census estimates for the part of each city, town or township inside this county. Census publishes no annual estimate for unincorporated communities.
What changed in Hardee County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Florida |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 25,335 | 25,932 | ▲ 2.4% | 53rd of 67 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 6,772 | 7,202 | ▲ 6.3% | 46th of 67 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $35,948 | $48,434 | ▲ 34.7% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 364 | 322 | ▼ 11.5% | 57th of 59 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.5% | 5.5% | ▲ 1.0pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 150 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Unemployment was 5.5% in August 2026, against 4.5% in 2019. Employers here counted 7,202 jobs in 2025, up 6.3% from 2019. Florida Power & Light Co is the largest utility serving Hardee County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 13.71¢/kWh in 2024. 25,932 people live here, up 2.4% since 2020.
Who powers Hardee County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +150 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Hardee County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Florida Power & Light Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 5,236,277 | 13.71¢ | 41% |
| Peace River Electric Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 57,589 | 12.35¢ | 31% |
| City of Wauchula - (FL) | — | — | — | — | — |
Customer counts, prices and sales shares cover each utility's whole system in the state, not only this county. Commercial sales include data centers.
Operating power plants 5
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Natural gas | 2,051 MW | 93% |
| Solar | 150 MW | 7% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Midulla Generating Station | Seminole Electric Cooperative Inc | Natural gas | 853 MW | 2002 |
| Vandolah Power Station | Vandolah Power Co LLC | Natural gas | 728 MW | 2002 |
| Hardee Power Station | Invenergy Services LLC | Natural gas | 470 MW | 1993 |
| Charlie Creek Solar Power Plant | Duke Energy Florida, LLC | Solar | 75 MW | 2022 |
| Fort Green Solar Power Plant | Duke Energy Florida, LLC | Solar | 75 MW | 2022 |
The Hardee County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 7,202 | $48,434 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 322 | $49,991 | 0.84 |
| Electric utilities | 323 | $107,594 | 16.57 |
Concentration is the BLS location quotient: 1.0 means the industry holds the same share of local jobs as it does nationally. Industry rows count private employers; cells BLS suppresses are left out.
Data centers and local rules in Hardee County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Hardee County. Florida has 45 local measures on record statewide, and 3 neighboring counties have one: DeSoto County, Hillsborough County, Manatee County.
Hardee County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Hardee County, Hillsborough County carries the most build-out activity: data centers, planned generation and operating plants combined.
| County | Population | Jobs since 2019 | Operating MW | Planned MW | Data centers | Local measures |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hardee County | 25,932 | ▲ 6.3% | 2,201 MW | — | — | — |
| DeSoto County | 37,078 | ▲ 6.1% | 625 MW | 149 MW | 1 | 1 |
| Highlands County | 111,122 | ▲ 4.3% | 62 MW | 150 MW | — | — |
| Hillsborough County | 1,574,115 | ▲ 12.5% | 5,140 MW | 74 MW | 17 | 1 |
| Manatee County | 468,200 | ▲ 11.9% | 4,152 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Polk County | 874,790 | ▲ 16.1% | 6,676 MW | 112 MW | 5 | — |
More of Florida
Hardee County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Hardee County, Florida?
3 utilities have service territory in Hardee County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Florida Power & Light Co, Peace River Electric Coop, Inc, City of Wauchula - (FL). The largest, Florida Power & Light Co, charged residential customers 13.71¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Hardee County?
5 operating plants with 2,201 MW of capacity. The largest is Midulla Generating Station (853 MW, natural gas).
Are there data centers in Hardee County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Hardee County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Hillsborough County.
Is Hardee County adding jobs?
Employers counted 7,202 jobs in 2025 against 6,772 in 2019 (+6.3%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 364 to 322.
Does Hardee County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Hardee County. Florida has 45 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.