Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Okeechobee grades D− overall, 590th among Florida's 634 graded towns, mostly because of health and schools. Residents are less healthy than 90% of U.S. towns on CDC estimates. Its public schools trail 89% of Florida towns on state tests and graduation. What it does well: it is easier to get around on foot or by transit than 90% of U.S. towns. 26% of working residents work locally in Okeechobee, where Florida’s towns sit at 5% and U.S. towns at 8%. On history, just 56 of Florida’s 779 towns do better. FEMA rates its natural-hazard risk higher than 92% of U.S. communities, with inland flooding at the top.
Where Okeechobee beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
Where Okeechobee’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Florida), ordered by how far Okeechobee is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 900 in 1920, 5,254 in 2020. The archive holds 5 old photos and papers going back to 1918 and 2 maps from 1952 on.
2 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Okeechobee, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 17, 2025.
Ordered by what stands out in Okeechobee.
Okeechobee draws workers from Taylor Creek and beyond and has more 90° days than nearly all U.S. towns, but it is a long drive from an emergency room.
5,729 jobs are based in Okeechobee, 2.8 for every working resident, so most of the people who work here commute in.
About one in 4 of Okeechobee’s working residents works in town. 16% of residents live below the poverty line in Okeechobee. Since 2013, Okeechobee has added 1,045 jobs, to 5,729 in 2023.
| Okeechobee | Florida towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 16% | 11% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $57,000 | $73,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 26 minutes | 27 minutes | 25 minutes |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Its public schools are run by the Okeechobee school district. Two of its 5 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Central Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades K–5 | Grades K–5 | 571 | C |
| Rock Solid Christian Academy PrivateLargest high schoolGrades PK–9 | Grades PK–9 | 268 | – |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within FL on state tests and graduation
The nearest emergency room, HCA Florida Lawnwood Hospital, is 32.3 miles away in a straight line.
43% of Okeechobee adults have obesity. Okeechobee beats the Florida average on 0 of 31 CDC measures and trails it on 17. 19% of Okeechobee adults 18 to 64 have no health insurance.
| Okeechobee | Florida towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 43% | 32% | 35% |
| No health insurance, 18–64 (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 14% | 8.1% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 15% | 14% |
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 27% | 20% | 19% |
| What stands out | Okeechobee | FL |
|---|---|---|
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 23.2% | 12.7% |
| More adults with COPD | 10.5% | 7.2% |
| More smokers | 17.3% | 12.4% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Since 2004, 7 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Okeechobee.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Home values rose 36% in five years, to about $287K, against 19% across Florida.
The typical Okeechobee home is worth about $287,000, up 0.6% in a year, 23% below the Florida typical home. Okeechobee’s median rent is $1,061 a month.
| Okeechobee | Florida towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 55% | 72% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,061 a month | $1,647 a month | $1,185 a month |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
The Okeechobee weather station, 7 miles away, records that about 103 days a year reach 90°, more than in 95% of U.S. towns. January nights average 52.1°, milder than in 99% of U.S. towns; July afternoons average 91.6°.
Okeechobee has warm winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. The January low in Okeechobee is 52°F. Snow is almost unheard of.
| Okeechobee | Florida towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| January low | 52°F | 51°F | 22°F |
| July high | 92°F | 91°F | 85°F |
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
1.0 miles of trail in 1 park or preserve.
| Okeechobee | Florida towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 0.6% | 3% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.2 miles per square mile | 0.4 | 0.4 |
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Okeechobee Kiwanis Park | — | 5 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Okeechobee's reported crime rate is well above Florida's. Most reported incidents are property crimes, mainly thefts. 18 violent crimes were reported in 2023.
| Okeechobee | Florida towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2023) | 27 per 1,000 residents | 17.3 | 13.1 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2023) | 3.3 per 1,000 residents | 2.1 | 1.8 |
FBI crime data, 2023 · crimes reported to police
None within 15 miles of Okeechobee; the nearest are
About 5 of every 100 Okeechobee residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Florida.
2 places in Okeechobee on the National Register of Historic Places.
6 notable people were born in Okeechobee.
City in Florida, United States
Okeechobee (US: OH-kee-CHOH-bee) is a city in and the county seat of Okeechobee County, Florida, United States. As of the 2020 US census, the city's population was 5,254. Okeechobee is served by the Okeechobee County Airport.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
One town shares a border with Okeechobee.
| Town | FL rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Okeechobee | #590 | D− | C+ | — | D | D |
| Cypress Quarters | — | — | B− | — | D | D− |
Cypress Quarters has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade. Okeechobee and Cypress Quarters report no FBI crime data of their own. Compare Okeechobee with a neighbor →
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Okeechobee grades D− overall, better than 4% of U.S. towns and #590 of 634 in Florida. It grades D for health and D for schools. Hazard risk is its weak spot, with a D.
Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C+.
6 notable people were born here, including Evan Neal and Gerald B. H. Solomon.
