DeSoto County

County Business Patterns, 2023Forms the Arcadia, FL micro areaPopulation 36,274

DeSoto County had 6,281 private jobs in 566 establishments in March 2023, paying $44,898 on average, 25% below the Florida figure. Jobs in transportation and warehousing make up 20.0% of all local jobs, the 2nd-highest share of the 52 counties with at least 100 such jobs and 4.3 times the 67-county share. Its population fell 4.5% between 2019 and 2023, the 4th-steepest decline of the 67 counties.

Compare DeSoto side by side with Union or another county.

The largest industry, transportation and warehousing, has 20% of DeSoto County's jobs. Among its larger industries, pay runs from $21,133 a year in hotels and restaurants to $63,517 in manufacturing.

Pays above the county averagePays below itCounty averageFlorida average

What stands out in DeSoto County

Jobs in agriculture, forestry and fishing are 23.7 times as common here as across the 67 counties, 2.3% of all local jobs.
It is one of two counties where transportation and warehousing is the largest industry by jobs, with 20.0% of them.
None of its 12 industries with 100 or more jobs pays as much as the same industry does statewide.
In the latest year alone, March 2022 to March 2023, jobs rose 8.1%, the 6th-fastest in Florida.
Jobs rose 9.6% since 2019 even as the population fell 4.5%.
Jobs in manufacturing are 2.0 times as common here as across the 67 counties, 8.8% of all local jobs.

Where DeSoto County ranks

The four measures on which DeSoto County sits furthest from the middle county. It is furthest out on businesses per 1,000 residents, where it ranks 56th of 67.

Jobs6,281

48thof 67

Business establishments566

48thof 67

Jobs per 1,000 residents173

53rdof 67

Businesses per 1,000 residents15.6

56thof 67

DeSotoOther countiesMiddle county

Every industry, line by line

17 industries published; construction added the most jobs since 2019 (215), agriculture, forestry and fishing lost the most (81).

Industry	Jobs	Avg pay	Pay vs same industry statewide	Jobs since 2019
Transportation & warehousing	1,254	$52,668	0.87×	+2.1%
Retail trade	1,111	$33,717	0.89×	+10.2%
Health care & social assistance	1,062	$50,476	0.78×	+4.7%
Manufacturing	551	$63,517	0.93×	+22.2%
Construction	515	$44,078	0.69×	+71.7%
Hotels & restaurants	483	$21,133	0.74×	−11.7%
Administrative & support services	297	$41,606	0.71×	+33.8%
Other services	244	$34,020	0.86×	+15.1%
Wholesale trade	191	$43,141	0.54×	+40.4%
Professional & technical services	146	$47,911	0.54×	+9.8%
Agriculture, forestry & fishing	142	$39,711	0.89×	−36.3%
Finance & insurance	114	$58,333	0.55×	−13.6%
Real estate & rental	64	$33,359	0.54×	+20.8%
Educational services	34	$33,147	0.68×	+183.3%
Utilities	26	$144,269	1.16×	+52.9%
Arts & recreation	24	$17,625	0.41×	+118.2%
Information	23	$58,957	0.57×	−23.3%
All industries	6,281	$44,898	0.75×	+9.6%

Withheld by the Census Bureau: Mining & quarrying, Management of companies.

What sets DeSoto County apart

Four industries are at least 1.25 times as common here as across the 67 counties; professional, scientific and technical services is the most under-represented, at 0.32×.

Business sizes

90.5% have fewer than 20 employees; 6 have 100 or more.

EmployeesEstablishments

1–4347

5–993

10–1972

20–4936

50–9911

100–2493

250–4993

500–999withheld

1,000+withheld

Since 2019

Jobs +9.6%, residents −4.5% since March 2019.

Jobs6,2812019: 5,729+9.6%

Business establishments5662019: 490+15.5%

Average pay (nominal)$44,8982019: $36,606+22.6%

Residents36,2742019: 38,001−4.5%

Share of Florida

Fewer of Florida's jobs (0.08%) than of its residents (0.16%).

Residents0.16%

Businesses0.09%

Jobs0.08%

Payroll0.06%

Source: Census CBP 2023, 2022, 2019; Population Estimates. FIPS 12027. How to read County Business Patterns figures.