State law defines a rural county as one with a population of 75,000 or fewer, or one with a population of 125,000 or fewer that’s contiguous to a county with a population of 75,000 or fewer. Florida has 31 rural counties, most of them concentrated in North-Central Florida and the Panhandle. A hub exists in South-Central Florida as well.
Altogether, Florida’s rural counties contribute just 2.9% to the state’s $1.6-trillion economy. But, with a 56.6% spike in GDP since 2018, their growth has outpaced that of non-rural counties. Following is a look at some of the latest and greatest economic developments coming to the state’s smaller towns.
WAKULLA COUNTY
Pompano Beach-based Point Blank Enterprises, the largest manufacturer of body armor in the U.S., is staking a new presence in Wakulla County in the Big Bend region of Florida.
Earlier this year, the county received $13.5 million in Triumph Gulf Coast funding (see “No Crying Over Spilled Oil,” page 82) and $8 million in FloridaCommerce grants to purchase property in Opportunity Park, the county’s 240-acre growing industrial employment center in Crawfordville. The rural county is constructing a 118,000-sq.-ft. facility there and will lease it to Point Blank Enterprises by year’s end.
The new industry will create 300 jobs in general manufacturing, research and development, and order fulfillment. Salaries and benefits will average around $60,000. The location will generate $3.5 million annually in local, state and federal taxes.
“This partnership with Point Blank Enterprises marks a transformative milestone for Wakulla County,” says John Shuff, president of the Wakulla Economic Development Council. “This manufacturing facility not only strengthens and diversifies our local economy but also underscores our commitment to supporting clean industries that make a difference in the lives of our citizens, and the citizens of our region.”
HIGHLANDS COUNTY
The agricultural communities of Highlands County are getting a different kind of green space: a new golf complex near Lake Placid, complete with a full 18-hole course, a shorter 11-hole course, a clubhouse, a practice facility and cabins.
Called High Grove, the complex lives on 1,200 acres of the picturesque Lake Wales Ridge and features about 60 feet of elevation change. It is designed by architects Gil Hanse and Jim Wagner of Pennsylvania-based Hanse Golf Design. They are replanting hundreds of citrus trees around the courses as an ode to the property’s former life in the citrus industry.
Steve Ousley, the general manager of High Grove, said at a Highlands County commissioners meeting in September 2024 that the private golf course represents a $40-million to $60-million capital investment. A representative declined to comment for this report.
A county project management log shows an estimated job creation of 200, according to Highlands County Economic Development’s Yarima Cuencas.
“When you’re in a small rural community like Highlands County, that’s pretty impressive. It’s a huge economic investment in our community that will pay dividends,” says County Commissioner Kevin Roberts. “We’re glad they picked us. When it’s all completed, it will bring tourists here. … Who doesn’t like tourism?”
JACKSON COUNTY
One of Florida’s top counties for row crops has relished at least two recent industrial wins, says Darwin Gilmore, president and CEO of the Jackson County Economic Development Committee.
The first is Pulse Industries. In the Marianna Airport Commerce Park, the company has established the world’s first fully integrated operation for developing, mass-producing and deploying industrial linear accelerators on a commercial scale. Linear accelerators beam small particles like electrons for uses like sterilizing medical devices, food or wastewater. Pulse is leasing a 278,000-sq.-ft. advanced manufacturing facility — a preexisting city-owned building renovated with a $1.7-million rural infrastructure fund grant. The company will invest an estimated $10 million to $15 million into its operations, Gilmore says.
The second is PackEx USA, an aluminum packaging and bottling company. It purchased and renovated another existing building in Marianna, which will total nearly 400,000 square feet, for a beverage manufacturing facility. PackEx is estimated to invest more than $50 million in capital expenditures into the operations. The plant is scheduled to open Jan. 1.
Both new industries are projected to create at least 75 new jobs each.
“We want the growth. We need the growth. These two companies, to us, represent the kind of target industries that we’re focused on,” Gilmore says. “It means so much to the community there. They’re very excited.”
HENDRY COUNTY
Hendry County is framed by bustling South Florida counties like Palm Beach, Lee and Collier. Their growth is branching into the rural county.
As of press time, 5,121 new residential site applications were under review for Hendry County, according to Keitha Daniels, director of the Hendry County Economic Development Council. If approved, they will add to more than 22,000 new residential units during the past four years.
The residential growth has given rise to industrial and commercial development in the county as well.
In the past year, Hendry County has welcomed 233,000 square feet of commercial projects, 142,000 square feet of industrial projects and 20,000 square feet of health care projects. The city of LaBelle, the county seat, is building a $90-million new high school. Recent new approvals include 4 million square feet of commercial use and 4.6 million square feet of industrial use across 2,347 acres, Daniels says.
OKEECHOBEE COUNTY
In Okeechobee County, growth blooms from its county seat.
Take the Okeechobee Commerce Center, a 27-acre industrial park owned by the city of Okeechobee that has become a hub for job creation and economic development in Central Florida. The center’s new businesses will include a manufacturer of concrete storm drains that will hire 30 employees, and Westlake Royal Roofing, a nationwide leader in roofing products that has expanded its operations and created 40 jobs.
The county’s retail and service sectors are also on the rise. Bass Pro Shops, for instance, may site a resort that would mark one of the largest hospitality investments in the area.
The region is also expanding its digital infrastructure: A nearly $50-million grant through the Florida Broadband Opportunity Program will bring high-speed internet access to more areas of Okeechobee, helping businesses and residents stay connected.