Editing Wauchula, Florida

{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox settlement
|name                     = Wauchula, Florida
|settlement_type          = [[City (Florida)|City]]
|official_name            = City of Wauchula
|motto                    = {{no wrap|"Building New Beginnings From Old Traditions"}}<br>"Cucumber Capital of the World"
|image_skyline            = Wauchula City Hall old pano01.jpg
|image_caption            = Wauchula Chamber of Commerce in 2010
|image_seal               = Seal of Wauchula, Florida.png
|image_map                = Hardee_County_Florida_Incorporated_and_Unincorporated_areas_Wauchula_Highlighted.svg
|map_caption              = Location in [[Hardee County, Florida|Hardee County]] and the state of [[Florida]]
|subdivision_type         = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
|subdivision_name         = {{flag|United States of America}}
|subdivision_type1        = [[U.S. state|State]]
|subdivision_name1        = {{flag|Florida}}
|subdivision_type2        = [[List of counties in Florida|County]]
|subdivision_name2        = {{noflag|[[Hardee County, Florida|Hardee]]}}
|subdivision_type3        = 
|subdivision_name3        = 
|subdivision_type4        = 
|subdivision_name4        = <!-- Politics ----------------->
|established_title        = [[Municipal corporation|Incorporated]]
|established_date         = {{Start date and age|1902|9|29}}
|established_title2       = 
|established_date2        = 
|established_title3       = 
|established_date3        = 
|government_footnotes     = 
|government_type          = [[Council-manager government|Commission–Manager]]
|leader_title             = [[Mayor]]
|leader_name              = Keith Nadachay, Jr.
|leader_title1            = [[Mayor Pro Tem]]
|leader_name1             = Neda Cobb
|leader_title2            = [[City Council|Commissioners]]
|leader_name2             = Russell Graylin Smith,<br>Sherri Albritton,<br>and Gary Smith 
|leader_title3            = [[City Manager]]
|leader_name3             = Olivia Minshew
|leader_title4            = [[City Clerk]]
|leader_name4             = Stephanie Camacho
|unit_pref                = Imperial
|area_total_km2           = 8.46
|area_land_km2            = 8.46
|area_water_km2           = 0.00
|area_total_sq_mi         = 3.27
|area_land_sq_mi          = 3.27
|area_water_sq_mi         = 0.00
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
|population_total         = 4900
|population_density_km2   = 579.13
|population_density_sq_mi = 1499.85
|timezone = [[North American Eastern Time Zone|Eastern (EST)]]
|utc_offset               = -5
|timezone_DST             = EDT
|utc_offset_DST           = -4
|coordinates              = {{coord|27|32|46|N|81|48|52|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}
|elevation_footnotes      = <!--for references: use <ref> tags-->
|elevation_m              = 34
|elevation_ft             = 112
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]
|postal_code              = 33873
|area_code                = [[Area code 863|863]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 12-75375<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=2008-01-31|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref>
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = 0292949<ref name="GR3">{{cite web|url=http://geonames.usgs.gov|access-date=2008-01-31|title=US Board on Geographic Names|publisher=[[United States Geological Survey]]|date=2007-10-25}}</ref>
|website                  = {{URL|cityofwauchula.com}}
|pop_est_as_of            = 
|pop_est_footnotes        = 
|population_est           = 
|area_footnotes           = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2020">{{cite web|title=2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2020_Gazetteer/2020_gaz_place_12.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=December 2, 2021}}</ref>
|population_footnotes     = 
}}
'''Wauchula''' is a city and the [[county seat]] of [[Hardee County, Florida]], United States. As of the 2020 census, it had a population of 4,900.

Wauchula has been called the "cucumber capital of the world", although citrus has become a more important agricultural crop over the past few decades. It is home to the downtown's Wauchula Historic District and [[Albert Carlton Estate]].

==Geography==
The exact coordinates for the City of Wauchula is located at {{coord|27|32|46|N|81|48|52|W}}.

Wauchula is located in north-central Hardee County. [[U.S. Route 17]] passes through the city, leading north {{convert|25|mi}} to [[Bartow, Florida|Bartow]] and south {{convert|24|mi}} to [[Arcadia, Florida|Arcadia]]. Within the county, [[Zolfo Springs, Florida|Zolfo Springs]] is {{convert|4|mi|0}} to the south on US 17 and [[Bowling Green, Florida|Bowling Green]] is {{convert|6|mi|0}} to the north.

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], Wauchula has an area of {{convert|8.6|km2|order=flip}}, all land.

===Hurricane Charley===
[[Hurricane Charley]] hit Wauchula at {{circa|5:30}} on Friday, August 13, 2004, causing more than $750 million in damage. Sustained winds of {{cvt|140|mph}}, with gusts of over {{cvt|160|mph}}, were clocked in downtown Wauchula.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.spikowski.com/HurricaneCharleyTrack.pdf |title= NOAA Storm Tracker |publisher= Spikowski |access-date= May 28, 2013}}</ref> The entire area had either no running water, or contaminated water for one week. Power was lost to many sections for nearly three weeks, with school canceled for two weeks. The area was declared a [[federal disaster area]] after 85% of its buildings were either damaged or destroyed.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.mytripjournal.com/travel-568762-trails-park-florida-river-wauchula-area-peace-buildings |title= Trip Journal Florida |publisher= MyTripJournal |access-date= May 28, 2013}}</ref> There was a curfew set for the area for weeks after from 8 pm to 7 am.

===Climate===

The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and warm winters. According to the [[Köppen climate classification]] system, Wauchula has a [[humid subtropical climate]] zone (''Cfa'').

[[File:Confederate Memorial Day parade on Main Street- Wauchula, Florida (5987866462).jpg|thumb|left|Confederate Memorial Day parade on Main Street, 1912]]

[[File:Wauchula crths01.jpg|thumb|center|[[Hardee County Courthouse]]]]

{{Weather box|width=auto
|location = Wauchula, Florida, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1933&ndash;present
|single line = Y

|Jan record high F = 90
|Feb record high F = 93
|Mar record high F = 94
|Apr record high F = 99
|May record high F = 104
|Jun record high F = 103
|Jul record high F = 102
|Aug record high F = 99
|Sep record high F = 99
|Oct record high F = 97
|Nov record high F = 92
|Dec record high F = 92

|Jan avg record high F = 83.9
|Feb avg record high F = 86.0
|Mar avg record high F = 87.1
|Apr avg record high F = 91.2
|May avg record high F = 94.2
|Jun avg record high F = 95.8
|Jul avg record high F = 95.6
|Aug avg record high F = 95.7
|Sep avg record high F = 94.3
|Oct avg record high F = 91.5
|Nov avg record high F = 87.2
|Dec avg record high F = 84.6
|year avg record high F = 96.9

| Jan high F = 72.7
| Feb high F = 76.2
| Mar high F = 79.6
| Apr high F = 84.2
| May high F = 88.7
| Jun high F = 90.7
| Jul high F = 91.8
| Aug high F = 92.0
| Sep high F = 90.1
| Oct high F = 85.7
| Nov high F = 79.5
| Dec high F = 75.0
|year high F = 83.8
|Jan mean F = 60.2
|Feb mean F = 62.9
|Mar mean F = 66.2
|Apr mean F = 71.0
|May mean F = 76.3
|Jun mean F = 80.5
|Jul mean F = 81.9
|Aug mean F = 82.3
|Sep mean F = 80.8
|Oct mean F = 75.3
|Nov mean F = 67.8
|Dec mean F = 63.0
|year mean F = 72.4
| Jan low F = 47.7
| Feb low F = 49.6
| Mar low F = 52.9
| Apr low F = 57.7
| May low F = 63.9
| Jun low F = 70.3
| Jul low F = 72.1
| Aug low F = 72.7
| Sep low F = 71.5
| Oct low F = 64.9
| Nov low F = 56.0
| Dec low F = 51.0
|year low F = 60.9

|Jan avg record low F = 31.1
|Feb avg record low F = 34.0
|Mar avg record low F = 37.9
|Apr avg record low F = 45.2
|May avg record low F = 54.4
|Jun avg record low F = 65.2
|Jul avg record low F = 68.6
|Aug avg record low F = 69.1
|Sep avg record low F = 66.1
|Oct avg record low F = 50.2
|Nov avg record low F = 41.4
|Dec avg record low F = 34.8
|year avg record low F = 29.5

|Jan record low F = 20
|Feb record low F = 24
|Mar record low F = 23
|Apr record low F = 34
|May record low F = 40
|Jun record low F = 51
|Jul record low F = 61
|Aug record low F = 61
|Sep record low F = 55
|Oct record low F = 37
|Nov record low F = 24
|Dec record low F = 21

|precipitation colour = green
| Jan precipitation inch = 2.29
| Feb precipitation inch = 2.18
| Mar precipitation inch = 2.99
| Apr precipitation inch = 2.92
| May precipitation inch = 3.51
| Jun precipitation inch = 8.46
| Jul precipitation inch = 7.69
| Aug precipitation inch = 8.46
| Sep precipitation inch = 6.32
| Oct precipitation inch = 3.09
| Nov precipitation inch = 1.96
| Dec precipitation inch = 2.13
|year precipitation inch = 52.00
| unit precipitation days = 0.01 in
| Jan precipitation days = 4.9
| Feb precipitation days = 4.1
| Mar precipitation days = 4.2
| Apr precipitation days = 4.3
| May precipitation days = 5.8
| Jun precipitation days = 13.4
| Jul precipitation days = 13.1
| Aug precipitation days = 13.9
| Sep precipitation days = 11.3
| Oct precipitation days = 5.8
| Nov precipitation days = 3.9
| Dec precipitation days = 4.5
| year precipitation days = 89.2
|Jan snow inch =
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|unit snow days = 0.1 in
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|source 1 = NOAA<ref>{{cite web
| url = https://w2.weather.gov/climate/xmacis.php?wfo=tbw
| title = NOWData - NOAA Online Weather Data
| publisher = [[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration]]
| access-date = May 23, 2021
}}</ref><ref>{{cite web
| url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&startDate=0001-01-01&endDate=9996-12-31&stations=USC00089401&format=pdf
| title = Summary of Monthly Normals 1991&ndash;2020
| publisher = [[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration]]
| access-date = May 23, 2021
}}</ref> }}

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1910= 1099
|1920= 2081
|1930= 2574
|1940= 2710
|1950= 2872
|1960= 3411
|1970= 3007
|1980= 3296
|1990= 3253
|2000= 4368
|2010= 5001
|2020= 4900
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2015}}</ref>
}}

===2010 and 2020 census===
{| class="wikitable"
|+'''Wauchula racial composition'''<br> (Hispanics excluded from racial categories)<br> (''NH = Non-Hispanic'')<br>
!Race
!Pop 2010<ref>{{Cite web|title=P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE - 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Wauchula city, Florida|url=https://data.census.gov/table?q=Wauchula+city;+Florida+&tid=DECENNIALPL2010.P2|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref>
!Pop 2020<ref>{{Cite web|title=P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE - 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Wauchula city, Florida|url=https://data.census.gov/table?q=Wauchula+city;+Florida+&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref>
!% 2010
!% 2020
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino whites|White]] (NH)
|2,179
|2,008
|43.57%
|40.98%
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino African Americans|Black or African American]] (NH)
|281
|358
|5.62%
|7.31%
|-
|[[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] or [[Alaska Native]] (NH)
|17
|4
|0.34%
|0.08%
|-
|[[Asian Americans|Asian]] (NH)
|49
|41
|0.98%
|0.84%
|-
|[[Pacific Islander Americans|Pacific Islander]] or [[Native Hawaiian]] (NH)
|1
|2
|0.02%
|0.04%
|-
|[[Other races (U.S. Census)|Some other race]] (NH)
|4
|5
|0.08%
|0.10%
|-
|[[Multiracial Americans|Two or more races/Multiracial]] (NH)
|42
|97
|0.84%
|1.98%
|-
|[[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic or Latino]] (any race)
|2,428
|2,385
|48.55%
|48.67%
|-
|'''Total'''
|'''5,001'''
|'''4,900'''
|'''100.00%'''
|'''100.00%'''
|-
|}

As of the [[2020 United States census]], there were 4,900 people, 1,630 households, and 1,072 families residing in the city.<ref>{{Cite web|title=S1101 HOUSEHOLDS AND FAMILIES - 2020: Wauchula city, Florida|url=https://data.census.gov/table?q=Wauchula+city;+Florida+&tid=ACSST5Y2020.S1101|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref>

As of the [[2010 United States census]], there were 5,001 people, 1,574 households, and 1,035 families residing in the city.<ref>{{Cite web|title=S1101 HOUSEHOLDS AND FAMILIES - 2010: Wauchula city, Florida|url=https://data.census.gov/table?q=Wauchula+city;+Florida+&tid=ACSST5Y2010.S1101|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref>

===2000 census===
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2" /> of 2000, there were 4,368 people, 1,431 households, and 985 families residing in the city. The population density was {{convert|1,669.6|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 1,562 housing units at an average density of {{convert|597.0|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the city was 73.44% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 4.17% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.57% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.30% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 18.84% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 2.68% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 39.42% of the population.

In 2000, there were 1,431 households, out of which 36.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.9% were married couples living together, 14.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.1% were non-families. 26.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.97 and the average family size was 3.57.

In 2000, in the city, the population was spread out, with 30.7% under the age of 18, 11.6% from 18 to 24, 26.9% from 25 to 44, 17.1% from 45 to 64, and 13.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.7 males.

In 2000, the median income for a household in the city was $25,931, and the median income for a family was $29,943. Males had a median income of $19,129 versus $15,867 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the city was $10,665. About 19.9% of families and 25.0% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 30.0% of those under age 18 and 12.8% of those age 65 or over.

==Infrastructure==
[[Wauchula Municipal Airport]] is a public-use airport located {{convert|5|mi|km}} southwest of the [[central business district]].

[[Center for Great Apes]] is a permanent sanctuary for rescued orangutans and chimpanzees.

The only hospital in Wauchula is [[AdventHealth Wauchula]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://midfloridanewspapers.com/highlands_news-sun/highlands_health/adventhealth-wauchula-celebrates-new-mural-wellness-trail-and-prayer-garden/article_a0f592d8-9839-11ee-b137-47881537e838.html|title=AdventHealth Wauchula celebrates new mural, Wellness Trail and Prayer Garden|date=December 20, 2023|newspaper=Highlands News-Sun|access-date=July 25, 2024}}</ref>

==Notable people==

* [[Doyle E. Carlton]] (1885–1972), 25th governor of Florida
* [[Tom McEwen (sportswriter)|Tom McEwen]] (1923–2011), sportswriter
* [[B. J. McLeod]] (born 1983), [[NASCAR]] driver
* [[Zeke Mowatt]] (born 1961), [[National Football League|NFL]] football player and [[Super Bowl XXI]] champion

==See also==
{{portal|Florida}}
* [[List of municipalities in Florida]]
* [[National Register of Historic Places listings in Hardee County, Florida]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Wauchula, Florida}} <!-- for current and future use if material is uploaded -->
{{Wikivoyage|Wauchula}}
* {{Official website|http://www.cityofwauchula.com/}}
{{Portal bar|North America|United States|Florida|Cities}}
{{Hardee County, Florida}}
{{Florida county seats}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wauchula, Florida}}
[[Category:1902 establishments in Florida]]
[[Category:Cities in Florida]]
[[Category:Cities in Hardee County, Florida]]
[[Category:County seats in Florida]]
[[Category:Micropolitan areas of Florida]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1902]]