Hendry County, Florida, is located at the southern tip of Florida just north of the Everglades. It has an area of around 1,153 square miles, and has a population of roughly 39,000. Its county seat is LaBelle which sits near the northern border of the county.
The county was created in 1923 from Lee County. It was named after one of the first European Settlers of the area, and famous officer in the Confederate States Army, Francis A. Hendry. He had moved to Hillsbourough County from Georgia when he was a child and stayed in Florida for the remainder of his life.
Hendry County is uniquely situated in a central location that makes it easy to access some of the most popular locations in Florida. The area is within a short distance of both the Gulf of Mexico to the west and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. In addition, Lake Okeechobee, which is one of Florida’s best places to enjoy nature, lies just to the north of the county, and the Everglades are to the south.
Small towns and a community-driven lifestyle are part of what make Hendry County unique. Many residents call the area a tight knit community where everyone knows each other. It is also a perfect place to start a business, and is a remarkably affordable place to live, especially when compared with the costly surrounding counties.
There is a beauty about Hendry County, with its expansive cattle ranches and misty hills, that can only be found in the inland portions of Florida. With its small towns and thriving industries, the county is a quiet and peaceful option for Florida living.