Wauchula is a city in south-central Florida in Hardee County, Florida, United States. As of the 2010 census it had a population of 5,001, up from 4,368 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Hardee County. 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 Wauchula Historic District and Albert Carlton Estate. Geography Wauchula is located in north-central Hardee County. U.S. Route 17 passes through the city, leading north to Bartow and south to Arcadia. Within the county, Zolfo Springs is to the south on US 17 and Bowling Green is to the north. According to the United States Census Bureau, Wauchula has an area of , all land. Hurricane Charley Hurricane Charley hit Wauchula at on Friday, August 13, 2004, causing more than $750 million in damage. Sustained winds of , with gusts of over , were clocked in downtown Wauchula. 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. 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 (Cfa). Demographics As of the census of 2000, there were 4,368 people, 1,431 households, and 985 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 1,562 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 73.44% White, 4.17% African American, 0.57% Native American, 0.30% Asian, 18.84% from other races, and 2.68% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 39.42% of the population. 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