"Sweat" is set in Eatonville, Florida in the early 20th century. Though Hurston does not explicitly name Eatonville as the setting for this story, it's clear that it takes place in a small central Florida town that is widely accepted to be the same town in which Hurston set her novel Their Eyes Were Watching God—which is explicitly set in Eatonville. The town, which was one of the first incorporated all-Black towns in the United States, plays a significant role in Zora Neale Hurston's writing. Eatonville was a safe haven for Black people during a time when racism and violence were rampant, providing a sense of community and belonging. Hurston herself lived in Eatonville for a time, and she used it as the setting for many of her stories.
In "Sweat," Eatonville is poor and the residents—the majority of whom are Black—are struggling to make ends meet. The early 20th century was a time of great change. Industry was booming, and people were moving to cities in droves. This was also a time of racial and economic inequality, as the rich got richer and the poor got poorer. "Sweat" depicts the racist economic disparities of the time, as Delia washes the clothes of her much wealthier white neighbors for very little pay.
Hurston draws on elements of the actual Eatonville to construct the setting for her narrative. While the dominant setting of the story is Delia and Sykes's home, portions of the story and dialogue take place on Joe Clarke's porch, a gathering place at which townspeople meet to socialize, gossip, and exchange news. Joe Clarke was a respected elder in the town of Eatonville and owned a store that Hurston frequented, and that appeared in a guidebook entry she wrote on the state of Florida. Hurston thus draws on her experience of community, gossip, and companionship at Joe Clarke's storefront to construct this fictional setting.
Lastly, "Sweat" is set in the summer, and several characteristics of central Florida—intense heat and proximity to dangerous animals such as alligators and snakes—play an important role in the narrative. Hurston writes that heat
[…] streamed down like a million hot arrows, smiting all things living upon the earth. Grass withered, leaves browned, snakes went blind in shedding and men and dogs went mad. Dog days!
The role of heat is central to the story and serves as a symbol of the oppression that the protagonist, Delia, faces. The heat is described as a weight that presses down on her, suffocating and immobilizing her. It also represents the danger that she faces, as she is constantly at risk of physical or emotional attack by her abusive husband.
