Polk County, Florida Demographics 2026
Demographic data: ACS 2020–2024 five-year estimates. Sources and methodology
Polk County, Florida has a population of 790,694, the 9th most populous county in Florida. The median household income is $65,978 and the median home value is $266,500. The poverty rate is 14.5%.
Polk County Quick Facts
How Polk County Changed
Change from the non-overlapping 2015–2019 ACS period to 2020–2024. Earlier dollar figures are adjusted to 2024 dollars; changes marked “no clear change” are within the combined 90% margins of error.
| Metric | 2015–2019 | 2020–2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 686,218 | 790,694 | +15.2% |
| Median household income | $62,254 | $65,978 | +6.0% |
| Median home value¹ | $185,591 | $266,500 | +43.6% |
| Median gross rent | $1,204 | $1,363 | +13.2% |
Median Household Income
Median Home Value
Economy & Housing
Household Income Distribution
Detailed income brackets
Employment
Housing Overview
People & Demographics
Age Distribution
Race & Ethnicity
- White: 50.8%
- Black: 14.1%
- Hispanic: 29.2%
- Asian: 1.8%
- Other: 0.7%
Diversity Index
A diverse community with significant representation from multiple racial and ethnic groups.
State average: 65 | National average: 61
Education
Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)
- < HS: 12.1%
- HS Diploma: 33.0%
- Some College: 21.3%
- Associate's: 10.2%
- Bachelor's: 15.8%
- Graduate+: 7.6%
Cities & Places in Polk County
| City | Population | Median Income | Poverty | Home Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lakeland | 119,961 | $64,185 | 13.2% | $249,400 |
| Poinciana | 75,068 | $68,015 | 14.9% | $290,700 |
| Winter Haven | 55,200 | $59,648 | 16.4% | $269,800 |
| Haines City | 34,234 | $65,975 | 16.1% | $288,900 |
| Bartow | 20,438 | $68,178 | 18.1% | $234,100 |
| Auburndale | 18,530 | $77,911 | 9.6% | $296,200 |
| Lake Wales | 16,785 | $56,347 | 22.4% | $239,300 |
| Highland City | 13,276 | $90,947 | 5.9% | $347,100 |
| Davenport | 13,238 | $73,685 | 14.1% | $333,300 |
| Lakeland Highlands | 12,102 | $108,263 | 2.7% | $385,000 |
| Medulla | 10,985 | $70,802 | 8.8% | $319,800 |
| Fuller Heights | 10,083 | $82,006 | 7.7% | $278,000 |
| Cypress Gardens | 10,077 | $75,483 | 11.1% | $287,100 |
| Loughman | 7,591 | $66,273 | 10.3% | $336,000 |
| Inwood | 7,556 | $55,540 | 20.3% | $142,300 |
| Willow Oak | 7,454 | $65,688 | 24.7% | $276,300 |
| Lake Alfred | 7,277 | $67,202 | 9.4% | $239,900 |
| Kathleen | 7,201 | $57,097 | 31.8% | $203,500 |
| Dundee | 5,863 | $48,668 | 26.0% | $247,800 |
| Jan Phyl Village | 5,708 | $53,571 | 27.0% | $258,600 |
| Fussels Corner | 5,682 | $56,091 | 16.8% | $92,100 |
| Crystal Lake | 5,451 | $49,424 | 26.3% | $205,600 |
| Combee Settlement | 5,242 | $40,384 | 27.3% | $195,900 |
| Fort Meade | 5,225 | $36,657 | 21.9% | $175,900 |
| Alturas | 4,581 | $70,231 | 15.5% | $165,800 |
| Mulberry | 4,188 | $57,708 | 19.8% | $133,800 |
| Eagle Lake | 3,893 | $70,523 | 9.5% | $256,300 |
| Wahneta | 3,876 | $46,598 | 24.2% | $97,500 |
| Frostproof | 3,346 | $42,000 | 26.8% | $150,500 |
| Polk City | 2,974 | $79,762 | 12.2% | $293,900 |
| Grenelefe | 2,797 | $59,939 | 15.8% | $325,000 |
| Crooked Lake Park | 2,641 | $60,395 | 34.4% | $198,000 |
| Lake Hamilton | 1,777 | $60,486 | 26.9% | $250,700 |
| Babson Park | 1,093 | $48,177 | 14.4% | $211,100 |
| Indian Lake Estates | 984 | $69,007 | 5.7% | $233,100 |
| Bradley Junction | 631 | $46,875 | 35.9% | $184,900 |
| Hillcrest Heights | 377 | $118,125 | 0.0% | $270,000 |
| Homeland | 363 | $70,741 | 1.1% | $158,300 |
| Highland Park | 282 | $93,750 | 1.8% | $374,100 |
| Waverly | 187 | N/A | 15.0% | N/A |
Explore Florida Rankings
Population Overview
Polk County is located in Florida with a total population of 790,694. It is the 9th most populous county out of 67 in Florida. The county encompasses 40 Census-designated places.
Age Demographics
The median age in Polk County is 39.5 years. This is 7% lower than the state median of 42.6 years.
Economy, Income & Housing
The median household income in Polk County is $65,978. This is 12% lower than the state median of $74,568. It is also 18% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 14.5%. This is 15% higher than the state poverty rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate is 4.8%. The median home value is $266,500. Housing costs are 26% lower than the state median of $359,000. The home-value-to-income ratio is 4.0x. 70.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 4% higher than the state average of 67.6%.
Race & Ethnicity
The largest racial or ethnic group in Polk County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 50.8% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 29.2%.
Education
23.5% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 31% lower than the state rate of 34.2%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 87.9%.
Data Sources & Methodology
All figures for Polk County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against Florida and national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the population of Polk County, Florida?
Polk County has a population of 790,694, making it the 9th most populous county in Florida.
What is the median income in Polk County?
The median household income in Polk County is $65,978 with a poverty rate of 14.5%.
How many cities are in Polk County, Florida?
Polk County contains 40 Census-designated places.