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Polk County, Florida Demographics 2026

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%.

Data vintage: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates · refreshed July 2026 · Methodology & source notes

Polk County Quick Facts

Population 790,694
Median Household Income $65,978
Median Home Value $266,500
Poverty Rate 14.5%
Unemployment Rate 4.8%
Median Age 39.5 years
Homeownership Rate 70.5%
Affordability Ratio 4.0x
Bachelor's Degree+ 23.5%
High School Graduation 87.9%
Cities/Places 40
Population 790,694 9th of 67
Median Income $65,978 12% lower than state
Poverty Rate 14.5%
Unemployment 4.8%

How Polk County Changed

Change from the 2019–2023 ACS period to 2020–2024. These are rolling five-year estimates, not year-over-year measurements.

Metric2019–20232020–2024Change
Population760,961790,694+3.9%
Median household income$63,644$65,978+3.7%
Median home value$240,000$266,500+11.0%

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 15.7%
$25K-$50K 20.8%
$50K-$100K 33.8%
$100K+ 29.7%
Detailed income brackets
Under $10K
5.0%
$10K-$15K
3.5%
$15K-$20K
3.6%
$20K-$25K
3.6%
$25K-$30K
4.0%
$30K-$35K
4.3%
$35K-$40K
4.4%
$40K-$45K
4.3%
$45K-$50K
3.9%
$50K-$60K
8.2%
$60K-$75K
11.5%
$75K-$100K
14.1%
$100K-$125K
10.3%
$125K-$150K
6.2%
$150K-$200K
6.9%
$200K+
6.3%

Employment

4.8% Unemployment Rate State: 4.8%|National: 5.2%
58.0% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 70.5%
Renter 29.5%
Affordability Index Moderate
4.0x home value to income ratio
Median gross rent $1,363/mo 24.8% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Diversity Index

64out of 100
High Diversity

A diverse community with significant representation from multiple racial and ethnic groups.

State average: 65 | National average: 61

Education

Cities & Places in Polk County

CityPopulationMedian IncomePovertyHome Value
Lakeland119,961$64,18513.2%$249,400
Poinciana75,068$68,01514.9%$290,700
Winter Haven55,200$59,64816.4%$269,800
Haines City34,234$65,97516.1%$288,900
Bartow20,438$68,17818.1%$234,100
Auburndale18,530$77,9119.6%$296,200
Lake Wales16,785$56,34722.4%$239,300
Highland City13,276$90,9475.9%$347,100
Davenport13,238$73,68514.1%$333,300
Lakeland Highlands12,102$108,2632.7%$385,000
Medulla10,985$70,8028.8%$319,800
Fuller Heights10,083$82,0067.7%$278,000
Cypress Gardens10,077$75,48311.1%$287,100
Loughman7,591$66,27310.3%$336,000
Inwood7,556$55,54020.3%$142,300
Willow Oak7,454$65,68824.7%$276,300
Lake Alfred7,277$67,2029.4%$239,900
Kathleen7,201$57,09731.8%$203,500
Dundee5,863$48,66826.0%$247,800
Jan Phyl Village5,708$53,57127.0%$258,600
Fussels Corner5,682$56,09116.8%$92,100
Crystal Lake5,451$49,42426.3%$205,600
Combee Settlement5,242$40,38427.3%$195,900
Fort Meade5,225$36,65721.9%$175,900
Alturas4,581$70,23115.5%$165,800
Mulberry4,188$57,70819.8%$133,800
Eagle Lake3,893$70,5239.5%$256,300
Wahneta3,876$46,59824.2%$97,500
Frostproof3,346$42,00026.8%$150,500
Polk City2,974$79,76212.2%$293,900
Grenelefe2,797$59,93915.8%$325,000
Crooked Lake Park2,641$60,39534.4%$198,000
Lake Hamilton1,777$60,48626.9%$250,700
Babson Park1,093$48,17714.4%$211,100
Indian Lake Estates984$69,0075.7%$233,100
Bradley Junction631$46,87535.9%$184,900
Hillcrest Heights377$118,1250.0%$270,000
Homeland363$70,7411.1%$158,300
Highland Park282$93,7501.8%$374,100
Waverly187N/A15.0%N/A

Explore Florida Rankings

Cities by Population All cities ranked by size Richest Cities Ranked by median income Most Educated By bachelor's degree rate Most Affordable By housing affordability

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.