1st Advantage Mortgage30% of Polk County households earn $100,000 or more; the median is $65,978 (ACS 2020-24). Those figures describe the county, not you: compare at least three written offers by APR and total cost, and confirm the lender's license before you apply.
On this page
- A quick profile of Polk County
- Where Polk County works
- Where Polk County households live
- Household income in Polk County
- Polk County at the extremes
- Regional comparison for Polk County
- Cities, towns and CDPs in Polk County
- More Polk County figures
- Borrowing situations common in Polk County
- Debt-to-income at Polk County's medians
- Florida rules that apply in Polk County
- A Polk County borrower's checklist
- Other Florida guides
- Frequently asked questions
A quick profile of Polk County
With an estimated 790,694 residents (ACS 2020 to 2024), Polk County ranks 9th of 67 in Florida for population. It covers 1,798 square miles of land, or about 440 people per square mile. Polk County counts toward the Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL metro in the 2023 OMB delineation, so regional figures for Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL include it. Lakeland is the biggest of its 40 Census places, at roughly 119,961 people (15% of the county total).
Where Polk County works
By the Census industry count, 19% of employed Polk County residents work in education and health care and 14% in retail trade. Relative to Florida (11%), arts, lodging and food service is 3 points bigger in Polk County (13%). Unemployment in Polk County, ACS five-year: 4.8%; Florida: 4.8%. About 75% drive to work alone and 23% have trips of 45 minutes or more. Only 5.4% of homes here go without a vehicle.
| Where residents work | Polk County | Difference from Florida |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 19.1% | -1.9 pts |
| Retail trade | 14.0% | +2.0 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 13.5% | +2.5 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 11.4% | -2.8 pts |
| Construction | 8.4% | +0.2 pts |
| Transportation, warehousing and utilities | 7.8% | +1.4 pts |
If your hours swing with the season or with overtime, size a loan payment against your base pay, not your best month.
Where Polk County households live
Renters in Polk County pay a median of $1,363 a month, 18% below the Florida figure of $1,669. Cost-burdened renters, paying 30%-plus of income: 54% in Polk County, 60% statewide. Median value $266,500; median income $65,978; ratio 4.0. 70% of Polk County households own their home and 30% rent. Nationally, Polk County's $1,363 rent is 55% above the middle county.
| Polk County | Florida | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent-burdened renters | 54% | 60% | -5.9 pts |
| Owners | 70% | 68% | +2.8 pts |
| Median home value | $266,500 | $359,000 | 26% lower |
| Median gross rent | $1,363/mo | $1,669/mo | 18% lower |
| Burdened owners | 35% | 35% | -0.7 pts |
High rent burdens leave little slack. If you are borrowing to consolidate, make sure the new payment is lower than the ones it replaces.
Household income in Polk County
The median household income in Polk County is $65,978; statewide it is $74,568, so Polk County runs 12% below Florida as a whole. That places it 37th among Florida's 67 county-level areas.
| Band | Polk County | Compared with Florida |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 23.9% | +1.6 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 46.3% | +5.3 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 23.4% | -2.3 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 6.4% | -4.6 pts |
About 24% of households earn under $35,000, while 30% clear $100,000. The poverty rate is 14.5%, 2 points higher than the state's 12.6%. Polk County scores 0.447 on the Gini index, where higher means more unequal incomes. None of these numbers decides a Polk County application. Lenders weigh your own documented income against your own debts.
Polk County at the extremes
Out of every Florida county, Polk County is most unusual on these measures.
- Few Florida counties match Polk County on population: 790,694 here, 22,416,076 for the state, ranking 9th highest of 67. More people usually means more banks and credit unions to compare nearby.
- Polk County ranks 12th lowest of 67 Florida counties for median age: 39.5, against 42.6 statewide. Younger borrowers often have thin credit files; a co-signer or credit union may help.
Regional comparison for Polk County
Distances run center to center, from Hardee County at 33 miles out to DeSoto County at 53. Orange County leads the group on income ($79,719), DeSoto County trails ($54,417), and Polk County out-earns 3 of the six.
| Neighbor | Distance | Income | Rent | Own |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Polk County | - | $65,978 | $1,363/mo | 70% |
| Hardee County, FL | 33 mi | $60,489 | $962/mo | 71% |
| Osceola County, FL | 35 mi | $72,637 | $1,746/mo | 65% |
| Hillsborough County, FL | 42 mi | $79,540 | $1,667/mo | 61% |
| Orange County, FL | 45 mi | $79,719 | $1,775/mo | 57% |
| Highlands County, FL | 47 mi | $54,897 | $1,035/mo | 79% |
| DeSoto County, FL | 53 mi | $54,417 | $932/mo | 73% |
Cities, towns and CDPs in Polk County
Places, by size: the top 14 of 40. Roughly 35% of Polk County lives outside all of them, in open country or unnamed settlements. Incomes vary by place: $108,263 at the median in Lakeland Highlands, $36,657 in Fort Meade. Median rent ranges from $697 in Frostproof to $1,993 in Highland City. 2 of them have a separate city guide (linked). For the rest, this is the local guide.
| Name | Kind | Pop. | Income | Rent | Miles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lakeland | city | 119,961 | $64,185 | $1,395 | 17 mi |
| Poinciana | CDP | 75,068 | $68,015 | $1,965 | 17 mi |
| Winter Haven | city | 55,200 | $59,648 | $1,246 | 7 mi |
| Haines City | city | 34,234 | $65,975 | $1,224 | 12 mi |
| Bartow | city | 20,438 | $68,178 | $1,142 | 9 mi |
| Auburndale | city | 18,530 | $77,911 | $1,208 | 13 mi |
| Lake Wales | city | 16,785 | $56,347 | $1,110 | 6 mi |
| Highland City | CDP | 13,276 | $90,947 | $1,993 | 11 mi |
| Davenport | city | 13,238 | $73,685 | $1,914 | 15 mi |
| Lakeland Highlands | CDP | 12,102 | $108,263 | $1,704 | 16 mi |
| Medulla | CDP | 10,985 | $70,802 | $1,287 | 18 mi |
| Fuller Heights | CDP | 10,083 | $82,006 | $1,444 | 19 mi |
| Cypress Gardens | CDP | 10,077 | $75,483 | $1,369 | 3 mi |
| Loughman | CDP | 7,591 | $66,273 | $1,898 | 21 mi |
CDP: census-designated place, an unincorporated community mapped for statistics.
More Polk County figures
In Polk County, 23% of adults have at least a four-year degree (34% in Florida). 12.4% of residents have no health coverage.
| Polk County | vs Florida | vs U.S. county median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's or higher | 23.5% | -10.7 pts | +1.3 pts |
| Work from home | 12.4% | -3.3 pts | +3.7 pts |
| Median age | 39.5 | -3.1 yrs | -2.0 yrs |
| No high school diploma | 12.1% | +2.0 pts | n/a |
| Poverty rate | 14.5% | +1.9 pts | +1.3 pts |
| No health insurance | 12.4% | +0.9 pts | +4.6 pts |
| No vehicle | 5.4% | -0.6 pts | 0.0 pts |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 4.8% | 0.0 pts | +0.4 pts |
| Trip time | Share |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 17.8% |
| 15 to 29 min | 37.7% |
| 30 to 44 min | 21.5% |
| 45 to 59 min | 11.7% |
| 60+ min | 11.3% |
Borrowing situations common in Polk County
What the Polk County figures suggest, and what to check first:
- 12% uninsured. In Polk County, ask for an itemized bill and a payment plan first (medical bills).
- Long drives. With 23% of commutes over 45 minutes, tires and repairs are fixed costs in many Polk County budgets.
- Manufactured housing (20%). Polk County owners should get two written repair quotes before borrowing.
- Renters under pressure. When 54% pay 30% or more for rent, the smallest loan that solves the problem is the right size.
Debt-to-income at Polk County's medians
Polk County at the medians, through a lender's eyes (what DTI means):
- Median income divided by twelve: $5,498 before taxes
- Rent at the median, $1,363, takes 25% of that
- At 40%, room after rent is $836 a month
A household below the $65,978 median has less room than this, often none.
Florida rules that apply in Polk County
Before sharing details with a lender, a Polk County resident can confirm its license with the Florida Office of Financial Regulation. A CFPB complaint gets forwarded to the company for a response. More on Florida: Florida personal loans.
A Polk County borrower's checklist
Steps that save money for Polk County residents:
- Write down what the expense costs; a smaller loan costs less.
- Collect three written offers and compare APR and total repaid.
- Look the lender up with the state regulator first.
- Confirm the first due date before setting up autopay.
Other Florida guides
More local guides:
Frequently asked questions
Where does Polk County rank on income in Florida?
37th of 67, with a median of $65,978. The state median is $74,568.
What is the median rent in Polk County, FL?
$1,363 a month, utilities included, or $16,356 a year.
I live in a small Polk County town. Is this my guide?
Yes. If your town has no city guide, this county page is the local one; it covers Lakeland, Poinciana, Winter Haven, Haines City, Bartow and 35 more.
Is the fit check different in Polk County?
No. It is identical everywhere, and it never looks at your neighborhood.
Where can someone in Polk County check a lender's license?
With the Florida Office of Financial Regulation. If a lender is unlicensed or asks for a fee before funding, walk away.