Polk County, Florida: commercial real estate data.
Polk County, Florida had an estimated 852,878 residents on July 1, 2024, up 17.6 percent since the 2020 census base of 725,036, across 1,798 square miles. County output reached $44.30 bn in 2024, 13,992 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 589 7(a) approvals worth $327.6 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Polk County
How many people live in Polk County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-2024790,694
- Households289,425
- Average household size2.73
- Median household income$65,978
- Median age39.5
- Median gross rent$1,363 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$266,500
- Home value to household income4.0 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income24.8 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher23.5 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree7.6 percent
- Adults 25 and over548,366
- Population under 18173,947
- Share under 1822.0 percent
- Population 65 and over154,193
- Share 65 and over19.5 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 64462,554
- Civilian labor force368,493
- Unemployment rate4.8 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over59.7 percent
- Rank by population among Florida counties9th of 67
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included82nd of 3,222
Polk County is the 9th largest of 67 Florida counties by population. A median home costs 4.0 times median household income, which is moderately unaffordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 22.0 percent against 19.5 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Polk County
Is Polk County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 2024852,878
- Census 2020 base population725,036
- Population change since the 2020 census base17.63 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 202428,706
- Births, 20248,950
- Deaths, 20247,944
- Natural change, 20241,006
- Net domestic migration, 202419,745
- Net international migration, 20248,021
- Total net migration, 202427,766
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024101,372
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents33rd of 3,144
The county has grown 17.63 percent since the 2020 census base. The population grew in 2024 from both sources: births exceeded deaths and more people moved in than left.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Polk County
Where are people moving to Polk County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving32,388
- People arriving, from those returns60,654
- Tax returns filed by households leaving20,280
- Net household movement12,108
- Adjusted gross income arriving$1.82 bn
- Net adjusted gross income movement$751.0 m
- Average income of an arriving household$56,052
- Average income of a leaving household$52,485
- Largest single originOrange County (3,998 households)
- Largest single destinationOrange County (2,289 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Orange County | 3,998 | 7,397 | $182.0 m |
| Osceola County | 3,507 | 6,866 | $144.1 m |
| Hillsborough County | 3,274 | 6,104 | $167.5 m |
| Miami-Dade County | 833 | 1,630 | $38.9 m |
| Lake County | 824 | 1,547 | $37.9 m |
| Broward County | 758 | 1,486 | $43.0 m |
| Pinellas County | 509 | 813 | $27.1 m |
| Pasco County | 463 | 813 | $23.5 m |
Households arriving report $3,567 more average income than households leaving, so the migration is raising local spending power rather than just moving it around. The largest single source of arrivals is Orange County, which is the catchment a retail or multifamily study should look at first.
US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Polk County
What is the Polk County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$44.30 bn
- County GDP, 2023$41.76 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20246.1 percent
- GDP change over five years47.2 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Florida areas BEA publishes9th of 67
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes133rd of 3,127
- GDP per resident$56,032
Output grew 6.1 percent in the latest year and 47.2 percent over five, which is the trend line a lender will read behind any single year figure.
US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional, table CAGDP2, CAGDP2, through 2024.
Polk County
Employment by industry in Polk County
- Covered employment, annual average260,590
- Establishments reporting17,281
- Average annual pay$55,697
- Average weekly wage$1,071
- Health care and social assistance, employment34,979
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$61,302
- Retail trade, employment31,939
- Retail trade, average annual pay$38,548
- Transportation and warehousing, employment28,758
- Transportation and warehousing, average annual pay$53,959
- Accommodation and food services, employment21,705
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$25,533
- Manufacturing, employment19,343
- Administrative and support and waste management services, employment18,421
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 34,979 | 1,790 | $61,302 |
| Retail trade | 31,939 | 2,064 | $38,548 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 28,758 | 718 | $53,959 |
| Accommodation and food services | 21,705 | 1,238 | $25,533 |
| Manufacturing | 19,343 | 640 | $72,412 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 18,421 | 1,511 | $43,732 |
| Construction | 15,465 | 2,178 | $66,274 |
| Wholesale trade | 10,555 | 768 | $78,466 |
Health care and social assistance is the largest private sector at 34,979 jobs, 13.4 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Polk County
How many businesses are in Polk County?
- Establishments, all industries13,992
- Employment at those establishments232,278
- Annual payroll$11.65 bn
- Establishments per 1,000 residents17.7
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against. County Business Patterns counts private establishments with paid employees in March 2023, while the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages above counts every unemployment-insured employer, public ones included, as a 2024 annual average, so the two establishment and employment counts differ.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Polk County
Building permits in Polk County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 202410,384
- Declared construction value permitted$2.74 bn
- Single family units authorized8,514
- Multifamily units authorized1,870
- Multifamily share of units18.0 percent
- Average declared value per unit$263,630
- Units authorized per 1,000 households35.9
Single-family homes are 82.0 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Polk County
SBA loans in Polk County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded589
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$327.6 m
- Average 7(a) approval$556,121
- Median 7(a) approval$250,000
- 10th percentile approval$25,000
- 90th percentile approval$1,422,500
- Largest single approval$5,000,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)6,402
- Jobs per approval10.9
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active101
- Distinct industries receiving approvals201
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer17.8 percent
- Loans on real estate terms105
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter447
- Franchise loans100
- Franchise share of approvals17.0 percent
- Leading industry by approval countLimited-Service Restaurants (22)
- Most active lenderThe Huntington National Bank (53)
- 504 approvals recorded172
- 504 gross approval dollars$155.0 m
- Average 504 approval$900,948
- Median 504 approval$483,000
- Distinct CDCs active5
- 504 jobs per approval11.5
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved12.7
- Most active CDCFlorida First Capital Finance Corporation, Inc. (99)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$482.5 m
The average approval of $556,121 sits well above the median of $250,000, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. Only 17.8 percent of approvals run on real estate terms, so SBA credit here is mostly working capital and equipment rather than property acquisition.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30. US Small Business Administration, 504 FOIA release, FY2010 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Polk County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Polk County
Do SBA loans in Polk County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded93
- Paid in full86
- Charged off7
- Charge-off rate on resolved loans7.5 percent
- Status: Paid in full86
- Status: Exempt from disclosure376
- Status: Cancelled97
- Status: Charged off7
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed23
Of the 93 loans that have reached a final outcome, 7.5 percent were charged off. This is computed only over resolved loans, because a loan still running has not yet succeeded or failed and counting it either way would be wrong.
Compare against the national and state SBA charge-off rates, computed the same way over resolved loans only.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Polk County
SBA lending by place in Polk County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending25
- Lakeland, approvals283
- Davenport, approvals91
- Winter Haven, approvals73
- Auburndale, approvals29
- Lake Wales, approvals26
- Haines City, approvals25
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Lakeland | 283 | $166,481,000 |
| Davenport | 91 | $39,663,900 |
| Winter Haven | 73 | $30,294,200 |
| Auburndale | 29 | $21,522,500 |
| Lake Wales | 26 | $13,384,600 |
| Haines City | 25 | $12,736,100 |
| Bartow | 22 | $15,431,800 |
| Mulberry | 7 | $2,698,300 |
| 17 other borrower cities | 33 | $25,343,100 |
Lakeland accounts for 283 approvals against 91 in Davenport. County level figures average over that gap, which is why a site decision is made at the submarket rather than the county.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Polk County
How large is Polk County?
- Land area1,798 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Florida counties4th of 67
- Width, east to west59.5 mi
- Height, north to south49.6 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary7
- Residents per square mile of land440
- Establishments per square mile7.78
US Census Bureau county boundary geometry, TIGER, adjacency computed from shared boundary vertices, TIGER county boundaries. US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year. US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Polk County
Flood risk in Polk County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Polk County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 120261
- Community Rating System class of the county's own communityClass 6
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book18
- Of those, participating in the NFIP16
- NFIP participation rate88.9 percent
- Best Community Rating System class in the county A lower CRS class is a larger flood insurance premium discount.Class 6
- Communities carrying a CRS class4
- Radon levels in Polk County, EPA zone predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/LZone 2
The county's own community in the status book, unincorporated Polk County (community 120261), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries Community Rating System class 6, a flood insurance premium discount for policies written there. The EPA places Polk County in radon zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/L. The zone is a screening prediction for the county and does not substitute for a test at an address. The best Community Rating System class among the county's communities is 6, which carries a flood insurance premium discount for policies written in that community. 88.9 percent of the county's listed communities participate in the National Flood Insurance Program, per Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26.
Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26. US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Traffic counts, zoning and the flood zone at an address are not on this page; they resolve at the address in the platform. How this page was built →
Feasibility studies
When a Polk County site needs a document a lender will accept.
The same data layer behind this page is the one the studies are written from. A study for a Polk County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-2024790,694
- Households289,425
- Average household size2.73
- Median household income$65,978
- Median age39.5
Common questions
Polk County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Polk County, Florida?
The Census Bureau estimates 852,878 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 790,694, in 289,425 households, ranking 9th of 67 Florida counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Polk County's population growing?
The population has grown 17.63 percent since the 2020 census base of 725,036, to 852,878 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 8,950 births against 7,944 deaths, with net migration of 27,766. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Polk County?
$65,978. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $266,500, which is 4.0 times income, and median gross rent is $1,363 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Polk County?
13,992 establishments, employing 232,278 people with an annual payroll of $11.65 bn. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is employment by industry in Polk County?
Health care and social assistance is the largest private sector at 34,979 jobs, 13.4 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 260,590 jobs at an average annual pay of $55,697, or $1,071 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Polk County?
589 7(a) approvals totaling $327.6 m since FY2020, across 101 lenders, with a median approval of $250,000, plus 172 504 approvals worth $155.0 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
Do SBA loans in Polk County get paid back?
Of the 93 loans that have reached a final outcome, 86 were paid in full and 7 charged off, a charge-off rate of 7.5 percent. Loans still running are excluded, because they have not yet succeeded or failed.
How many building permits were issued in Polk County?
10,384 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $2.74 bn. Multifamily was 18.0 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Polk County?
Zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/L. Source: US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Where do people moving to Polk County come from?
The largest single origin is Orange County, with 3,998 households. Arriving households report an average income of $56,052 against $52,485 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Polk County on this page?
No. Annual average daily traffic resolves in the platform rather than in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here. It is a gap we know about rather than a figure we estimated.
Is zoning published for Polk County?
No. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame, to be confirmed locally.
Polk County
Cities and places in Polk.
41 Census places lie wholly or partly in Polk County. All 41 carry enough published place level data for a page of their own and are linked.
| Place | Type | Population | SBA 7(a) approvals, projects in this county | Lies in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lakeland | city | 119,961 | 283 | Wholly in this county |
| Poinciana | CDP | 75,068 | None recorded | 51.7 percent here, 48.3 percent Osceola County |
| Four Corners | CDP | 65,048 | None recorded | 12.3 percent here, 47.5 percent Osceola County, 32.8 percent Lake County, 7.4 percent Orange County |
| Winter Haven | city | 55,200 | 73 | Wholly in this county |
| Haines City | city | 34,234 | 25 | Wholly in this county |
| Bartow | city | 20,438 | 22 | Wholly in this county |
| Auburndale | city | 18,530 | 29 | Wholly in this county |
| Lake Wales | city | 16,785 | 26 | Wholly in this county |
| Highland City | CDP | 13,276 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Davenport | city | 13,238 | 91 | Wholly in this county |
| Lakeland Highlands | CDP | 12,102 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Medulla | CDP | 10,985 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Fuller Heights | CDP | 10,083 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Cypress Gardens | CDP | 10,077 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Loughman | CDP | 7,591 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Inwood | CDP | 7,556 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Willow Oak | CDP | 7,454 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Lake Alfred | city | 7,277 | 5 | Wholly in this county |
| Kathleen | CDP | 7,201 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Dundee | town | 5,863 | 3 | Wholly in this county |
| Jan Phyl Village | CDP | 5,708 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Fussels Corner | CDP | 5,682 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Crystal Lake | CDP | 5,451 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Combee Settlement | CDP | 5,242 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Fort Meade | city | 5,225 | 3 | Wholly in this county |
| Alturas | CDP | 4,581 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Mulberry | city | 4,188 | 7 | Wholly in this county |
| Eagle Lake | city | 3,893 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Wahneta | CDP | 3,876 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Frostproof | city | 3,346 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Polk City | town | 2,974 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Grenelefe | CDP | 2,797 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Crooked Lake Park | CDP | 2,641 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Lake Hamilton | town | 1,777 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Babson Park | CDP | 1,093 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Indian Lake Estates | CDP | 984 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Bradley Junction | CDP | 631 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Hillcrest Heights | town | 377 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Homeland | CDP | 363 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Highland Park | village | 282 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Waverly | CDP | 187 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
A further 13 of the county's 589 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Polk County, the largest being Kissimmee (5), Howard (2), Championsgate (2). Those are postal cities, unincorporated areas and cities outside the county, so no place row claims them; they are counted in the county total above.