Polk County, FL

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Population

686,483

3.05% growth

Median Age

40.4


Median Household Income

$48,475

4.57% growth

Poverty Rate

17.3%


Number of Employees

281,545

2.65% growth

Median Property Value

$153,700

13.6% growth

About

Economy

Health

Diversity

Education

Housing & Living

About

In 2017, Polk County, FL had a population of 686k people with a median age of 40.4 and a median household income of $48,475. Between 2016 and 2017 the population of Polk County, FL grew from 666,149 to 686,483, a 3.05% increase and its median household income grew from $46,355 to $48,475, a 4.57% increase.

The population of Polk County, FL is 59.2% White Alone, 22.3% Hispanic or Latino, and 14.6% Black or African American Alone. N/A% of the people in Polk County, FL speak a non-English language, and 94.3% are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Polk County, FL are Polk State College (1,973 degrees awarded in 2016), Florida Southern College (666 degrees), and Southeastern University (663 degrees).

The median property value in Polk County, FL is $153,700, and the homeownership rate is 67.8%. Most people in Polk County, FL commute by Drove Alone, and the average commute time is 26.8 minutes. The average car ownership in Polk County, FL is 2 cars per household.

About the photo: Path to Pinewood Bok Tower Gardensin Lake Wales, Florida

Photo by Trish Hartmann

United StatesFloridaLakeland-Winter Haven, FL

Economy

The economy of Polk County, FL employs 282k people. The largest industries in Polk County, FL are Retail Trade (42,440 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (34,514 people), and Accommodation & Food Services (21,514 people), and the highest paying industries are Management of Companies & Enterprises ($55,233), Utilities ($45,282), and Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($42,366).

Median household income in Polk County, FL is $48,475. Males in Polk County, FL have an average income that is 1.33 times higher than the average income of females, which is $45,343. The income inequality in Polk County, FL (measured using the Gini index) is 0.473, which is lower than than the national average.

Wages

Median Household Income

$48,475

2017 value

± $1,645

4.57%

1 Year Growth

± 4.27%

Households in Polk County, FL have a median annual income of $48,475, which is less than the median annual income of $60,336 across the entire United States. This is in comparison to a median income of $46,355 in 2016, which represents a 4.57% annual growth.

Look at the chart to see how the median household income in Polk County, FL compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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Wage by Gender in Common Jobs

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for Florida.

$60,114

Average Male Salary

± $840

$45,343

Average Female Salary

± $594

In 2017, full-time male employees in Florida made 1.33 times more than female employees.

This chart shows the gender-based wage disparity in the 5 most common occupations in Florida by number of full-time employees.

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Wage by Race and Ethnicity in Common Jobs

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for Florida.

Highest Average Salaries by Race & Ethnicity

  1. Asian

    $59,204 ± $3,403

  2. Alaska Native

    $49,633 ± $34,468

  3. White

    $49,322 ± $566

In 2017 the highest paid race/ethnicity of Florida workers was Asian. These workers were paid 1.19 times more than Alaska Native workers, who made the second highest salary of any race/ethnicity.

This chart shows the race- and ethnicity-based wage disparities in the 5 most common occupations in Florida by number of full-time employees.

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Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Polk County, FL is from Florida.

0.473

2017 Wage GINI

0.474

2016 Wage GINI

In 2017, the income inequality in Florida was 0.473 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.211% decline from 2016 to 2017, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even.

The 2017 the GINI for Florida was lower than than the national average of 0.479. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in Florida in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in Florida across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

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Income by Location

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Highest Median Household Income (Total)

  1. Census Tract 118.33

  2. Census Tract 118.21

  3. Census Tract 118.35

In 2017, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Polk County, FL was Census Tract 118.33 with a value of $100,177, followed by Census Tract 118.21 and Census Tract 118.35, with respective values of $93,088 and $90,608.

The following map shows all of the tracts in Polk County, FL colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

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Poverty by Age and Gender

Females 25 - 34

Largest Demographic Living in Poverty

17.3% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Polk County, FL (111k out of 639k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 13.4%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Males 6 - 11 and then Females 6 - 11.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

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Poverty by Race and Ethnicity

Largest Race or Ethnicity Living in Poverty

  1. White

    74,412 ± 2,061

  2. Hispanic

    31,648 ± 1,470

  3. Black

    27,419 ± 1,276

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Polk County, FL is White, followed by Hispanic and Black.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

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Occupations

Employment by Occupations

282k

2017 Value

± 9,736

2.65%

1 Year growth

± 4.79%

From 2016 to 2017, employment in Polk County, FL grew at a rate of 2.65%, from 274k employees to 282k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Polk County, FL, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (40,325 people), Sales & Related Occupations (32,175 people), and Management Occupations (22,841 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Polk County, FL.

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Most Common

The most common jobs held by residents of Polk County, FL, by number of employees, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (40,325 people), Sales & Related Occupations (32,175 people), and Management Occupations (22,841 people).

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Most Specialized

Compared to other counties, Polk County, FL has an unusually high number of residents working as Farming, Fishing, & Forestry Occupations (1.82 times higher than expected), Material Moving Occupations (1.6 times), and Construction & Extraction Occupations (1.49 times).

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Highest Paid

The highest paid jobs held by residents of Polk County, FL, by median earnings, are Legal Occupations ($86,378), Health Diagnosing & Treating Practitioners & Other Technical Occupations ($65,263), and Computer & Mathematical Occupations ($62,159).

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Industries

Employment by Industries

282k

2017 Value

± 9,736

2.65%

1 Year growth

± 4.79%

From 2016 to 2017, employment in Polk County, FL grew at a rate of 2.65%, from 274k employees to 282k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Polk County, FL, are Retail Trade (42,440 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (34,514 people), and Accommodation & Food Services (21,514 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Polk County, FL, though some of these residents may live in Polk County, FL and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

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Most Common

The most common industries in Polk County, FL, by number of employees, are Retail Trade (42,440 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (34,514 people), and Accommodation & Food Services (21,514 people).

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Most Specialized

Compared to other counties, Polk County, FL has an unusually high number of Arts, Entertainment, & Recreation (2.33 times higher than expected), Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting (1.54 times), and Administrative & Support & Waste Management Services (1.54 times) industries.

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Highest Paying

The highest paying industries in Polk County, FL, by median earnings, are Management of Companies & Enterprises ($55,233), Utilities ($45,282), and Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($42,366).

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Domestic Trade

Domestic Production & Consumption

Domestic production and consumption consists of products and services shipped from Florida to other states, or from other states to Florida.

Top Domestic Production in Dollars

  1. Mixed freight

    $57.1B

  2. Pharmaceuticals

    $44.9B

  3. Gasoline

    $41.8B

In 2015, the top outbound Florida product (by dollars) was Mixed freight with $57.1B, followed by Pharmaceuticals ($44.9B) and Gasoline ($41.8B).

The following chart shows the share of these products in relation to all outbound Florida products.

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Domestic Trade Growth

Showing data for Florida state.

$457B

2015 Value

$714B

Projected 2045 Value

56.2% growth

In 2015, total outbound Florida trade was $457B. This is expected to increase 56.2% to $714B by 2045.

The following chart shows how the domestic outbound Florida trade is projected to change in comparison to its neighboring states.

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Interstate Trade

Interstate trade consists of products and services shipped from Florida to other states, or from other states to Florida.

Most Common Trade Partners

  1. Georgia

    $17.7B

  2. Texas

    $15.1B

  3. California

    $10.7B

In 2015, the top outbound Florida domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was Georgia with $17.7B, followed by Texas with $15.1B and California and $10.7B.

The following map shows the amount of trade that Florida shares with each state (excluding itself).

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Health

87.7% of the population of Polk County, FL has health coverage, with 37.9% on employee plans, 19.2% on Medicaid, 15.1% on Medicare, 14% on non-group plans, and 1.55% on military or VA plans.

Per capita personal health care spending in the county of Polk County, FL was $8,076 in 2014. This is a 5.05% increase from the previous year ($7,688).

Primary care physicians in Polk County, FL see 2044 patients per year on average, which represents a 3.7% increase from the previous year (1971 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 3203 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 1276 patients per year.

Comparing across all counties in the state, Gadsden County has the highest prevalence of diabetes (16.9%). Additionally, Liberty County has the highest prevalence of adult obesity (39.6%)

Patient to Clinician Ratios

2,044 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio

Primary care physicians in Polk County, FL see an average of 2,044 patients per year. This represents a 3.7% increase from the previous year (1,971 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Polk County, FL in comparison to neighboring states.

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Behavioral Health Conditions

Data only available at the state level.

State with the Highest Prevalence

  1. West Virginia

    8.26% of the population affected

  2. Arkansas

    8.13% of the population affected

  3. New Hampshire

    7.98% of the population affected

In 2016, West Virginia had the highest prevalence of adults with major depressive episode, with 8.26% of the population affected. The second highest is Arkansas (8.13%), followed by New Hampshire (7.98%).

The following map shows the percent of individuals with major depressive episode by state over multiple years.

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Access and Quality

Data only available at state level.

Most prevalent states

  1. Mississippi

    19.2% of adults

  2. Texas

    17.9% of adults

  3. Louisiana

    17.6% of adults

In 2016, Mississippi had the highest prevalence of adults who haven't seen a doctor in the past 12 months due to cost, at 19.2%. It is followed by Texas (17.9%) and Louisiana (17.6%).

The following map shows the prevalence of adults who haven't seen a doctor in the past 12 months due to cost by state over multiple years.

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Health Care Spending

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Florida.

$8,076

Total Per Capita Spending on Personal Health Care 

$4,606

Per Enrollee Private Health Insurance Spending on Personal Health Care

$5,175

Per Enrollee Medicaid Spending on Personal Health Care

$12,229

Per Enrollee Medicare Spending on Personal Health Care

Between 2013 and 2014, all personal health care spending per capita in Florida (including private, Medicare, and Medicaid) grew 5.05%, from $7,688 to $8,076.

The following chart shows how this spending changed over time in comparison to Medicaid, Medicare, and private insurance spending, per enrollee.

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Health Care Coverage

12.3%

Uninsured

37.9%

Employer Coverage

19.2%

Medicaid

15.1%

Medicare

14%

Non-Group

1.55%

Military or VA

Between 2016 and 2017, the percent of uninsured citizens in Polk County, FL declined by 3.77% from 12.8% to 12.3%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Polk County, FL changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

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Health Risks

Data available at the county level.

Most at risk counties

  1. Gadsden County

    16.9% prevalence

  2. Madison County

    15.8% prevalence

  3. Taylor County

    15.5% prevalence

Gadsden County has the highest prevalence of diabetes in Florida, at 16.9%.

The following map shows the prevalence of diabetes in Florida by county over multiple years.

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Diversity

Polk County, FL is home to a population of 686k people, from which 94.3% are citizens. As of 2017, 9.47% of Polk County, FL residents were born outside of the country (65k people).

The ethnic composition of the population of Polk County, FL is composed of 406k White Alone residents (59.2%), 153k Hispanic or Latino residents (22.3%), 100k Black or African American Alone residents (14.6%), 12.1k Asian Alone residents (1.77%), 10.4k Two or More Races residents (1.52%), 2.26k American Indian & Alaska Native Alone residents (0.329%), 1.56k Some Other Race Alone residents (0.228%), and 568 Native Hawaiian & Other Pacific Islander Alone residents (0.0827%).

The most common foreign languages spoken in Polk County, FL are N/A.

Age

Age by Nativity

39

Median Native-Born Age

± 0.6

47

Median Foreign-Born Age

± 1.7

In 2017, the median age of all people in Polk County, FL was 40.4. Native-born citizens, with a median age of 39, were generally younger than than foreign-born citizens, with a median age of 47. But people in Polk County, FL are getting getting older. In 2016, the average age of all Polk County, FL residents was 40.

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Heritage

Foreign-Born Population

9.47%

2017 Foreign-Born Population

65k people

9.45%

2016 Foreign-Born Population

63k people

As of 2017, 9.47% of Polk County, FL residents (65k people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.7%. In 2016, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Polk County, FL was 9.45%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Polk County, FL compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for Florida.

Most Common Origin

  1. Cuba

    984,212 ± 23,779 people

  2. Haiti

    353,866 ± 14,481 people

  3. Colombia

    274,220 ± 12,772 people

In 2017, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Florida was Cuba, the natal country of 984,212 Florida residents, followed by Haiti with 353,866 and Colombia with 274,220.

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Citizenship

94.3%

2017 Citizenship

94%

2016 Citizenship

As of 2017, 94.3% of Polk County, FL residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.1%. In 2016, the percentage of US citizens in Polk County, FL was 94%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Polk County, FL compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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Race and Ethnicity

Most Common

  1. White Alone

    406k ± 286

  2. Hispanic or Latino

    153k ± 8.53k

  3. Black or African American Alone

    100k ± 2.55k

In 2017, there were 2.65 times more White Alone residents (406k people) in Polk County, FL than any other race or ethnicity. There were 153k Hispanic or Latino and 100k Black or African American Alone residents, the second and third most common racial or ethnic groups.

The following bar chart shows the 8 races and ethnicities represented in Polk County, FL as a share of the total population.

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Non-English Speakers

Most Common Languages

  1. N/A

    N/A speakers (N/A%)

  2. N/A

    N/A speakers (N/A%)

  3. N/A

    N/A speakers (N/A%)

N/A% of Polk County, FL citizens are speakers of a non-English language, which is approximately the same as the national average of 21.8%. In N/A, the most common non-English language spoken in Polk County, FL was N/A. N/A% of the overall population of Polk County, FL are native N/A speakers. N/A% speak N/A and N/A% speak N/A, the next two most common languages.

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Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

  1. Vietnam

    17,448 ± 1,607

  2. Gulf War (1990s)

    6,762 ± 1,301

  3. Gulf War (2001-)

    5,846 ± 1,303

Polk County, FL has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 2.58 times greater than any other conflict.

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Education

In 2016, universities in Polk County, FL awarded 4,352 degrees. The student population of Polk County, FL is skewed towards women, with 10,459 male students and 14,019 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Polk County, FL are White (2,584 and 61.1%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (678 and 16%), Black or African American (585 and 13.8%), and Unknown (181 and 4.28%).

The largest universities in Polk County, FL by number of degrees awarded are Polk State College (1,973 and 45.3%), Florida Southern College (666 and 15.3%), and Southeastern University (663 and 15.2%).

The most popular majors in Polk County, FL are Liberal Arts & Sciences (1,065 and 24.5%), Other Business Administration, Management, & Operations (291 and 6.69%), and General Business Administration & Management (289 and 6.64%).

The median tuition costs in Polk County, FL are $22,965 for private four year colleges, and $2,818 and $6,543 respectively, for public four year colleges for in-state students and out-of-state students.

Concentrations

Most Common

  1. Registered Nursing

    109 degrees awarded

  2. Other Business Administration, Management, & Operations

    261 degrees awarded

  3. General Business Administration & Management

    157 degrees awarded

In 2015, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Polk County, FL was Registered Nursing with 109 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Bachelors Degree from schools in Polk County, FL according to their major.

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Universities

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

  1. Polk State College

    1,973 degrees awarded

  2. Florida Southern College

    666 degrees awarded

  3. Southeastern University

    663 degrees awarded

$2,818

Median In-State Public

$22,965

Median Private

In 2016, the Polk County, FL institution with the largest number of graduating students was Polk State College with 1,973 degrees awarded.

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Student Gender for Common Institutions

1,720

Degrees Awarded to Men

2,632

Degrees Awarded to Women

In 2016, 1,720 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Polk County, FL, which is 0.653 times less than the 2,632 female students who received degrees in the same year.

This chart displays the gender disparity between the top 5 institutions in Polk County, FL by degrees awarded.

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Student Race and Ethnicity

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity

  1. White

    2,584 degrees awarded

  2. Hispanic or Latino

    678 degrees awarded

  3. Black or African American

    585 degrees awarded

In 2016 the majority of degrees awarded at institutions in Polk County, FL were to White students. These 2,584 degrees mean that there were 3.81 times more White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Hispanic or Latino, with 678 degrees awarded.

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Housing & Living

The median property value in Polk County, FL was $153,700 in 2017, which is 0.706 times smaller than the national average of $217,600. Between 2016 and 2017 the median property value increased from $135,300 to $153,700, a 13.6% increase. The homeownership rate in Polk County, FL is 67.8%, which is higher than the national average of 63.9%. People in Polk County, FL have an average commute time of 26.8 minutes, and they commute by Drove Alone. Car ownership in Polk County, FL is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Income

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$48,475

Median Household Income

± $1,645

233k

Number of Households

± 7,855

In 2017, the median household income of the 233k households in Polk County, FL grew to $48,475 from the previous year's value of $46,355.

The following chart displays the households in Polk County, FL distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

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Housing

Property Value

$153,700

2017 Median

± $3,193

$135,300

2016 Median

± $5,252

In 2017, the median property value in Polk County, FL grew to to $153,700 from the previous year's value of $135,300.

The following charts display, first, the property values in Polk County, FL compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies and, second, owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property value buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Polk County, FL the largest share of households have a property value in the $150k - $175k range.

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Property Taxes

< $800

Average Range

This chart shows the households in Polk County, FL distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Polk County, FL the largest share of households pay taxes in the < $800 range.

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Rent vs Own

67.8%

2017 Homeownership

67.9%

2016 Homeownership

In 2017, 67.8% of the housing units in Polk County, FL were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 67.9%.

This percentage of owner-occupation is higher than the national average of 63.9%. This chart shows the ownership percentage in Polk County, FL compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

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Transportation

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Polk County, FL distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Polk County, FL have 2 cars, followed by 3 cars.

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Commute Time

26.8 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Polk County, FL have a longer commute time (26.8 minutes) than the normal US worker (25.5 minutes). Additionally, 2.26% of the workforce in Polk County, FL have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Polk County, FL compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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Commuter Transportation

Most Common Method of Travel

  1. Drove Alone

    84.1%

  2. Carpooled

    8.84%

  3. Worked At Home

    4.41%

In 2017, the most common method of travel for workers in Polk County, FL was Drove Alone (84.1%), followed by those who Carpooled (8.84%) and those who Worked At Home (4.41%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

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