Polk County, Florida facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Polk County
U.S. county
Polk County courthouse in Bartow
Flag Seal Logo
Location within the U.S. state of Florida
Florida's location within the U.S.
Country	United States
State	Florida
Founded	February 8, 1861
Named for	James K. Polk
Seat	Bartow
Largest city	Lakeland
Area
• Total	2,011 sq mi (5,210 km2)
• Land	1,798 sq mi (4,660 km2)
• Water	213 sq mi (550 km2)  10.6%
Population  (2020)
• Total	725,046
• Density	403/sq mi (156/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
Area code	863
Congressional districts	11th, 15th, 18th

Polk County (/poʊk/) is a county located in the central portion of the U.S. state of Florida. The county population was 725,046, as of the 2020 census, and estimated to be 818,330, as of July 1, 2023. Its county seat is Bartow, and its largest city is Lakeland.

Polk County comprises the Lakeland–Winter Haven metropolitan statistical area (MSA). This MSA is the 77th-most populous one and the 89th-most populous primary statistical area of the United States as of July 1, 2012.

The center of population of Florida is located in Polk County, near the city of Lake Wales. Polk County is home to one public university, one state college, and four private universities.

History

U.S. President James Knox Polk, namesake of the county

The first people to call Polk County home arrived close to 12,000 years ago during the last ice age as the first paleo-indians following big game southward arrived on the peninsula of Florida. By this time, the peninsula had gone through several expansions and contractions due to changing sea level; at times the peninsula was much wider than it is today, while at other times it was almost entirely submerged with only a few small islands exposed. These first paleo-indians, nomadic hunter/gatherers who did not establish any permanent settlements, eventually gave way to the "archaic people", the ancestors of the Indians who came in contact with the Spaniards when they arrived on the peninsula. These Indians thrived on the peninsula and it is estimated that there were over 250,000 in 1492 when Columbus set sail for the New World. As was common elsewhere, contact with Europeans had a devastating effect on the Indians. Smallpox, measles, and other diseases, to which the Indians had no immunity, caused widespread epidemic and death. Those who had not succumbed to diseases such as these were often either killed or enslaved as Spanish explorers and settlers arrived. Within a few hundred years, nearly the entire pre-columbian population of Polk County had been wiped out. The remnants of these Indians joined with refugee Creek Indians from Georgia and The Carolinas to form the Seminole Indian Tribe.

For around 250 years after Ponce De Leon arrived on the peninsula, the Spanish ruled Florida. In the late 17th century, Florida went through an unstable period in which the French and British ruled the peninsula. After the American Revolution, the peninsula briefly reverted to Spanish rule. In 1819, Florida became a U.S. territory as a result of the Adams-Onis Treaty.

While Florida gained statehood in 1845, it was not until 1861 that Polk County was created from the eastern half of Hillsborough County. It was named in honor of former United States President James K. Polk, whose 1845 inauguration was on the day after Florida became a state.

Following the Civil War, the county commission established the county seat on 120 acres (0.49 km²) donated in the central part of the county. Bartow, the county seat, was named after Francis S. Bartow, a confederate Colonel from Georgia who was the first confederate Brigade Commander to die in battle. Colonel Bartow was buried in Savannah, Georgia with military honors, and promoted posthumously to the rank of Brigadier General. The original name of the town was Fort Blount. Several other towns and counties in the South changed their name to Bartow. The first courthouse built in Bartow was constructed in 1867. It was replaced twice, in 1884 and in 1908. As the third courthouse to stand on the site, the present structure houses the Polk County Historical Museum and Genealogical Library.

Recent history

Growth in Polk County is driven by proximity to both the Tampa and Orlando metropolitan areas along the Interstate 4 corridor. Recent growth has been heaviest in Lakeland (closest to Tampa) and the Northeast areas near Haines City (nearest to Orlando). From 1990–2000, unincorporated areas grew 25%, while incorporated areas grew only 11%. In addition to developing cottage communities for commuters, there is evidence in Haines City of suburban sprawl into unincorporated areas. Despite the impressive growth rate, the unemployment rate of Polk has typically been higher than that of the entire state. In August 2010, the county had an unemployment rate of 13.4% compared to 11.7% for the entire state.

During the 2004 Atlantic hurricane season, three hurricanes, Charley, Frances and Jeanne all tracked over Polk County, intersecting in a triangle that includes the city of Bartow.

Winter Haven was best known as the home of Cypress Gardens, a theme park that closed September 23, 2009. The city is now home to the theme park Legoland Florida, built on the site of Cypress Gardens. Country musician Gram Parsons was from a wealthy family in Winter Haven. Winter Haven was also home to the first Publix supermarket circa 1930, and Lakeland, Florida is where Publix's Corporate Offices are located.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 2,011 square miles (5,210 km²), of which 1,798 square miles (4,660 km²) is land and 213 square miles (550 km²) (10.6%) is water. It is the fourth-largest county in Florida by land area and fifth-largest by total area.

Adjacent counties

In addition, at its northeast corner, Polk County touches Orange County at a quadripoint called Four Corners, Florida; Lake and Osceola counties lie between.

Demographics

2020 Census

As of the 2020 United States census, 725,046 people, 240,879 households, and 165,183 families were residing in the county.

2010 Census

U.S. Census Bureau 2010 Ethnic/Race Demographics:

• White (non-Hispanic) (75.2% when including White Hispanics): 64.6%
• Black (non-Hispanic) (14.8% when including Black Hispanics): 14.2%
• Hispanic or Latino of any race: 17.7%
• Asian: 1.6%
• Two or more races: 2.4%
• American Indian and Alaska Native: 0.4%
• Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander: 0.1%
• Other Races: 5.5%

In 2010, the largest ancestry groups were:

12.2% German

11.6% American

11.2% English

10.8% Irish

7.6% Mexican

5.8% Puerto Rican

4.1% Italian

2.6% French

2.1% Polish

2.0% Scotch-Irish

1.8% Scottish

1.5% Dutch

1.2% Cuban

There were 227,485 households, out of which 27.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.1% were married couples living together, 13.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.0% were non-families. 23.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.0% (3.4% male and 7.6% female) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.59 and the average family size was 3.05.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 23.5% under the age of 18, 8.8% from 18 to 24, 24.0% from 25 to 44, 25.6% from 45 to 64, and 18.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39.8 years. For every 100 females there were 96.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.7 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $43,946, and the median income for a family was $51,395. Males had a median income of $37,768 versus $30,655 for females. The per capita income for the county was $21,881. About 11.5% of families and 15.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.5% of those under age 18 and 8.7% of those aged 65 or over.

In 2010, 10.7% of the county's population was foreign-born, with 37.8% being naturalized American citizens. Of foreign-born residents, 70.4% were born in Latin America, 11.5% were born in Europe, 10.2% born in Asia, 4.9% in North America, 2.6% born in Africa, and 0.4% were born in Oceania.

Languages

As of 2010, 81.80% of all residents spoke English as their first language, while 14.34% spoke Spanish, 0.70% French Creole (mostly Haitian Creole,) and 0.51% of the population spoke French as their mother language. In total, 18.20% of the population spoke languages other than English as their primary language.

Economy

Polk County's economy is supported by a workforce of over 275,000 in 2010. Traditionally, the largest industries in Polk County's economy have been phosphate mining, agriculture, and tourism.

Notable companies headquartered in Polk County include Publix (an employee-owned grocery chain) and Florida's Natural (an agricultural cooperative).

Top employers

The top employers of Polk County are as follows:

1. Polk County Public Schools (13,000)
2. Publix (11,721)
3. Lakeland Regional Health (5,605)
4. Walmart (5,100)
5. City of Lakeland (2,300)
6. GEICO (2,222)
7. Polk County Board of County Commissioners (2,200)
8. Winter Haven Hospital (2,079)
9. Polk County Sheriff's Office (1,955)
10. Watson Clinic (1,851)
11. Southeastern University (1,557)
12. Legoland Florida (1,500)
13. The Mosaic Company (1,380)
14. Sykes (1,150)
15. State Farm Insurance (1,000)
16. Amazon (1,000)
17. GC Services (1,000)
18. Polk State College (932)
19. Rooms to Go (900)
20. Florida's Natural Growers (645)
21. CSX Transportation (599)

Employers and statistic last updated April 23, 2018

Sports

Polk County is home to professional baseball and basketball teams and boasts a rich history of collegiate sports competition at a number of its institutions of higher learning, including perennial NCAA Division II national championship contender and titleholder (in multiple sports), Florida Southern College.

Professional baseball, especially major league spring training, was historically a major generator of tourist traffic for Polk County. Today, however, only the Detroit Tigers remain for spring training. Additionally, the Single-A Lakeland Flying Tigers play in Joker Marchant Stadium after spring training.

Professional basketball made its debut in 2017 when the Lakeland Magic took the court in its home venue, RP Funding Center. The team is the NBA G League developmental affiliate of the NBA's Orlando Magic. In 2023, the team relocated from Polk County to Osceola County.

College sports are also popular in Polk County. The Florida Southern Moccasins play in NCAA Division II in the Sunshine State Conference. The Southeastern Fire play in NAIA Sun Conference.

Education

Polk County Public Schools serves the county.

Universities and colleges

State University System of Florida (public)

• Florida Polytechnic University

Florida College System (Public)

• Polk State College (previously known as Polk Community College)

Private institutions

• Southeastern University (affiliated with the Assemblies of God)
• Florida Southern College
• Warner University (affiliated with the Church of God)
• Webber International University
• Keiser University, Lakeland Campus (not-for-profit)
• Southern Technical College, Auburndale Campus

Library cooperative

The Polk County Library Cooperative was formed October 1, 1997, through an interlocal agreement between the 13 municipalities with public libraries and the board of county commissioners. The cooperative enables the city-owned and -operated public libraries to open their doors to all residents of the county, including those in the unincorporated areas.

Interlibrary Loan

Interlibrary Loan (ILL) offers library patrons the opportunity to request and receive books that are not owned by the Winter Haven Public Library. Through ILL, not only do patrons have access to the circulating book collections of all the library systems in Polk County, but also all of the library systems in Florida, as well as universities and public library systems throughout the United States.

Cooperative member libraries

Services

Polk County Historical and Genealogical Library

History

Polk County History Center where the Genealogical Library is located.

The Polk County Historical and Genealogical Library was established in 1937, and opened to the public in January 1940. The library was first located in the office of the county attorney and its holdings were all housed in a metal bookcase. Since then, the library has been housed in several different locations within the old Polk County Courthouse. In 1968, the library hired its first full-time employee. By 1974, the library added a second employee and was moved to a new location on Hendry Street. In 1987, the library relocated back to the 1908 Courthouse.

It was renovated during a 10-year process that included expansion to take over and adapt all three floors of the eastern wing of the courthouse. As of 2013, the library is located in the east wing of the historical courthouse in Bartow. It is governed by the Polk County Board of County Commissioners and administered by the Neighborhood Services Department and the Leisure Services Division. The library holds one of the largest genealogical and historical collections in the Southeastern United States.

Collections and services

The Polk County Historical and Genealogical Library holds more than 40,000 items in its collection, which includes books, microfilm, and periodicals with information about the history and genealogy of the entire Eastern United States. The selection of materials related to the history of Polk County contains local newspapers dated back to 1881, aerial photography to 1938, city directories to 1925 and property tax rolls to 1882. Four full-time staff members are available for assistance at the library. The library also offers local obituary searches and basic looks-ups via email.

Media

Polk is part of the Tampa Bay media market.

Newspapers

• The Polk County Democrat 1931–present
• The Lakeland Ledger 1924–present; owned by New Media Investment Group
• The Winter Haven News Chief 1911–present
• The Business Observer 1997–present

Radio

Television

• WMOR-TV (licensed to Lakeland, with studios in Tampa)

Transportation

Airports

• Lakeland Linder International Airport In 2017 Linder welcomed its first international flight, and in 2018 the name was changed to reflect the airport's international status.
• Bartow Municipal Airport
• Lake Wales Municipal Airport
• Jack Browns Seaplane Base
• Winter Haven's Gilbert Airport
• South Lakeland Airport
• Chalet Suzanne Air Strip
• River Ranch resort Airport

Highways

• Limited Access Highways
  • I-4 (Interstate 4) – This interstate highway cuts across the northern part of the county, entering from Tampa and Plant City in the west, bypassing Lakeland, Auburndale, and Haines City, and heading northeast toward the greater Orlando area.
  • SR 570 (or Polk Parkway) – With endpoints at I-4, this toll road traverses primarily around Lakeland, intersecting with several major routes in southern Lakeland and additionally providing access to Winter Haven and Legoland via SR 540, and Auburndale via US 92. It exists as SR 570.
  • Central Polk Parkway (Under Development)
  • Heartland Parkway (proposed)
• U.S. Highways
  • US 17 – This U.S. highway enters Polk County from the southwest, bypassing Fort Meade on its way to Bartow, and eventually through Eagle Lake into Winter Haven. North of Winter Haven, in Lake Alfred, it joins with US 92 to form a concurrency that continues north and east through Haines City and Davenport toward Kissimmee and Orlando.
  • US 27 – This primary thoroughfare in eastern Polk County bypasses several cities, including Frostproof, Lake Wales, Dundee, Lake Hamilton, Haines City, and Davenport. Its interchange with I-4 is a gateway to the Orlando area.
  • US 92 – This route essentially parallels I-4 to the south over its journey through Polk County. From Plant City to the west, it enters Polk County and crosses Lakeland, emerging and continuing on through Auburndale. It joins US 17 in Lake Alfred.
  • US 98 – This route crosses northwest to southeast across Polk County. Entering from Pasco County, it cuts through Lakeland and leads to Bartow. In Bartow, it begins a concurrency with US 17 through Fort Meade, where it jogs over to meet US 27 in Frostproof. US 98 is concurrent with US 27 as it exits Polk County to the southeast.
  • US 192 – This highway has its western terminus at US 27 along the border of Polk and Lake Counties. It runs eastward from this junction to provide access to Disney World, the Orlando area, and the Space Coast.
• Major State Roads
  • SR 17 – This scenic highway winds parallel to the east of US 27, running through the downtown areas of Lake Wales, Dundee, Lake Hamilton, and Haines City.
  • SR 33 – It stems northward from Lakeland and leads to Polk City, and continues northward through the Green Swamp.
  • SR 37 – Also called South Florida Avenue, this road connects Mulberry to southern Lakeland.
  • SR 60 – The major route of southern Polk County and the county's largest state road, it connects Mulberry and Bartow with Lake Wales on its route from coast to coast in Florida.
  • SR 540 – This road leads from Highland City in the Lakeland area to Winter Haven as Winter-Lake Road, then jogging over at US 17 and providing access to Legoland and US 27 as Cypress Gardens Boulevard.
  • SR 542 – This road travels through central Polk County, connecting downtown Winter Haven to US 27 and Dundee.
  • SR 544 – This road leads first from Auburndale to Winter Haven as Havendale Boulevard, and continues north and east as a scenic route to southern Haines City.
  • SR 559 – This route straddles Lake Ariana in Auburndale and connects this city with Polk City, also providing access to I-4.

Intercity rail

Polk County has two Amtrak train stations, in Winter Haven and Lakeland. Both stations are served by Amtrak's Silver Star, with the Winter Haven station alone also served by Amtrak's Silver Meteor.

Communities

Municipalities of Polk County

According to the 2010 Census, just under 38% of the population of the county lives in one of Polk's seventeen incorporated municipalities. The largest city, Lakeland, has over 97,000 residents and is located in the western edge of the county. The other core city of the metropolitan area, Winter Haven, is located in the eastern part of the county and has 34,000 residents. The county seat, Bartow, is located southeast of Lakeland and southwest of Winter Haven and has over 17,000 residents. The cities of Bartow, Lakeland, and Winter Haven form a roughly equilateral triangle pointed downward with Bartow being the south point, Lakeland the west point, and Winter Haven the east point.

The other major cities in the county with a population over 10,000 include Haines City, Auburndale and Lake Wales. Haines City is in the northeast part of the county and has over 20,000 residents. Auburndale is located northwest of Winter Haven and Lake Wales is around 16 miles east of Bartow.

Cities

Towns

• Dundee
• Hillcrest Heights
• Lake Hamilton

Village

• Highland Park

Census-designated places

Other unincorporated communities

See also

In Spanish: Condado de Polk (Florida) para niños