What is the largest city in Polk County, FL?

Lakeland is the largest city or town in Polk County, with about 119,961 residents.

How many ZIP codes are in Polk County?

Polk County includes 40 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas, including 33801, 33803, 33805, 33809, 33810.

What is the population of Polk County, FL?

About 790,694 people live in Polk County, based on American Community Survey 5-year estimates.

What counties border Polk County?

Polk County borders Hillsborough County, Orange County, Pasco County, Manatee County, Osceola County, Lake County, Sumter County, Highlands County, Okeechobee County, Hardee County.

Polk County, FL: Cities, ZIP Codes & Local Data

Population

790,694

Land area

1,798sq mi

People per sq mi

440

ZIP codes

40

Polk County at a glance

It is the 9th most populous of 67 counties in Florida.
Households here earn a median of $65,978 a year, 12% less than the Florida figure of $74,568.
A typical owner-occupied home is valued at $266,500 (26% below Florida) and median rent is $1,363 a month.
The biggest population centers are Lakeland (119,961), Winter Haven (55,200) and Haines City (34,234).

Local data for Polk County, FL

Counts from official public data

Housing and community stats

Polk County, FL, American Community Survey 2020-2024

Full profile

Median household income

$65,978

Poverty rate

14.5%

Median home value

$266,500

Prices -1.2% in a year

Median rent

$1,363/mo

Homeownership

70.5%

Bachelor's or higher

23.5%

Median age

39.5

Average commute

30.5 min

Largest reported origins and ancestries: Puerto Ricans (95,449), German Americans (64,993), Mexican Americans (58,817).

Home values and rents Income, education and commute

Economy and federal money

Jobs, income, federal spending and pandemic loans

Details

Unemployment rate

5.2%

Sep 2026, 0.0 pts in a year

Average annual pay

$57,763

264,981 jobs, 2025

Income per person

$46,274

BEA, 2024

Federal spending

$5.3B

FY 2026, $7,284 per person

PPP loans

$965M

19,143 loans, 121,216 jobs reported

Campaign donations

$2.7M

Itemized, 2026 cycle

Economy Federal spending PPP loans

How people get to work

Polk County, FL, workers 16 and older. American Community Survey 5-year estimates

Drove alone75.0%
Carpooled8.8%
Public transit0.4%
Walked1.1%
Bicycle0.4%
Taxi, ride-hailing, motorcycle or other1.9%
Worked from home12.4%

Average one-way commute: 30.5 minutes for people who do not work from home.

Environment and hazard risk

Polk County, FL, from FEMA, NOAA and EPA

Full report

Natural hazard risk

Relatively High

Top: strong wind

Storm events since 1996

742

Most often thunderstorm wind

Flood insurance policies

7,144

2.6% of homes, county

July high / Jan low

93° / 52°F

52.0 inches of rain a year

Hazards, floods and storm history Check a flood zone 50 historic places

Health statistics

Share of adults in Polk County, FL, CDC PLACES estimates

All 40 measures

Obesity

40.2%

U.S. 33.3% +6.9 pts

Diabetes

13.6%

U.S. 12.1% +1.5 pts

Smoking

14.4%

U.S. 12.8% +1.6 pts

Uninsured (18-64)

19.2%

U.S. 11.1% +8.1 pts

Cities, towns and ZIP codes in Polk County

Population shown

Frequently asked questions

What is the largest city in Polk County, FL?: Lakeland is the largest city or town in Polk County, with about 119,961 residents.
How many ZIP codes are in Polk County?: Polk County includes 40 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas, including 33801, 33803, 33805, 33809, 33810.
What is the population of Polk County, FL?: About 790,694 people live in Polk County, based on American Community Survey 5-year estimates.
What counties border Polk County?: Polk County borders Hillsborough County, Orange County, Pasco County, Manatee County, Osceola County, Lake County, Sumter County, Highlands County, Okeechobee County, Hardee County.