Polk County, Florida Income Statistics
Polk County Wealth Score
The wealth index reflects the overall economic prosperity and financial well-being of a county's residents based on income levels, employment rates, and income inequality metrics.
-
D
Polk County Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Polk County | Florida Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $66,901 | $74,580 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $46,765 | $52,322 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 5.3% | 5.4% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 7.3% | 11.6% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 6.4% | 11.0% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Polk County is about 10% lower than in Florida. Income has been growing slower in Polk County (5.3%/yr) than in Florida (5.4%/yr).
About 7% of adults in Polk County earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, lower than the Florida average of 12%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Polk County, Florida grew by 51.7% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $66,901 in 2024. That's an average of about 5.3% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Polk County
| Metric | Polk County | Florida Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.543 | 0.551 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $53,775 | $60,595 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $45,882 | $50,762 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 14.7% | 16.2% | 18.4% |
The Gini coefficient measures how evenly income is shared between richer and poorer households, from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns nearly everything). The lower the number, the more equally income is distributed. In Polk County, it is 0.543, lower than Florida's 0.551, so income is more evenly distributed here than there, and lower than the US's 0.552, so income is more evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 17% more than women's income in Polk County, Florida. Over a 35-year career, a 17% wage gap accumulates to roughly $276,255 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Polk County, Florida has narrowed from about 18% to 15% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 19% in 2010. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $1,044 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Polk County | Florida Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 4.8% | 4.8% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 12.4% | 15.7% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 26 | 23 | 22 |
Approximately 17,791 people are unemployed in Polk County, Florida.
The average commute time in Polk County is 26 minutes, longer than the 23 minutes in Florida.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Polk County, Florida has fallen from 10.6% to 4.8% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 12.5% in 2013 and fell as low as 4.4% in 2023.
Polk County, FL Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Polk County, FL is the 3rd largest of the 6 counties compared here, 790,685 residents against a local median of 427,393. Nothing separates Polk County, FL sharply from the counties around it. Each measure below lands within 15% of the local median, close enough that the differences are within what survey sampling alone would produce.
The largest of those small differences is unemployment, 12% below the local median at 4.8% against 5.5%. Polk County, FL has the 2nd lowest unemployment of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Income growthAverage yearly change in median household income since 2016. Each year is measured in its own dollars, so this is growth before inflation. | Unemployment | Income inequalityGini coefficient: 0 would mean every household earns the same, 1 that a single household earns everything. The lower the number, the more equally income is shared here. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Polk County, FL | 790,685 | $66,901 #4/6 | 5.3%/yr #6/6 | 4.8% #2/6 | 0.543 #2/6 |
| Hardee County, FL | 25,673 | $61,052 | 6.8%/yr | 5.9% | 0.591 |
| Osceola County, FL | 427,393 | $72,294 | 5.9%/yr | 5.4% | 0.546 |
| Hillsborough County, FL | 1,519,188 | $79,532 | 5.4%/yr | 4.5% | 0.551 |
| Orange County, FL | 1,470,874 | $80,245 | 6.3%/yr | 5.5% | 0.561 |
| Highlands County, FL | 105,700 | $55,582 | 5.7%/yr | 6.4% | 0.518 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Polk County, Florida has an overall wealth index grade of D, making it about on par with Florida, and somewhat worse than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Polk County, Florida.
How Rich Is Polk County, Florida?
Polk County has a wealth index grade of D. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; a D grade means residents are somewhat worse off than the U.S. average. The median household income is $66,901, about 10% lower than the Florida average of $74,580.
How has median household income changed in Polk County, Florida?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Polk County, Florida rose 52%, from $44,105 to $66,901. Over the same years, income here lagged behind Florida as a whole: +52% against +57%.
What was the median household income in Polk County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Polk County, Florida was $64,173, up 5% from $60,957 in 2022. The Florida median that year was $71,864.
What was the median household income in Polk County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Polk County, Florida was $51,648. By 2024 it had risen 30% to $66,901.
What is the Gini coefficient in Polk County, Florida?
The Gini coefficient in Polk County is 0.543. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is lower than the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed more equally than in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in Polk County, Florida?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Polk County, Florida has narrowed from about 18% to 15% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 19% in 2010. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $1,044 since 2009.
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