County profile · Florida
Polk County, FL market data
Population, household spending and competition for 56 business types in Polk County, each scored against other counties.
- Population, 2025
- 874,790
- +19.8% since 2020
- Households
- 289,425
- Median household income
- $65,978
- +30.4% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Median home value
- $266,500
- Jobs located here
- 284,856
- Highest market score
- 88
- Funeral homes, #30 of 1,472 scored counties
A site report maps the competitors on map listings around any address in Polk County by name and distance, and the households and spending within reach. Or open the report at the center of Polk County. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardSurvey estimates 2020–2024 · population estimates 2025 · official business counts 2023 · map listings September 2026 · Data credits · How we measure
What this means
An estimated 874,790 people live in Polk County, in 289,425 households. Population estimates show Polk County grew 19.8% from 2020 to 2025, faster than the U.S. (+3.1%). The median household income in Polk County is $65,978 a year, 18% below the U.S. median of $80,734. That rose 30.4% from the 2015–2019 survey, before inflation.
Set against the U.S., households in Polk County spend the most on vehicle insurance (an index of 118, where 100 is the U.S. average) and the least on memberships, classes and admissions (65).
The highest Groundwork market scores in Polk County are for funeral homes (88), pet grooming and boarding businesses (82) and pet businesses (81). Polk County ranks #30 of 1,472 scored counties for funeral homes.
Polk County is part of the Lakeland-Winter Haven metro area. For its number of households, Polk County has the most map listings, relative to the U.S., for home inspectors (67% above the U.S. rate) and the fewest for yoga, Pilates and fitness studios (58% below the U.S. rate).
All 56 business types in Polk County
Highest Groundwork market score first. Each score compares Polk County with other counties for that business type, from 0 to 100. Spending per listing divides a whole spending line (all vehicle repairs, all eating out) by one type’s listings: the demand for each competitor, not a business’s revenue. Compare it across markets with its index, where 100 is the U.S. figure for the same type; the real estate types, whose line is all housing costs, show the index only. How the score works.
| Business type | Score | Rank among counties | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Spending per listing vs. U.S. (100) | Official establishments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Funeral homes | 88 | #30 of 1,472 | 51 | 1.8 | $944K | 139 | 20 |
| Pet grooming and boarding | 82 | #43 of 1,461 | 75 | 2.6 | $3.2M | 125 | 41 |
| Pet businesses | 81 | #62 of 2,200 | 229 | 7.9 | $1M | 119 | 115 |
| Veterinarians | 81 | #78 of 1,485 | 78 | 2.7 | $3.1M | 113 | 56 |
| Physical therapy | 79 | #78 of 1,422 | 82 | 2.8 | $3.7M | 154 | 46 |
| Coffee shops and cafes | 78 | #144 of 2,063 | 201 | 6.9 | $5M | 136 | 66 |
| Bakeries and dessert shops | 76 | #151 of 1,889 | 196 | 6.8 | $5.2M | 125 | 72 |
| Dry cleaners | 74 | #42 of 507 | 19 | 0.7 | $26.8M | 171 | 21 |
| Yoga, Pilates and fitness studios | 74 | #50 of 777 | 30 | 1.0 | $6.1M | 151 | 44 |
| Pet stores | 74 | #119 of 974 | 50 | 1.7 | $4.8M | 106 | 18 |
| Pizza | 74 | #192 of 2,090 | 156 | 5.4 | $6.5M | 128 | 482 |
| Urgent care and walk-in clinics | 73 | #29 of 325 | 7 | 0.2 | $43.2M | 176 | 16 |
| Restaurants and cafes | 72 | #354 of 2,405 | 2,394 | 82.7 | $423K | 114 | 859 |
| Laundromats | 71 | #146 of 785 | 31 | 1.1 | $16.4M | 131 | 14 |
| Collision repair and body shops | 71 | #195 of 1,327 | 66 | 2.3 | $3.6M | 118 | 47 |
| Sit-down restaurants | 71 | #355 of 2,405 | 1,340 | 46.3 | $756K | 114 | 301 |
| Optometrists and eye care | 70 | #205 of 1,302 | 89 | 3.1 | $3.4M | 109 | 29 |
| Gyms | 70 | #237 of 1,792 | 142 | 4.9 | $1.3M | 99 | 44 |
| Gas stations | 70 | #407 of 2,358 | 314 | 10.8 | $2.5M | 104 | 237 |
| Oil change and quick lube | 69 | #79 of 479 | 14 | 0.5 | $17.2M | 125 | 16 |
| Clothing and shoe stores | 69 | #410 of 2,087 | 274 | 9.5 | $1.9M | 146 | 127 |
| Insurance agencies | 69 | #507 of 2,272 | 365 | 12.6 | $1.8M | 146 | 260 |
| Chiropractors | 68 | #265 of 1,490 | 106 | 3.7 | $2.9M | 119 | 61 |
| Grocery stores | 68 | #462 of 2,070 | 170 | 5.9 | $9.9M | 106 | 106 |
| Grocery and convenience stores | 67 | #528 of 2,402 | 471 | 16.3 | $3.6M | 105 | 204 |
| Clothing, shoes and laundry | 66 | #495 of 2,210 | 390 | 13.5 | $1.3M | 148 | 162 |
| Fast food and sandwich shops | 65 | #559 of 2,222 | 338 | 11.7 | $3M | 98 | 482 |
| Mortgage brokers and lenders | 64 | #194 of 887 | 89 | 3.1 | Index only | 120 | 34 |
| Electricians | 64 | #271 of 1,160 | 74 | 2.6 | $10.6M | 88 | 162 |
| Convenience stores | 64 | #624 of 2,261 | 230 | 7.9 | $7.3M | 93 | 98 |
| House cleaning | 62 | #202 of 847 | 65 | 2.2 | $6.2M | 97 | 162 |
| Gyms, studios and classes | 62 | #536 of 2,088 | 272 | 9.4 | $675K | 102 | 94 |
| Dentists and orthodontists | 61 | #546 of 1,886 | 235 | 8.1 | $1.3M | 131 | 181 |
| Landscaping and lawn care | 60 | #471 of 1,493 | 163 | 5.6 | $2.5M | 84 | 343 |
| HVAC and plumbing | 60 | #506 of 1,707 | 195 | 6.7 | $4M | 84 | 231 |
| Hair salons | 60 | #690 of 2,339 | 533 | 18.4 | $456K | 106 | 127 |
| Auto repair shops | 60 | #744 of 2,378 | 549 | 19.0 | $439K | 99 | 211 |
| Martial arts and dance studios | 59 | #417 of 1,334 | 100 | 3.5 | $1.8M | 91 | 50 |
| Primary care and pediatrics | 58 | #593 of 1,656 | 168 | 5.8 | $1.8M | 101 | 322 |
| Child care and preschools | 58 | #616 of 1,611 | 153 | 5.3 | $741K | 74 | 141 |
| Home repair trades | 57 | #713 of 2,057 | 378 | 13.1 | $2.1M | 85 | 461 |
| Roofing and gutters | 56 | #452 of 1,177 | 109 | 3.8 | $7.2M | 85 | 68 |
| Auto repair and car care | 55 | #1,009 of 2,401 | 965 | 33.3 | $250K | 93 | 352 |
| Nail salons | 54 | #575 of 1,328 | 185 | 6.4 | $1.3M | 79 | 34 |
| Lawn, cleaning and pest control | 54 | #728 of 1,771 | 284 | 9.8 | $1.4M | 84 | 566 |
| Spas and skin care | 54 | #749 of 1,769 | 277 | 9.6 | $877K | 100 | 51 |
| Doctors, dentists and clinics | 53 | #1,064 of 2,394 | 1,712 | 59.2 | $177K | 116 | 655 |
| Property management | 50 | #448 of 910 | 90 | 3.1 | Index only | 83 | 145 |
| Pest control | 49 | #370 of 699 | 56 | 1.9 | $7.2M | 70 | 61 |
| Real estate agents and brokers | 48 | #1,180 of 2,176 | 742 | 25.6 | Index only | 103 | 284 |
| Car washes and detailing | 47 | #811 of 1,451 | 127 | 4.4 | $1.9M | 75 | 47 |
| Tire shops | 46 | #886 of 1,530 | 130 | 4.5 | $1.9M | 74 | 61 |
| Salons, barbers and spas | 46 | #1,429 of 2,385 | 1,239 | 42.8 | $196K | 92 | 232 |
| Real estate | 45 | #1,361 of 2,229 | 951 | 32.9 | Index only | 101 | 562 |
| Barbershops | 44 | #868 of 1,356 | 227 | 7.8 | $1.1M | 57 | 17 |
| Home inspectors | 43 | #266 of 415 | 30 | 1.0 | Index only | 53 | 20 |
Household spending in Polk County
What households here spend in a year on each line, in total and per household, with the index against the U.S. average (100).
| Spending line | A year, all households | Per household | Index vs. U.S. (100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle maintenance and repairs | $240.8M | $832 | 87 |
| Gasoline and other fuels | $782.1M | $2,702 | 104 |
| Food away from home | $1B | $3,500 | 86 |
| Groceries | $1.7B | $5,794 | 92 |
| Personal care products and services | $243M | $840 | 84 |
| Child care and other personal services | $113.4M | $392 | 67 |
| Memberships, classes and admissions | $183.6M | $634 | 65 |
| Medical and dental services | $302.7M | $1,046 | 81 |
| Pets | $238.9M | $825 | 91 |
| Clothing, shoes and related services | $508.5M | $1,757 | 85 |
| Vehicle insurance | $671.1M | $2,319 | 118 |
| Home repairs, maintenance and insurance | $783M | $2,705 | 90 |
| Lawn care, cleaning and other household services | $402.2M | $1,390 | 98 |
| Rent and homeowner costs | $4.2B | $14,367 | 86 |
Household spending is estimated from the incomes of the households in each neighborhood, using what households at each income spent nationally in 2024, adjusted for the region. It counts what residents spend, wherever they spend it.
Population and households in Polk County
- Population, 2025 estimate
- 874,790+19.8% since 2020
- Households
- 289,425
- Median age
- 40.5
- Homes lived in by their owners
- 70%
- Vehicles per household
- 1.8
- Land area
- 1,799 sq. mi.
- People per square mile
- 440
- Median household income
- $65,978+30.4% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Average household income
- $87,487
- Median home value
- $266,500
- Jobs located here
- 284,856
- Daytime population
- 728,367Residents who don’t work, plus everyone whose job is here
Looking at a specific site in Polk County?
These figures cover the whole county. A site report draws rings around one address and counts what’s inside them: households, spending, jobs, and the competitors on map listings by name and distance, for any of the 56 business types.
Or open the report at the center of Polk County. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardRelated markets
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Questions
How fast is Polk County, FL growing?
Population estimates put Polk County at 874,790 people in 2025, up 19.8% since 2020, faster than the U.S. (+3.1%). It has 289,425 households. Against the 2015–2019 survey, median household income rose 30.4%, before inflation.
How much do households in Polk County, FL spend?
Households in Polk County spend about $4.2B a year on rent and homeowner costs, $1.7B on groceries and $1B on food away from home. Relative to the U.S., household spending in Polk County runs highest on vehicle insurance (an index of 118, where 100 is the U.S. average) and lowest on memberships, classes and admissions (65).
Which business types have the highest market scores in Polk County, FL?
Of the business types scored in Polk County, funeral homes (88), pet grooming and boarding businesses (82) and pet businesses (81) have the highest Groundwork market scores. For funeral homes, that ranks #30 of 1,472 scored counties.
How does Polk County, FL compare with the U.S.?
Median household income in Polk County is $65,978, 18% below the U.S. median of $80,734. The population rose 19.8% from 2020 to 2025, against +3.1% for the U.S. The median home value is $266,500, against $332,700 for the U.S. Against the U.S., map listings per household run highest for home inspectors (67% above the U.S. rate) and lowest for yoga, Pilates and fitness studios (58% below the U.S. rate).
What is the Groundwork market score?
The Groundwork market score runs from 0 to 100 and compares a market with others of its kind for one business type: states with states, metro areas with metro areas, small-town markets and counties with their own. It weighs household spending per competitor (35%), households per business with payroll (25%), population growth (20%) and spending power (20%), each ranked against those peers. A higher score means that, taken together, the market has more household spending and more households for each business already there, faster population growth and more spending per household than similar markets. It describes a market, not any one site or deal. All 56 business types have a score in Polk County, each ranked against other counties.
How can I see the market around a specific site?
Run a Groundwork site report on an address in Polk County. It maps the competitors on map listings near the site and sizes the households and spending within the distance you choose. New accounts get 10 actions over 3 days, no card.
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Screening a site or an acquisition in Polk County?
A site report maps the competitors on map listings near an address and sizes the households and spending around it.
The button opens the report at the center of Polk County. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are estimates for research only. Not investment or real estate advice.