Polk County Florida   Located in Central Florida

Polk County Cities

Land area (rank): 1,823 square miles (4)
Population 1993 (rank): 429,943 (8)
Population density 1993 (rank): 236 persons per square mile (18)
Growth 1980-1990 (rank): 26.0% (42)

Physical Characteristics

Polk County is in central Florida, east of the Tampa-St. Petersburg region, and is bordered by Sumter, Lake, Osceola, Highlands, Hardee, Hillsborough, and Pasco counties. The county has 187 square miles of water. The average January temperature is 61.1 degrees F, and the average August temperature is 81.8 degrees F. The average annual rainfall is 49.21 inches.

History

Polk County was established in 1861 from portions of Brevard and Hillsborough counties and named for James Knox Polk, 11th president of the U.S.

Population

In 1993, 61% of Polk County's population was in unincorporated areas. There are 17 incorporated places throughout the county ranging in size from Lakeland (population of 73,121 in 1993) to Highland Park (population of 153 in 1993) The population in unincorporated areas nearly doubled between 1970 and 1987. Polk County has numerous unincorporated places with populations under 10,000. The U.S. Bureau of the Census has designated Polk County as the Lakeland-Winter Haven Metropolitan Statistical Area. In 1993, 85% of Polk County's population was white, and 15% was nonwhite. In 1990, 4.9% of the population was Hispanic. Of the population increase between 1980 and 1990, 76.2% was due to net migration. The 1992 birth rate was 15.0 live births per 1,000 persons, and the 1992 death rate was 10.1 deaths per 1,000 persons. In 1992 the infant mortality rate was 9.7 per 1,000. The leading causes of death in 1993 were heart disease, cancer, and stroke.

Education

Of all 1993 high school graduates, 70.7% planned to continue their education. The 1993 high school dropout rate was 4.1%. In 1990, 68.0% of persons in the county were high school graduates, and 12.9% had completed four or more years of college. Colleges and universities. Landmark Baptist College, Haines City; Polk Community College, Winter Haven; Spurgeon Baptist Bible College, Mulberry; Warner Southern College, Lake Wales; Webber College, Babson Park; Assemblies of God Theological Seminary Center, Florida Southern College, Southeastern College Assemblies of God, Lakeland.

Economy

In 1993, the per capita income in Polk County was $16,195 (32nd highest in the state). The median household income in 1989 was $25,216. In 1989, 9.4% of families had incomes below the poverty level. In 1990, 18.4% of personal income in Polk County was derived from transfer payments. In 1992 the greatest numbers of persons were employed in the retail trade, services, and government sectors. The employers of the greatest numbers of persons in the retail trade sector were eating and drinking establishments and food stores. The leading employers in the services sector were medical and health and business services. Polk County is the leading phosphate producer in the state as well as the leading citrus producer and a leading citrus processor. In 1992 there were 2,294 farms in Polk County, totalling 611,336 acres (52% of land in the county). Polk County is a major producer of cattle and poultry. In 1991, 3,356 thousand board feet of softwood logs and 8,466 cords of softwood for pulp were produced.

Median value of a single-family home 1990: $61,000
Median monthly rent 1990: $300
Mobile homes as a % of total housing: 27.8
Housing starts 1992: 2,629
Housing starts 1993: 2,495

In 1992 the price level index for Polk County was 93.00 (9th highest in the state).

Local Government

In 1993, the ad valorem millage rate was 7.7770, and the total taxable value of property was $11,100,188,786. Taxable sales totalled $3297.40 million in 1992 and $3522.40 million in 1993. Lottery sales totalled $62,771 thousand in 1992. In 1990-91 Polk County's revenues totalled $286,373 thousand ($690.6 per capita) and its expenditures $263,714 thousand ($635.9 per capita). Of those 18 years of age and older, 54.1% were registered to vote in 1992. Of these, 57.4% were registered Democrat and 38.5% were registered Republican. In the 1992 presidential election 45.2% of the votes were cast for Bush, 35.3% for Clinton, and 19.3% for Perot.

Events and Places of Interest

Florida Citrus Festival and Polk County Fair, Winter Haven, January; Black Hills Passion Play, Lake Wales, February; Carillon Festival, Lake Wales, April; Water Skiing Championships, Cypress Gardens, June; Bok Tower, Lake Wales; Cypress Gardens, Winter Haven; Polk Museum of Art, Florida Southern College Architectural District, South Lake Morton Historic District, Lakeland.