Part of series
2026 2025 2024 2023 2022 2021 2000 2019 2018
Data updates
Updated annually and as new data becomes available
Get email notifications -->
Media Contact
Neilsberg Research Media Relations
Share this page

Bartow, FL

City in Polk County, FL, US
Last updated
Key Indicators
A quick look at key numbers

Population

20,438
Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates

Median Age

36.5
years ∙ half population younger than 36.5, half older

Diversity Index

Low High
61.3%
chance two random people differ in race and ethnicity

Nativity

5.5%
foreign-born population
94.5%Native
5.5% Foreign-born

Geographic Context

Location, size, and surroundings

About

Bartow is a city within Polk County, Florida, United States.
Location
City in Polk County, FL, US
Co-ordinates
DEC27.886803° N, 81.821758° W
DMS27° 53′ 12.49″ N, 81° 49′ 18.33″ W

Population Density & area

439.5/sq mi (169.8/km²)
Total Area
52.9 sq mi (136.9 km²)
Land Area
46.5 sq mi (120.4 km²) · 87.9%
Water Area
6.4 sq mi (16.5 km²) · 12.1%

Demographics & Living

Who lives here, how households are formed, and community composition

Population Composition

Key characteristics of the population

Sex Distribution

50.4% male
Male 50.4%
Female 49.6%
males per 100 females
Bartow 101.5
Polk County 97.3
Florida 96.6

Nativity

5.5%
foreign-born population
94.5%Native
5.5% Foreign-born
% Foreign-born
Bartow 5.5%
Polk County 12.6%
Florida 21.9%
Age Distribution
How the population is spread across age groups

Median Age

36.5
years ∙ half population younger than 36.5, half older
Bartow
36.5
Polk County
39.5
Florida
42.6

Dependency ratio

Low High
58.1
dependents per 100 working-age adults
Bartow 58.1
Polk County 70.9
Florida 69.1

AGE DISTRIBUTION

Distribution of age group
Median age
Bartow Polk County Florida
Age Group
Children (Under 18) 20.2% 22% 19.5%
Working age (18-64) 63.3% 58.5% 59.2%
Senior (65+) 16.5% 19.5% 21.3%
Dependency ratio
Total dependency ratio 58.1 70.9 69.1
Child dependency ratio 32 37.6 33
Old-age dependency ratio 26.1 33.3 36.1
Racial & Ethnic Composition
Racial and ethnic makeup and how it compares

Race & Ethnicity

White
55.8%
Black
22%
Asian
2.7%
Hispanic
15.9%
Other
3.6%
Note: White, Black, and Asian refer to individuals belonging to a single race and not of Hispanic origin. Hispanics may be of any race.

Diversity Index

Low High
61.3%
chance two random people differ in race and ethnicity
Bartow 61.3%
Polk County 63.5%
Florida 64.7%
Note: The Diversity Index (DI), based on the Blau Index, measures the probability that two randomly selected individuals differ in race and ethnicity. Values range from 0 (no diversity) to 1 (high diversity) and are shown as percentages.

RACIAL & ETHNIC COMPOSITION

Race & Ethnicity
Percentage of Bartow population
Bartow Polk County Florida
Hispanic or Latino 15.9% 29.2% 27.4%
Mexican 6.2% 7.4% 3.3%
Puerto Rican 5.7% 12.1% 5.6%
Cuban 0.9% 2.4% 7.3%
Other Hispanic / Latino 3.1% 7.3% 11.2%
Not Hispanic or Latino 84.1% 70.8% 72.6%
One race 80.8% 67.4% 68.8%
White 55.8% 50.8% 50.4%
Black or African American 22% 14.1% 14.6%
American Indian and Alaska Native 0.1% 0.1% 0.1%
Asian 2.7% 1.8% 2.9%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 0% 0% 0.1%
Some Other Race 0.3% 0.7% 0.7%
Two or more races (Multiracial) 3.3% 3.4% 3.8%
Household & Families Composition
Household size, type, and family structure

Household structure

66.9% family
Family 66.9%
Non family 33.1%
% family households
Bartow 66.9%
Polk County 68.4%
Florida 64.6%

Average household size

2.6
persons per household
Bartow
2.6
Polk County
2.68
Florida
2.51

Household & Family COMPOSITION

Households
Percentage of Bartow population
Bartow Polk County Florida
Total households 7,439 289,425 8,752,810
Average houshold size 2.6 2.68 2.51
Family households 4,977 197,968 5,652,059
Average family size 3.16 3.2 3.08
Married couple family 3,142 140,838 4,086,171
Other families 1,835 57,130 1,565,888
Male householder 404 16,037 454,845
Female householder 1,431 41,093 1,111,043
Non-family households 2,462 91,457 3,100,751
One-person households 1,888 71,983 2,473,731
Male householder 614 31,980 1,088,019
Senior (65+) living alone 253 13,307 401,750
Female householder 1,274 40,003 1,385,712
Senior (65+) living alone 805 23,143 755,340
Other living arrangements 574 19,474 627,020

Housing Profile

Housing stock, ownership, rentals, and cost burdens

Total housing units

8,019
housing units
Bartow 8,019
Polk County 340,748
Florida 10,256,470

Occupancy status

92.8% occupied
Occupied 92.8%
Vacant 7.2%
vacancy rate
Bartow 7.2%
Polk County 15.1%
Florida 14.7%
Housing Characteristics
How the housing supply is structured and used

Types of Housing unit

72.7%
Single family houses
Single family houses
72.7%
Apartments in multi-unit structures
20.8%
Mobile homes
6.5%
Boat, RV, van, etc
0%

Median Year Built

1979
Half of houses were built before 1979, and half after.
Historic ∙ 1939 or earlier
7.4%
Postwar & mid-century ∙ 1940 - 1969
28.6%
Late 20th century ∙ 1970 - 1999
34.4%
Modern ∙ 2000 or later
29.7%
Note: Median year built reflects occupied units only; distribution includes all units.

Housing Characteristics

Units, rooms & bedrooms
Physical characteristics of housing units
Bartow Polk County Florida
Rooms per unit
Median rooms 5.6 5.4 5.2
1–3 rooms 7.8% 8.6% 15.5%
4–6 rooms 61.6% 64.1% 59.3%
7+ rooms 30.4% 27.3% 25.2%
Bedrooms
No bedroom / studio 1.2% 1.3% 2.3%
1 bedroom 7.7% 7.2% 10%
2 bedrooms 28.7% 30.6% 31.4%
3 bedrooms 44.6% 40.3% 38.1%
4+ bedrooms 17.9% 20.6% 18%
At a glance
Median year built 1979 1993 1989
Total housing units 8,019 340,748 10,256,470
Occupancy Profile
Who is inside and how they use it

Homeownership

65.9% owners
Renter-occupied 34.1%
Owner-occupied 65.9%
homeownership rate
Bartow 65.9%
Polk County 70.5%
Florida 67.6%

Average household size

2.67
Owner-occupied
2.47
Renter-occupied
owner-occupied average size
Bartow 2.67
Polk County 2.65
Florida 2.53

Housing Characteristics

Occupied unit characteristics
Tenure, crowding, and utilities
Bartow Polk County Florida
Total occupied units 7,439 289,425 8,752,810
Year moved in
2020 or later 23.3% 28.9% 28.3%
2010 to 2019 41% 44.3% 42.7%
2000 to 2009 16.2% 14.6% 15.5%
1999 or earlier 19.5% 12.2% 13.6%
Occupants per room
1.00 or fewer 97.2% 96.6% 96.7%
1.01 to 1.50 2.8% 2.6% 2.2%
1.51 or more 0% 0.8% 1.1%
Vehicles availability
No vehicles 8.2% 5.4% 6%
1 vehicle 35.6% 38.5% 38.9%
2 vehicles 34.9% 38.3% 38.1%
3 or more vehicles 21.3% 17.8% 17%
House heating fuel used
Gas 1.8% 4.1% 6.3%
Electricity 94.7% 93.1% 90.4%
Solar 0.4% 0.8% 0.5%
Fuel oil, kerosene etc 0.1% 0.2% 0.1%
All other fuels 0% 0.1% 0.2%
No fuel used 3% 1.6% 2.4%
Selected characteristics
Lacking complete plumbing 0.8% 0.3% 0.3%
Lacking complete kitchen 1% 0.6% 0.7%
No telephone service available 1.8% 0.9% 0.9%
Housing Value
What owner-occupied units are worth

Median home value

$234,100
owner-occupied units
Median value(USD)
Bartow
$234,100
Polk County
$266,500
Florida
$359,000

Housing Cost Burden

26.8%
of homeowners with a mortgage are cost-burdened
% Cost-Burdened Households
Owners with a mortgage
26.8%
Owners without a mortgage
5.6%
Renters
41.1%
Note: Households spending 30% or more of their income on housing costs are considered cost-burdened.

Financial characteristics

Property value and housing costs
Tenure, crowding, and utilities
Bartow Polk County Florida
Property value
Median Value $234,100 $266,500 $359,000
Under $100,000 12.3% 17.8% 9.2%
$100,000 - $200,000 24.2% 16.2% 11.4%
$200,000 - $300,000 32.9% 24.5% 17.9%
$300,000 - $500,000 26% 32.3% 34.5%
$500,000 - $1,000,000 3.9% 8.2% 21.1%
$1,000,000 and more 0.6% 1.2% 5.9%
Owner-occupied households
With a mortgage 57.3% 55.9% 56.3%
Without a mortgage 42.7% 44.1% 43.7%
Median monthly owner costs
With a mortgage $1,587 $1,716 $1,959
Without a mortgage $475 $545 $673
Gross rent
Median rent $1,142 $1,363 $1,669

Education Profile

How educated is the community and how education pays off

Adults with a college degree

22.8%
of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher
Bartow 22.8%
Polk County 23.5%
Florida 34.1%

Adults without a high school diploma

8.3%
of adults (25+) without a high school diploma
Bartow 8.3%
Polk County 12.1%
Florida 10%
School Enrollment
Who is enrolled in school and at what level

School enrollment

4,492
population (age 3+) enrolled in school
Nursery / Preschool
6.3%
K–12
65.3%
College / Undergraduate
20.1%
Graduate / Professional
8.4%

College-going rate (18-24 yr olds)

20.6%
of 18-24-year-olds in college or graduate school
Bartow
20.6%
Polk County
33.1%
Florida
41.6%

Enrollment & school type

Enrollment levels, college-going rate, and public vs private school split
Population 3+ currently enrolled in a school
Bartow Polk County Florida
Total enrolled (age 3+) 4,492 176,967 4,890,026
Nursery / preschool 6.3% 4.5% 5.9%
K–12 65.3% 72.4% 66.3%
Kindergarten 7.1% 5.1% 5.1%
Elementary: Grades 1–4 17.5% 21.9% 19.4%
Elementary: Grades 5–8 20.1% 23.1% 20.6%
High School: Grades 9–12 20.5% 22.4% 21.2%
College or graduate school 28.5% 23% 27.8%
College, undergraduate 20.1% 18.8% 21.9%
Graduate, professional school 8.4% 4.2% 5.9%
College-going rate · 18-24 yr olds 20.6% 33.1% 41.6%
School type
Public school 84.4% 78.6% 79.3%
Private school 15.6% 21.4% 20.7%
Education Attainment by Level & Gender
What is the highest level of education completed among adults

Education attainment

14,597
population 25 years and over
Total adults (25+)
Less than 9th grade
1.6%
9th-12th, no diploma
6.7%
HS graduate
35.7%
Some college no degree
22.5%
Associates degree
10.7%
Bachelors degree
16.4%
Graduate or professional degree
6.4%

Attainment by gender

Male vs Female
Adults (25+) · Share within each education level
% male · % female
Less than 9th grade
43% · 57%
9th-12th, no diploma
60.2% · 39.8%
HS graduate
49.1% · 50.9%
Some college no degree
48.3% · 51.7%
Associates degree
43% · 57%
Bachelors degree
44.3% · 55.7%
Graduate or professional degree
49.1% · 50.9%

Educational Attainment Overview

Distribution and key education attainment rates for adults (25+)
Highest credential completed · adults 25+
Bartow Polk County Florida
Population (25+) 14,597 548,366 16,228,400
Less than 9th grade 1.6% 5.2% 4.2%
9th–12th, no diploma 6.7% 6.9% 5.8%
High school diploma or GED 35.7% 33% 27.2%
Some college, no degree 22.5% 21.3% 18.5%
Associate's degree 10.7% 10.2% 10.1%
Bachelor's degree or higher 22.8% 23.5% 34.1%
Bachelor's degree 16.4% 15.8% 21.3%
Graduate or professional 6.4% 7.6% 12.9%
High School or higher 91.7% 87.9% 89.9%
Earnings by education level
percentage as applicable

Median Earnings

$41,579
Median earnings for adults 25+, by level
Less than HS graduate
$34,817
HS graduate
$35,543
Some college or associates
$45,663
Bachelors degree
$47,827
Graduate or professional degree
$69,116

Poverty Rate

2.3%
for ages 25+, with bachelors degree or higher
Less than HS graduate
35.1%
HS graduate
14.1%
Some college or associates
9.3%
Bachelors degree or higher
2.3%

Outcomes by Education Level

Earnings and poverty rates across education levels (25+)
Adults 25+
Bartow Polk County Florida
Median earnings
Population 25+, with earnings $41,579 $43,179 $46,867
Less than high school graduate $34,817 $31,750 $30,508
High school graduate (includes equivalency) $35,543 $37,210 $36,593
Some college or associate's degree $45,663 $42,786 $43,852
Bachelor's degree $47,827 $55,000 $59,953
Graduate or professional degree $69,116 $65,510 $78,498
Poverty rates
Less than high school graduate 35.1% 26% 24%
High school graduate (includes equivalency) 14.1% 13.9% 14.3%
Some college or associate's degree 9.3% 10.9% 9.8%
Bachelor's degree or higher 2.3% 4.9% 5.8%

About Neilsberg Research

Neilsberg Research Avatar
Neilsberg Research team are data scientists with expertise in processing, analysis and visualization of big data helping small businesses make right decisions.

Cite this page


			
			 	 
			 
	      
Url to be used as reference

			
				
				
		
This article is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be legal or tax advice. We recommend that you consult with a qualified professional such as a lawyer or accountant before making a decision. Many of the products and services featured here are from our affiliate partners. We may receive commissions on purchases made from our chosen links. Read advertiser disclosure.