Relocate or Expand
With a premier location, a cost of doing business that is nearly 10 percent lower than the U.S. average, and a highly educated workforce, the central Florida region offers a variety of competitive advantages to relocating and expanding businesses. Bartow and Polk County’s economic development team is committed to providing site selectors and businesses with key data and assistance that can simplify your decision-making process.
Demographic Data
Bartow has a population of approximately 19,424 people. The city has a diverse demographic profile, with about 55% of the population identifying as White, 24% as Black or African American and 15% as Hispanic or Latino. The median age in Bartow is 36.5 years, and the city has a nearly even gender distribution with 50.56% males and 49.44% females. The median household income is around $60,974, with a poverty rate of 15.5%. Bartow’s residents primarily use personal vehicles for commuting, with an average travel time to work of 23.5 minutes.
The workforce in Bartow is predominantly composed of white-collar workers, making up 72.41% of the working population, while blue-collar employees account for 27.59%. The city has a significant number of entrepreneurs, with 5.4% of the workforce being self-employed. The largest employment sectors include office and administrative support, sales and construction. Additionally, Bartow has a notable presence of workers in private companies (72.37%) and governmental institutions (17.69%). The employment rate in Bartow has been growing, with a 7.85% increase from 2021 to 2022
Homeownership in Bartow reflects a stable and growing community. As of 2022, approximately 62.8% of the 6,921 occupied housing units in Bartow are owner-occupied. The average home value is around $276,900, showing a 3.7% increase over the past year.
Learn More
For detailed demographic information on Bartow, please visit Census Reporter. This resource provides comprehensive data on population, housing, income and more to help you understand our community better.
Polk by the Numbers
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#1 Fastest Growing County in Florida
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#1 State for Income Migration
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Best State for Business Startups
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1st Fastest Growing County in the Nation
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9th Most Populous County in Florida
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9th Best County for Talent Attraction
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Nearly 100,000 New People in 5 Years (U.S. Census Bureau)
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Employment Sectors
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22.5% Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation
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9.8% Health Services
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16.4% Information Technology
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9.2% Financial Activities
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8.5% Manufacturing
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6.8% Transportation and Warehousing
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4.6% Professional, Scientific, and R&D
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2.7% Education
Wage Growth
Between 2021 and 2022, the median household income in Polk County grew by 10.5%.