City Report · FL

Polk City

Pop. 2,974·252nd most expensive in Florida·Rental market data updated monthly for Polk City, FL

Median rent (all units)

$1,716/mo

Year-over-Year

Stable

Month-over-Month

+0.2%

vs US Median

-$216

Reported rents

Stable (Monthly)

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Most AffordableMost Expensive

Polk City · $1,716

More affordable than 60% of US cities · National median $1,932/mo

Affordability

26% of income

AFFORDABLE

0%30% benchmark60%+

At $1,716/mo, rent takes about 26% of the local median household income, comfortably within the 30% benchmark.

Income to afford

$69,000/yr

Local median income

$79,762/yr

Based on the 30%-of-income rule using Polk City's median rent and household income. See the full affordability breakdown →

Medians by bedroom

Rent by unit size

2 BR

$952

3 BR

$1,363

Fair Market Rent (HUD)

$952/mo

These are HUD Fair Market Rents, the payment standard for a Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8). They often differ from the $1,716 market median above, and that is expected: FMR is the 40th percentile of standard-quality units and counts gross rent, so it includes essential utilities such as electricity, water, gas, sewer, and trash. The market median is asking rent, which usually excludes utilities. HUD sets FMR once a year; market rent here updates monthly.

Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents. Read the methodology →

Rent trends

12-month history

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Last updated: October 17, 2026

Annual cost

$20,592/yr

At $1,716/mo median

Rent Market Meter

Balanced Market

Renter's MarketBalancedLandlord's Market

Rents are roughly steady, with neither renters nor landlords holding a strong edge right now.

Based on rent-price momentum (+0.0% YoY, +0.2% MoM), not inventory.

Rent check

Is your rent fair?

Compare your rent to the local median.

Demographics

Who lives here

Polk City, FL is majority owner-occupied, has a large retiree population, 22.5% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Population

2,974

Median income

$79,762

Median age

Renters

16.6%

Age distribution

19.4%

20.3%

30%

20.1%

Under 1819.4%

18–3420.3%

35–5430%

55–6410.2%

65+20.1%

Gender

49.1%

50.9%

Male49.1%

Female50.9%

Race & ethnicity

61.8%

37.9%

White61.8%

Black6.3%

Hispanic37.9%

Asian0.9%

Education (25+)

30.7%

37.5%

22.5%

No HS diploma9.3%

HS diploma30.7%

Some college37.5%

Bachelor's+22.5%

Housing tenure

83.4%

16.6%

Owner83.4%

Renter16.6%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates

2021 vs 2026

How Polk City, FL has changed in 5 years

Income

$59,069 → $79,762

up 35.0%

Population

2,637 → 2,974

up 12.8%

Renter share

17.8% → 16.6%

-1.2 pts

Bachelor's+

15.6% → 22.5%

+6.9 pts

Median age

47.7 → 42

-5.7 yrs

Median household income climbed from $59,069 to $79,762 between 2021 and 2024, a 35.0% shift. Census counts show Polk City, FL adding about 337 residents over the five-year window, up 12.8% on net. Bachelor's-degree-or-higher attainment moved from 15.6% to 22.5% across the same window.

Community

Discussions about Polk City

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View Polk City rent history (2015–2026) →

Salary vs rent

Can you afford rent in Polk City on your salary?

At $1,716/mo, how Polk City rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).

Registered Nurse

Avg $87,866/yr · Rent = 23.4% income

affordable

Elementary School Teacher

Avg $62,384/yr · Rent = 33% income

stretched

Police Officer

Avg $71,861/yr · Rent = 28.7% income

affordable

Software Developer

Avg $128,442/yr · Rent = 16% income

very comfortable

Lawyer

Avg $164,117/yr · Rent = 12.5% income

very comfortable

Firefighter

Avg $58,413/yr · Rent = 35.3% income

stretched

Truck Driver

Avg $52,740/yr · Rent = 39% income

stretched

Electrician

Avg $65,007/yr · Rent = 31.7% income

stretched

By apartment size

Polk City rent by bedroom count

Median rent for each apartment size in Polk City. Click any size for full breakdown.

Local insights

Tips for renters in Polk City

About renting in Polk City, FL

Last updated: October 17, 2026

The median rent in Polk City is $1,716/mo as of October 2026. a 2-bedroom runs $952/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $1,363/mo.

At 26% of local median household income ($79,762/yr), Polk City ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rent prices have stayed steady over the past year.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

How much income do you need to rent in Polk City?

To keep rent at or below 30% of gross income, you would need to earn at least $69,000/year (about $33/hour full-time) to afford the median rent of $1,716/mo in Polk City. The local median household income is $79,762/yr, so the typical household meets that bar.