The Town FilesBartow, Florida
City in Polk County · population 19,309 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $234,100
- Household income
- $68,178
- Jan low / Jul high
- 50° / 92°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 43
- Median age
- 36.5
Bartow is a city of 19,309 people in Polk County, Florida. The median home is worth $234,100, below the typical Florida town ($331,600). It ranks easier by car than 83% of Florida towns, better for cycling than 76% of Florida towns.
How Bartow ranks
Percentile among Florida towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Florida towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Bartow is worth $234,100, below the typical Florida town ($331,600). Homes cost about 3.4 times the median household income of $68,178, which is more affordable than 85% of Florida towns. Median rent is $1,142 a month. 65.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Bartow | Typical Florida town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $234,100 | $331,600 |
| Median rent | $1,142 | $1,569 |
| Median household income | $68,178 | $71,140 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.4× | 4.5× |
| Homeownership | 65.9% | 73.5% |
| Median year built | 1979 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 3.4% | — |
Who lives in Bartow
| People | Bartow | Typical Florida town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.5 | 42.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 16.5% | 20.2% |
| Under 18 | 20.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 22.8% | 28.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 18.1% | 11.3% |
| Veterans | 7.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 5.5% | — |
| Work from home | 7.9% | 13.5% |
| Average commute | 26.3 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 86.9% | 92.4% |
Weather in Bartow
July highs average 91.9°F and January lows 49.5°F. About 50.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical Florida town: 0.0 in). Expect about 121 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 2 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
43 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Bartow since 1950, compared with 35 for the typical Florida town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF2, struck on June 24, 2012 about 9.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 4, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 22 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on March 30, 1996.
Severe weather in Polk County since 1996
Polk County has been included in 42 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, tornado, freezing.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| October 11, 2024 | Hurricane | DR-4834: Hurricane Milton |
| October 7, 2024 | Hurricane | EM-3622: Hurricane Milton |
| August 10, 2024 | Tropical Storm | DR-4806: Hurricane Debby |
| August 3, 2024 | Tropical Storm | EM-3605: Tropical Storm Debby |
| August 31, 2023 | Hurricane | DR-4734: Hurricane Idalia |
Jobs and pay in Polk County
Polk County had 260,590 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $55,697 a year. Unemployment was 3.7% in 2023; in Bartow itself the ACS puts it at 4.4%.
Public schools in Bartow
16 public schools with 6,510 students, about 17.5 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| BARTOW SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | 9-12 | 2,243 | 21.8 |
| BARTOW MIDDLE SCHOOL | 6-8 | 999 | 20.0 |
| SPESSARD L HOLLAND ELEMENTARY | PK-5 | 769 | 16.0 |
| FLORAL AVENUE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | PK-5 | 629 | 16.1 |
| BARTOW ELEMENTARY ACADEMY | K-5 | 531 | 14.8 |
| UNION ACADEMY | 6-8 | 389 | 18.5 |
| JAMES E. STEPHENS ACADEMY | PK-5 | 328 | 12.1 |
| COMPASS MIDDLE CHARTER SCHOOL (charter) | 5-8 | 161 | 20.1 |
| HOSPITAL HOMEBOUND | PK-12 | 151 | 50.3 |
| GAUSE ACADEMY OF LEADERSHIP | 6-12 | 82 | 5.1 |
| JEAN O'DELL LEARNING CENTER | PK-12 | 78 | 4.9 |
| POLK COUNTY SHERIFFS REGIONAL DETENTION CENTER | 5-12 | 49 | 49.0 |
Towns near Bartow
- Highland City, FL6.3 mi · 12,355 people · home $347,100
- Eagle Lake, FL7.3 mi · 3,008 people · home $256,300
- Wahneta, FL7.5 mi · 4,409 people · home $97,500
- Fort Meade, FL8.4 mi · 5,100 people · home $175,900
- Jan Phyl Village, FL9.1 mi · 5,927 people · home $258,600
- Alturas, FL9.1 mi · 4,084 people · home $165,800
- Lakeland Highlands, FL9.3 mi · 12,187 people · home $385,000
- Mulberry, FL10.2 mi · 3,952 people · home $133,800
Bartow questions
Is Bartow, Florida a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Bartow scores better for retirees than 27% of Florida towns and quieter than 46%. 16.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 36.5).
How much does a house cost in Bartow?
The median owner-occupied home in Bartow is valued at $234,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $68,178, so homes cost about 3.4 times income. Median rent is $1,142 a month.
What is the weather like in Bartow?
July highs average 91.9°F and January lows 49.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 50.9 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Bartow get tornadoes?
43 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Bartow since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF2 on June 24, 2012. The typical Florida town has had 35.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)