The Town FilesFort Meade, Florida
City in Polk County · population 5,100 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $175,900
- Household income
- $36,657
- Jan low / Jul high
- 50° / 92°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 20
- Median age
- 44.7
Fort Meade is a city of 5,100 people in Polk County, Florida. The median home is worth $175,900, below the typical Florida town ($331,600). It ranks easier by car than 96% of Florida towns, more of a college town than 77% of Florida towns, better for families than 74% of Florida towns.
How Fort Meade 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 Fort Meade is worth $175,900, below the typical Florida town ($331,600). Homes cost about 4.8 times the median household income of $36,657, which is more affordable than 44% of Florida towns. Median rent is $922 a month. 70.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Fort Meade | Typical Florida town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $175,900 | $331,600 |
| Median rent | $922 | $1,569 |
| Median household income | $36,657 | $71,140 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.8× | 4.5× |
| Homeownership | 70.0% | 73.5% |
| Median year built | 1978 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 8.3% | — |
Who lives in Fort Meade
| People | Fort Meade | Typical Florida town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 44.7 | 42.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 24.8% | 20.2% |
| Under 18 | 21.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 9.4% | 28.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 21.9% | 11.3% |
| Veterans | 6.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 10.0% | — |
| Work from home | 9.8% | 13.5% |
| Average commute | 40.2 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 70.9% | 92.4% |
Weather in Fort Meade
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
20 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Fort Meade since 1950, compared with 35 for the typical Florida town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on February 8, 1986 about 8.0 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 13 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on May 3, 2005.
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 Fort Meade itself the ACS puts it at 5.3%.
Public schools in Fort Meade
2 public schools with 1,358 students, about 16.4 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| FORT MEADE MIDDLE/SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | 6-12 | 771 | 17.1 |
| LEWIS ANNA WOODBURY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | PK-5 | 587 | 15.4 |
Towns near Fort Meade
- Bartow, FL8.4 mi · 19,309 people · home $234,100
- Alturas, FL9.2 mi · 4,084 people · home $165,800
- Wahneta, FL14.1 mi · 4,409 people · home $97,500
- Highland City, FL14.4 mi · 12,355 people · home $347,100
- Eagle Lake, FL14.7 mi · 3,008 people · home $256,300
- Mulberry, FL14.8 mi · 3,952 people · home $133,800
- Wauchula, FL15.1 mi · 4,900 people · home $191,800
- Lakeland Highlands, FL15.9 mi · 12,187 people · home $385,000
Fort Meade questions
Is Fort Meade, Florida a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Fort Meade scores better for retirees than 53% of Florida towns and quieter than 54%. 24.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 44.7).
How much does a house cost in Fort Meade?
The median owner-occupied home in Fort Meade is valued at $175,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $36,657, so homes cost about 4.8 times income. Median rent is $922 a month.
What is the weather like in Fort Meade?
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 Fort Meade get tornadoes?
20 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Fort Meade since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on February 8, 1986. 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)