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County tax profile · 2026 · Census ACS + IRS data

Property Tax & Income in Polk County, Florida

Polk County has an effective property tax rate of 0.72%. On the median home value of $266,500, that's roughly $1,933 per year. Median household income is $65,978.

Effective Property Tax Rate1
0.72%
median tax $1,933 ÷ median home $266,500
Median Home Value1
$266,500
owner-occupied
Median Household Income1
$65,978
per-capita $33,249
Est. Annual Tax on Median Home1
$1,933
at 0.72% effective rate

What you'll pay, at a glance

Property taxes are the largest local tax most homeowners pay. The effective rate measures the real tax bill as a share of home value — a more useful number than the nominal “mill rate,” because assessment practices vary county to county.

MetricPolk CountyFlorida (state context)
Effective property tax rate10.72%0.72%
Median home value1$266,500—
State income tax3No state income taxNo state income tax
State sales tax36.98% combined6.98% combined

How this is calculated

The effective property tax rate is the median real-estate tax bill divided by the median home value — both for owner-occupied homes, from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS 5-year estimates)1. Median income is also from the ACS1. Federal and state income-tax figures use IRS2 and Tax Foundation3 data.

About Polk County, FL

Someone weighing a move to Polk County, Florida will find a housing market centered on Lakeland, Winter Haven, and Lake Wales where the median home value sits at $266,500. Property taxes on that median home run about $1,933 a year, based on an effective rate of 0.725%. That rate edges past Florida's statewide median of 0.720% and ranks 33rd among the state's 67 counties, though it stays below the national figure of 0.794%. Households here earn a median of $65,978, with per-capita income at $33,249, so the annual tax bill amounts to roughly three percent of typical household earnings. Buyers comparing Central Florida options may find the combination of mid-range prices and a tax rate near both state and national benchmarks worth factoring into what they can afford.

Frequently asked questions

What is the property tax rate in Polk County, FL?
The effective rate is 0.72% — meaning the median tax bill equals about 0.72% of the median home value.
How much are property taxes on a median home?
On the median home ($266,500), the estimated annual bill is about $1,933.
Is Polk County's rate high or low?
Compare it to the state median of 0.72% and the national average near 1.1%.
How does the effective rate differ from my mill rate?
A mill rate is the nominal levy per $1,000 of assessed value. The effective rate reflects what you actually pay after exemptions and assessments — it's the median tax bill as a share of median home value, so it better predicts your real cost.
Will a reassessment raise my tax bill?
Not necessarily. If your home's assessed value rises, your bill can go up, but only if the mill rate and exemptions stay flat. Contact the Polk County assessor's office to review your current assessment.
Can I appeal my property tax assessment?
Yes. Most counties allow an appeal when you believe the assessed value exceeds the market value. File with the Polk County assessor within the local deadline, typically with comparable sales as evidence.
Sources
[1] U.S. Census Bureau — ACS 5-Year (2023) — Median home value (B25077), median real-estate taxes (B25103), median household income (B19013), per-capita income (B19301).
[2] IRS — Statistics of Income — County income, AGI, and real-estate taxes paid.
[3] Tax Foundation — State income, sales, corporate, and estate/inheritance tax rates.