Polk County, Florida
434,004 parcels. Parcel data edition 2026-10-26.
Who owns the land
| Measure | County | Of what | Florida | Rank in state (highest first) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Out-of-state owners | 13.8% | 58,029 of 420,772 parcels with a known mailing state | 14.1% | 23 of 63 |
| Absentee owners | 42.1% | Estimated from 314,235 in-state parcels whose addresses could be compared, plus out-of-state owners | 38.9% | 28 of 58 |
| Vacant lots | 29.7% | 128,831 of 434,004 parcels in all | 19.1% | 33 of 67 |
| Inherited (estate or heirs) | 1.0% | 4,194 of 433,919 parcels with an owner name | 0.5% | 19 of 67 |
| Owned by individuals | 79.6% | 345,335 of 433,919 parcels with an owner name | 80.5% | 44 of 67 |
| Publicly owned | 1.8% | 7,727 of 433,919 parcels with an owner name | 2.7% | 47 of 67 |
Where out-of-state owners live
By the owner's mailing address, for the 58,029 out-of-state parcels.
| Mailing state | Parcels | Share |
|---|---|---|
| New York | 6,469 | 11.1% |
| Texas | 5,814 | 10.0% |
| Georgia | 4,098 | 7.1% |
| California | 4,030 | 6.9% |
| Arizona | 2,844 | 4.9% |
| New Jersey | 2,698 | 4.6% |
| Puerto Rico | 2,503 | 4.3% |
| Pennsylvania | 2,442 | 4.2% |
| Illinois | 2,269 | 3.9% |
| Michigan | 2,250 | 3.9% |
| 43 other states and territories | 22,544 | 38.8% |
| US military mail (APO/FPO) | 34 | 0.1% |
| Outside the US, or an unrecognized code | 34 | 0.1% |
Housing context
| Measure | County | Florida | Rank in state (highest first) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fair market rent, 2 bedrooms | $1,497/month | $1,471/month (median county) | 30 of 67 |
| Fair market rent, change over 5 years | +46.3% | +49.3% (median county) | 44 of 67 |
| Median home value (owners' estimate) | $266,500 | $276,000 (median county) | 36 of 67 |
| Price-to-rent (home value / a year of rent) | 14.8 | 15.3 (median county) | 37 of 67 |
| Housing units, 2020 to 2025 | +17.7% | +9.0% | 9 of 67 |
Rent: HUD FMR (FY26); HUD sets one rent for a whole metro area. Rent change: HUD FMR, FY2021 to FY2026. Home value: Census American Community Survey, 2020-2024 average; price-to-rent divides it by twelve months of the HUD rent above. Housing units: Census Housing Unit Estimates (vintage 2025).
Compared with neighboring counties
| County | Out-of-state owners | Absentee owners | Vacant lots | Inherited (estate or heirs) | Owned by individuals | Publicly owned | 2BR rent | Rent change, 5 yrs | Price-to-rent | Housing units 2020-25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Polk County | 13.8% | 42.1% | 29.7% | 1.0% | 79.6% | 1.8% | $1,497 | +46.3% | 14.8 | +17.7% |
| Hardee County | 6.6% | 46.4% | 43.5% | 1.5% | 72.6% | 2.0% | $1,248 | +66.4% | 10.3 | +3.8% |
| Highlands County | 18.1% | 70.3% | 56.3% | 0.7% | 78.3% | 4.9% | $1,271 | +45.9% | 12.3 | +5.8% |
| Hillsborough County | 8.3% | 29.7% | 9.9% | 0.3% | 78.6% | 1.8% | $1,977 | +55.5% | 15.7 | +9.7% |
| Lake County | 9.6% | 31.2% | 19.9% | 0.4% | 78.1% | 2.1% | $1,972 | +49.3% | 13.5 | +13.7% |
| Manatee County | 15.5% | 39.9% | 12.2% | under 0.1% | 82.8% | 1.0% | $1,958 | +53.6% | 16.7 | +17.3% |
| Okeechobee County | 12.7% | 64.3% | 45.1% | 0.3% | 82.3% | 2.7% | $1,346 | +61.0% | 11.9 | +1.0% |
| Orange County | no data | no data | 9.4% | 0.4% | 80.1% | 2.0% | $1,972 | +49.3% | 16.5 | +8.9% |
| Osceola County | 16.8% | 41.2% | 19.7% | 0.5% | 75.2% | 1.9% | $1,972 | +49.3% | 14.9 | +24.9% |
| Pasco County | 11.4% | 32.2% | 18.7% | 0.1% | 79.1% | 3.9% | $1,977 | +55.5% | 12.7 | +13.8% |
| Sumter County | 13.6% | 30.4% | 14.9% | 0.2% | 87.4% | 0.8% | $1,328 | +40.4% | 24.2 | +25.9% |