Polk City, Florida

{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}

{{Infobox settlement

|name = Polk City, Florida

|official_name = City of Polk City

|other_name =

|native_name =

|nickname =

|settlement_type = City

|motto = "Peace & Serenity"
"Building Today For A Better Today"

|image_skyline = File:Polk City Government Center.jpg

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|image_caption = Polk City Government Center as seen from Florida State Road 559

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|image_map = Polk_County_Florida_Incorporated_and_Unincorporated_areas_Polk_City_Highlighted.svg

|mapsize = 250x500px

|map_caption = Location in Polk County and the state of Florida

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|subdivision_type = Country

|subdivision_name = United States of America

|subdivision_type1 = State

|subdivision_name1 = Florida

|subdivision_type2 = County

|subdivision_name2 = Polk

|subdivision_type3 =

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|government_footnotes =

|government_type = Commission-Manager

|leader_title = Mayor

|leader_name = Joe LaCascia

|leader_title1 = Vice Mayor

|leader_name1 = Wayne Harper

|leader_title2 = Commissioners

|leader_name2 = Brian Knouff,
Charles Nichols, and
Micheal T. Blethen

|leader_title3 = City Manager

|leader_name3 = Patricia Jackson

|leader_title4 = City Attorney

|leader_name4 = Thomas Cloud

|established_title =

|established_date =

|established_title2 = Incorporated (Town)

|established_date2 = April 3, 1925{{Cite web|title=History of Polk City|url=https://mypolkcity.org/residents-visitors/history-of-polk-city/|website=mypolkcity.org}}

|established_title3 = Incorporated (City)

|established_date3 = 2005

|area_magnitude =

|unit_pref = Imperial

|area_footnotes = {{cite web|title=2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2020_Gazetteer/2020_gaz_place_12.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=October 31, 2021}}

|area_total_km2 = 13.17

|area_land_km2 = 11.67

|area_water_km2 = 1.50

|area_total_sq_mi = 5.08

|area_land_sq_mi = 4.50

|area_water_sq_mi = 0.58

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|population_as_of = 2020

|population_footnotes =

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|population_total = 2713

|population_density_km2 = 232.54

|population_density_sq_mi = 602.22

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|timezone = Eastern (EST)

|utc_offset = -5

|timezone_DST = EDT

|utc_offset_DST = -4

|coordinates = {{coord|28|10|49|N|81|49|47|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}

|elevation_footnotes =

|elevation_ft = 148

|postal_code_type = ZIP code

|postal_code = 33868

|area_code = 863

|blank_name = FIPS code

|blank_info = 12-57950{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=2008-01-31|title=U.S. Census website}}

|blank1_name = GNIS feature ID

|blank1_info = 2407139{{GNIS|2407139}}

|website = [http://www.mypolkcity.org/ Polk City Florida Official Website]

|footnotes =

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Polk City is a city in Polk County, Florida, United States. It is part of the LakelandWinter Haven metropolitan statistical area. Its population was 2,713 at the 2020 census.

History

Polk City was incorporated as the Town of Polk City in 1925, and changed by ordinance to the City of Polk City in 2005. The city was named after the county, itself named after James Knox Polk, the 11th President of the United States.{{cite web|url= http://www.epodunk.com/cgi-bin/genInfo.php?locIndex=8856|title= Profile for Polk City, Florida, FL|publisher= ePodunk |access-date= September 22, 2012}}

Geography

The exact coordinates for the City of Polk City are {{coord|28|10|49|N|81|49|47|W|}}.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of {{convert|0.8|sqmi|km2}}, all land. Polk City is located within the Central Florida Highlands area of the Atlantic coastal plain, with a terrain consisting of flatland interspersed with gently rolling hills.{{cite web

| url = http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/uw208

| title = Florida's Geological History

| access-date = 2010-10-14

| publisher = University of Florida

}}

Climate

The climate for the City of Polk City is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen climate classification, Polk City has a humid subtropical climate zone, Cfa on climate maps.{{cite web

| url = http://koeppen-geiger.vu-wien.ac.at/

| title = World Map of the Köppen-Geiger climate classification updated

| date = 2008-11-06

| access-date = 2010-09-10

| publisher = University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna

}}

Demographics

{{US Census population

|1930= 222

|1940= 195

|1950= 171

|1960= 203

|1970= 151

|1980= 576

|1990= 1439

|2000= 1516

|2010= 1562

|2020= 2713

|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2015}}

}}

=2010 and 2020 census=

class="wikitable"

|+Polk City racial composition
(Hispanics excluded from racial categories)
(NH = Non-Hispanic)

!Race

!Pop 2010{{Cite web|title=P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE - 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Polk City city, Florida|url=https://data.census.gov/table?q=Polk+City+town;+Florida+&tid=DECENNIALPL2010.P2|website=United States Census Bureau}}

!Pop 2020{{Cite web|title=P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE - 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Polk City city, Florida|url=https://data.census.gov/table?q=Polk+City+town;+Florida+&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|website=United States Census Bureau}}

!% 2010

!% 2020

White (NH)

|1,323

|1,711

|84.70%

|63.07%

Black or African American (NH)

|14

|103

|0.90%

|3.80%

Native American or Alaska Native (NH)

|3

|10

|0.19%

|0.37%

Asian (NH)

|9

|42

|0.58%

|1.55%

Pacific Islander or Native Hawaiian (NH)

|0

|0

|0.00%

|0.00%

Some other race (NH)

|0

|16

|0.00%

|0.59%

Two or more races/multiracial (NH)

|24

|96

|1.54%

|3.54%

Hispanic or Latino (any race)

|189

|735

|12.10%

|27.09%

Total

|1,562

|2,713

|

|

As of the 2020 United States census, 2,713 people, 945 households, and 661 families were residing in the city.{{Cite web|title=S1101 HOUSEHOLDS AND FAMILIES - 2020: Polk City city, Florida|url=https://data.census.gov/table?q=Polk+City+town;+Florida+&tid=ACSST5Y2020.S1101|website=United States Census Bureau}}

As of the 2010 United States census, 1,562 people, 659 households, and 456 families livedin the city.{{Cite web|title=S1101 HOUSEHOLDS AND FAMILIES - 2010: Polk City city, Florida|url=https://data.census.gov/table?q=Polk+City+town;+Florida+&tid=ACSST5Y2010.S1101|website=United States Census Bureau}}

=2000 census=

As of the census of 2000, 1,516 people, 542 households, and 422 families resided in the town. The population density was {{convert|1,966.2|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The 596 housing units had an average density of {{convert|773.0|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units |units|}}. The racial makeup of the town was 94.13% White, 1.91% African American, 0.33% Native American, 0.40% Asian, 1.78% from other races, and 1.45% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 8.11% of the population.

In 2000, of the 542 households, 39.1% had children under 18 living with them, 55.4% were married couples living together, 14.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.0% were not families. About 17.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.2% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.80 and the average family size was 3.07.

In 2000, the age distribution was 29.8% under 18, 7.4% from 18 to 24, 32.4% from 25 to 44, 19.9% from 45 to 64, and 10.6% who were 65 or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.4 males. For every 100 females 18 and over, there were 95.6 males.

In 2000, the median income for a household in the town was $32,083, and for a family was $36,705. Males had a median income of $28,158 versus $20,579 for females. The per capita income for the town was $14,108. About 13.6% of families and 13.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.2% of those under 18 and 5.7% of those 65 or over.

Arts and culture

=Annual cultural events=

A yearly Founder's Day festival is held in midtown park located at the beginning of General James A. Van Fleet State Trail.{{cite web|url= https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1346&dat=19980421&id=TuRNAAAAIBAJ&sjid=N_0DAAAAIBAJ&pg=6703,218419|title=Polk City Founders' Day Set For Saturday|access-date= September 19, 2012}}

=Museums and other points of interest=

Fantasy of Flight, an aviation-related attraction, takes visitors back to the pioneering days of early flight, World War I, World War II, and beyond.{{cite web|url= http://www.fantasyofflight.com/|title=Fantasy of Flight|publisher= Fantasy of Flight |access-date= September 19, 2012}} The museum closed in April 2014, but was planned to reopen later in a downscaled form.{{cite web |url=http://tbo.com/news/business/fantasy-of-flight-closing-as-daily-attraction-20140304/ |title=Fantasy of Flight closing as daily attraction |publisher=tbo.com |access-date=2013-03-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140309090742/http://tbo.com/news/business/fantasy-of-flight-closing-as-daily-attraction-20140304/ |archive-date=2014-03-09 |url-status=dead }}{{cite web|url=http://generalaviationnews.com/2014/03/10/general-aviation-in-the-marketplace/|title= General aviation in the marketplace |publisher=General Aviation News/ |access-date=2013-03-14}}

Polk City Community Library, a public library, is a member of the Polk County Library Cooperative. It provides free computer use and interlibrary loan services. The library is located at 215 S. Bougainvillea Avenue.

Sports

While small in both size and population, Polk City offers its residents a vast array of activities throughout the year. Children are offered Tee-Ball and Little League baseba;;, and Pee-Wee football.

Government

Polk City has a council-manager form of government, and is governed by a five-person council that elects a mayor and vice mayor from its membership.

=Utilities=

The Polk City power grid is supported by distribution lines from Lakeland Electric and TECO.{{cite web|url=https://lakelandelectric.com/About-Us/News-Events/PostId/1431/le-and-teco-improve-reliability/|title= LE and TECO Improve Reliability |publisher=Lakeland Electric |date= 2019-08-13 |access-date=2020-03-10}}

Infrastructure

=Transportation=

  • {{jct|state=FL|I|4}} – Located just south of the city, it is a major highway in Central Florida, leading westward to Lakeland and Tampa and eastward to Orlando.
  • {{jct|state=FL|FL|33}} – Called Commonwealth Avenue, this road leads south to Lakeland and northd across the Green Swamp, toward Groveland.
  • {{jct|state=FL|FL|559}} – This road leads south to I-4 and Auburndale.

References

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