Key Indicators – Polk
Source: Health Data, Polk, Florida, countyhealthrankings.org, 2025
Source: flhealthcharts.gov, 2023, 2024
Updated 9/06/25 2316
Maps – Quality of Life
Map – Life Expectancy
Life span is a key indicator of a population’s overall health, quality of healthcare, access to resources, and general living conditions.
Life expectancy in Polk County is 76.1 years, near the statewide median for life expectancy in Florida counties(75.3 years).
Source: Health Data, Polk, Florida, countyhealthrankings.org, 2025
Map – Population Without Health Insurance
The percentage of a population with health insurance is a key indicator of the community’s overall health and access to healthcare. Those without health insurance may elect to seek no treatment at all due to costs.
In Polk County, approximately, 15% of residents lack health insurance coverage of any kind. The percentage of residents lacking health insurance in Polk County is higher than at least 60% of the counties in Florida.
Source: Health Data, Polk, FL, countyhealthrankings.org, 2025
Map – Children Without Health Insurance
The percentage of a population with health insurance is a key indicator of the community’s overall health and access to healthcare. Those without health insurance may elect to seek no treatment at all due to costs.
In Polk County, 7.0% of children(aged 0-18 years) lack health insurance of any kind. 60% of Florida counties have a higher percentage of uninsured children than Polk County.
Source: Children Without Health Insurance (Aged 0-18 Years) (Census ACS), FLhealthcharts.gov, 2023
Map – Medicaid Enrollment
Medicaid helps cover medical costs for adults and children with limited income and resources. Medicaid enrollment can be used as a key measure of a community’s economic and public health well-being.
In Polk County, just over 1 in 4 county residents is enrolled in Medicaid(25.5%). This value is higher than the Medicaid enrollment rate in 80% of Florida counties.
Source: Health Data, Polk, FL, countyhealthrankings.org, 2025
Map – Residents per Physician
This map displays the ratio of the number of residents in a county to the number of physicians practicing in the county; this number includes all practicing medical doctors regardless of specialty. A high ratio indicates a heavy patient load for doctors and may result in poor access to care and subsequent poor health outcomes.
According to the Florida Bureau of Community Health Assessment and Vital Statistics (flhealthcharts.gov), Polk County has a physician-to-resident ratio of 921:1. This places Polk County among the highest 40% of Florida counties regarding physician-to-resident ratio.
Source: Medical Doctors (MD, Physicians), FLhealthcharts.gov, 2024
Map – Mental Health Availability
This map displays the ratio of the number of residents in a county to the number of licensed mental health counselors(LMHC) practicing in the county. A high ratio indicates a heavy patient load for counselors and may result in poor access to care and subsequent poor mental health outcomes.
The Florida Bureau of Community Health Assessment and Vital Statistics(flhealthcharts.gov) reports there are 1,125 residents per licensed mental health counselor in Polk County. The resident to licensed mental health counselor ratio in Polk County is higher than 58% of the counties in the state of Florida.
Source: Licensed Mental Health Counselors (LMHC), FLhealthcharts.gov, 2024
Map – Hospitalizations for Mental Health Issues
Mental disorders, if untreated, can lead to a significant reduction in quality of life and even death.
Residents of Polk County are hospitalized for mental health disorders at a rate of 988 per 100,000 people. Around 60% of Florida counties have a lower mental health hospitalization rate than Polk County. It is worth noting that the counties with the lowest mental health hospitalization rates in Florida are rural, like Hardee, and this may result from a lack of treatment or access rather than a strong countywide mental health system.
Source: Hospitalizations for Mental Disorders, FLhealthcharts.gov, 2024
Map – Residents per Dentist
This map shows the ratio of residents to practicing dentists in a county. A high ratio suggests a heavy patient load for dentists, which can lead to reduced access to dental care and poorer outcomes for residents needing dental or orthodontic services.
The Florida Bureau of Community Health Assessment and Vital Statistics(flhealthcharts.gov) reports there are 3,806 residents per licensed practicing dentist in Polk County. 60% of Florida counties have a more favorable resident to practicing dentist rate than Polk County.
Map – Access to Parks
Easy access to nearby parks and recreation areas promotes physical activity. In turn, regular physical activity is one of the best predictors of physical and mental well-being.
In Polk County, 27.2% of residents live within one-half mile of a park or recreational facility. 68% of Florida counties have a lower percentage of residents within one-half mile of a park or recreational facility. In 2025, Bonnet Springs Park, located in Polk County, was rated by USA Today’s Reader’s Choice as the #1 city park in the United States.
Source: Population Living Within One-half Mile of a Park, FLhealthcharts.gov, 2024
Quality of Life Statistics – Polk County
ALICE Dashboard
Some families exceed the income level of the Federal Poverty Line, but still struggle to collect enough income to make ends meet and provide basic necessities. These families fall below the ALICE threshold.
ALICE is an acronym for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed, and represents the growing number of families who are unable to afford the basics of housing, child care, food, transportation, health care, and technology. These workers often struggle to keep their own households from financial ruin, while keeping our local communities running.
