Bartow is a city of 20,438 people in Florida. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 23% of adults. The population is up 33% since 2000. 6% of residents were born outside the United States. The typical home is worth $234,100, having more than tripled since 2000. 18.1% of residents live below the federal poverty line.
At a glance
Lower income
median household income $68,178, below the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 36.5
US median: 38.9
Less educated
23% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 93%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Unique to this place
What stands out about Bartow
What changed most since 1990
Black share29.8% → 22.0%(−7.8 pts)US over the same years: +0.2 pts
White share67.2% → 55.8%(−11.4 pts)US over the same years: −17.8 pts
Bartow's population equals 2.6% of Polk County's. Its number of foreign-born residents equals 1.1% of the county's. Its number of households without a car equals 3.9% of the county's.
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans
Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later)31.6%(393)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)15.1%(188)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era24.3%(302)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War7.8%(97)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0%(0)
US avg: 1%
Share of the 1,244 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Over time
Bartow, decade by decade
Bartow population, inflation-adjusted income and home value, education, and diversity by year
Year
Population
Median household income
Median home value
Bachelor's degree+
Diversity score
1990
14,716
$61,804
$122,164
12.0%
57.3
2000
15,340
$70,258
$121,504
17.0%
66.8
2010
17,298
$68,132
$197,803
21.2%
71.9
2020
19,309
$58,453
$190,654
22.0%
77.4
2024
20,438
$68,178
$234,100
22.8%
76.6
Census years come from the decennial census and the latest year from the American Community Survey, so part of any change between those two rows can reflect the different surveys. Dollar figures are adjusted for inflation to 2024 dollars; a figure ending in "+" was at the Census Bureau's reporting cap that year. The diversity score runs from 0 to 100; see how it's calculated.
