Who is the Polk County Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller?

Stacy M. Butterfield (Republican) is the Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller of Polk County, Florida.

Who is the Polk County Property Appraiser?

Neil Combee (Republican) is the Property Appraiser of Polk County, Florida.

Who is the Polk County Sheriff?

Grady Judd (Republican) is the Sheriff of Polk County, Florida.

Who is the Polk County Supervisor of Elections?

Melony Bell (Republican) is the Supervisor of Elections of Polk County, Florida.

Who is the Polk County Tax Collector?

Joe G. Tedder (Republican) is the Tax Collector of Polk County, Florida.

Who are the Polk County commissioners?

Becky Troutman (District 1); Rick Wilson (District 2); Bill Braswell (District 3 (Vice Chair)); Martha Santiago (District 4 (Chair)); Michael Scott (District 5).

Who is on the Polk County School Board?

William Allen (District 1); Travis L. Keyes (District 2 (Vice-Chair)); Kate Wallace (District 3); Sara Beth (Reynolds) Wyatt (District 4); Kay Fields (District 5); Justin Sharpless (District 6 (Chair)); Lisa Miller (District 7).

What is the population of Polk County?

About 790,694 people, with a median age of 39.5; the median household income is $65,978 and 14.5% live below the poverty line (Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates).

What is the unemployment rate in Polk County?

5.2% in September 2026 (preliminary): 19,050 people unemployed in a labor force of 364,459, against 5.2% a year earlier (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted).

How many local governments are there in Polk County?

101 in the Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments: 1 county, 17 municipal, 2 school district and 81 special district governments.

What cities and towns are in Polk County?

15: Auburndale, Bartow, Davenport, Dundee, Eagle Lake, Fort Meade, Frostproof, Haines City, Lake Alfred, Lake Hamilton, Lake Wales, Lakeland, Mulberry, Polk City, Winter Haven. Each has its own page with its mayor and council.

Polk County, FL elected officials: commissioners, sheriff, school board and cities

Who holds every elected county, school board, city and special-district office in Polk County: 95 seats on 22 elected bodies. 2 seats were on the November 3, 2026 ballot; they update once the county certifies its results.

County Commission

Polk County Board of County Commissioners

Every member is elected countywide.

Office	Who holds it now	Next term
County Commissioner, District 1	Becky Troutman Republican source
County Commissioner, District 2	Rick Wilson Republican source	Re-elected (won the August 18, 2026 election)
County Commissioner, District 3 (Vice Chair)	Bill Braswell Republican source
County Commissioner, District 4 (Chair)	Martha Santiago Republican source	On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet · the race
County Commissioner, District 5	Michael Scott Republican source

Official website

County officers

Office	Who holds it now
Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller	Stacy M. Butterfield Republican source
Property Appraiser	Neil Combee Republican source
Sheriff	Grady Judd Republican source
Supervisor of Elections	Melony Bell Republican source
Tax Collector	Joe G. Tedder Republican source

School Board

Polk County School Board

Office	Who holds it now	Next term
School Board Member, District 1	William Allen source
School Board Member, District 2 (Vice-Chair)	Travis L. Keyes source
School Board Member, District 3	Kate Wallace source	On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet · the race
School Board Member, District 4	Sara Beth (Reynolds) Wyatt source
School Board Member, District 5	Kay Fields source	Re-elected (won the August 18, 2026 election)
School Board Member, District 6 (Chair)	Justin Sharpless source	Re-elected (won the August 18, 2026 election)
School Board Member, District 7	Lisa Miller source	Re-elected (elected, per the official body)

Official website

Cities and towns

Auburndale · Mayor Alex Cam · 5 seats
Bartow · Mayor Tanya L. Tucker · 5 seats
Davenport · Mayor Donna Fellows-Coffey · 5 seats
Dundee · Mayor Joe Garrison · 5 seats
Eagle Lake · Mayor Cory Coler · 5 seats
Fort Meade · Mayor Jaret Landon Williams · 5 seats
Frostproof · Mayor Michael (Mike) Hutto · 5 seats
Haines City · Mayor Vernel Smith · 5 seats
Lake Alfred · Mayor Mac Fuller · 5 seats
Lake Hamilton · Mayor Phyllis Hall · 5 seats
Lake Wales · Mayor Jack Hilligoss · 5 seats
Lakeland · Mayor Sara Roberts McCarley · 7 seats
Mulberry · Mayor George H. Hatch · 6 seats
Polk City · 5 seats
Winter Haven · Mayor L. Tracy Mercer · 5 seats

How many local governments Polk County has

The Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments counts 101 local governments in Polk County. This page lists the ones whose offices are elected.

Kind of government	Census count (2022)	Listed on this page
County government	1	1
Cities, towns, villages and townships	17	15
School districts (school boards)	2	1
Special districts (elected boards)	81	0

Census Bureau, 2022 Census of Governments: Government Units Listing (census.gov).

About these counts

The Census Bureau counts every independent local government once, in the county it assigns it to: the one it mostly serves or where it's based. A city or district that crosses county lines is counted in only one county, so it may be listed on this page but counted elsewhere, or the other way around. Many special districts, such as housing authorities, have appointed boards, and some places have more than one elected body, so the two columns measure different things. School systems run by a county, city or the state aren't counted as separate governments, though their boards may be listed here; in some states the Bureau counts community or state colleges as school districts. The counts are as of 2022.

Who lives in Polk County

790,694people

39.5median ageU.S.: 38.9

$65,978 household incomeU.S.: $80,734

14.5%below the U.S.: 12.5%

23.5%of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degreeU.S.: 35.7%

$266,500median home valueU.S.: $332,700

4.8%unemployed (of the labor force)U.S.: 5.2%

12.6%born outside the U.S.U.S.: 14.1%

7.2%of adults are veteransU.S.: 6.2%

12.4%U.S.: 8.4%

54.2%of renting households pay of income on rentU.S.: 51.1%

34.5%of homeowners with a mortgage pay of income on housing costsU.S.: 28.1%

Race and Hispanic origin: Hispanic or Latino 29.2% · White 50.8% · Black 14.1% · Asian 1.8% · Other or more than one race 4.2% (Hispanic or Latino people can be of any race; the other groups are non-Hispanic.)

Census Bureau, 2020–2024 5-year estimates (data.census.gov).

About these figures

The American Community Survey asks about 3.5 million households a year about who lives there, their work, income, schooling and housing. The 5-year estimates pool 2020–2024 answers so that every county and district has enough of them. They're estimates with a (larger for smaller places), and they're different from the once-a-decade census count. "Median" means half are above and half below. Household income is before taxes and includes everyone in the household. The unemployment share here is the survey's five-year average, so it differs from the monthly rate in the BLS jobs report. Race and Hispanic origin are as people describe themselves.

Health insurance means any coverage, private or public (such as Medicaid or Medicare), when people answered; the share is of everyone except people on active military duty and people living in institutions such as prisons and nursing homes. The housing shares are of renting households, and of homeowners with a mortgage, for whom the Census Bureau can compute them (households with no income, or renters who pay no cash rent, are left out). Rent here is gross rent, rent plus utilities; owner costs include the mortgage, property taxes, insurance, utilities and fees.

Jobs in Polk County

5.2%September 2026, preliminary. A year earlier: 5.2%. Florida: 4.2%.

19,050people unemployedSeptember 2026, preliminary.

345,409people employedSeptember 2026, preliminary. Counted where they live, not where they work.

364,459in the September 2026, preliminary.

Yearly average unemployment rate, 2016–2025.

Every month, last two years

Month	Rate	Unemployed	Employed	Labor force
September 2026 (preliminary)	5.2%	19,050	345,409	364,459
August 2026	5.6%	20,431	343,575	364,006
July 2026	5.8%	21,109	341,413	362,522
June 2026	5.7%	20,796	343,478	364,274
May 2026	5.5%	19,982	343,576	363,558
April 2026	5.6%	20,291	343,854	364,145
March 2026	5.4%	19,603	343,285	362,888
February 2026	5.8%	21,045	342,110	363,155
January 2026	6.0%	21,864	339,795	361,659
December 2025	5.5%	19,920	343,700	363,620
November 2025	5.9%	21,605	342,705	364,310
October 2025	not collected (2025 federal shutdown)
September 2025	5.2%	18,793	345,529	364,322
August 2025	5.3%	19,119	342,338	361,457
July 2025	5.1%	18,522	341,495	360,017
June 2025	4.9%	17,686	342,537	360,223
May 2025	4.4%	15,729	342,948	358,677
April 2025	4.1%	14,664	344,737	359,401
March 2025	4.2%	15,167	344,327	359,494
February 2025	4.2%	15,180	342,302	357,482
January 2025	4.4%	15,762	342,733	358,495
December 2024	4.0%	14,171	344,053	358,224
November 2024	4.4%	15,775	342,423	358,198
October 2024	4.3%	15,588	343,096	358,684

Yearly averages

Year	Rate	Unemployed	Employed	Labor force
2025 (11 months)	4.8%	17,468	343,214	360,682
2024	4.2%	15,093	342,793	357,886
2023	3.7%	12,996	341,611	354,607
2022	3.6%	12,352	332,656	345,008
2021	5.4%	17,989	317,186	335,175
2020	9.2%	29,979	294,937	324,916
2019	3.7%	11,493	300,858	312,351
2018	4.1%	12,415	292,294	304,709
2017	4.7%	13,996	285,420	299,416
2016	5.4%	15,896	278,232	294,128

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, : BLS publishes county figures only that way, so they rise and fall with the seasons; compare a month with the same month a year earlier rather than with the month before. Florida's figure above is on the same basis; seasonally adjusted, as in BLS's monthly state release, it was 4.4% in September 2026. The latest month is preliminary and is revised the next month, and BLS revises earlier years each spring. People are counted where they live. October 2025 wasn't collected during the 2025 federal government shutdown, so 2025's yearly average covers 11 months.

Crime reported in Polk County

209.8 per 100,0002025. Florida: 260.9.

748.6 per 100,0002025. Florida: 1,176.1.

19murders2025, 1,893 violent crimes in all.

Earlier years

Year	Violent	Rate	Property	Rate
2025	1,893	209.8	6,753	748.6
2024	2,155	241.5	7,736	867.0
2023	2,352	278.5	9,060	1,073.0
2020	2,107	276.3	9,993	1,310.4
2019	1,945	262.4	11,792	1,590.7
2018	2,070	286.7	12,330	1,707.9
2017	1,933	275.6	13,303	1,896.6
2016	2,189	320.5	15,558	2,277.7

By police agency (10)

Agency	Year	Violent	Property	People served
Polk County Sheriff's Office	2025	1,011	2,635	541,319
Lakeland Police Department	2025	471	1,957	127,935
Winter Haven Police Department	2025	168	918	62,578
Haines City Police Department	2025	39	257	46,612
Bartow Police Department	2025	80	231	22,765
Auburndale Police Department	2025	32	363	22,119
Davenport Police Department	2025	19	55	19,224
Lake Wales Police Department	2025	58	216	18,200
Lake Alfred Police Department	2025	7	90	9,265
Lake Hamilton Police Department	2025	8	31	2,312

Crimes to the county's city and county police agencies (FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, Return A), per 100,000 people they serve. Years with incomplete reporting are left out. Crime in Florida · the U.S.

Police staffing

1.57 per 1,000 residents2025, 10 agencies serving 872,329 people.

1,373sworn officers2025, full-time, as of October 31.

1,313civilian staff2025, full-time.

Agencies counted (10), 2025

Agency	Officers	Civilians	People served
Polk County Sheriff's Office	774	1,116	541,319
Lakeland Police Department	271	108	127,935
Winter Haven Police Department	88	23	62,578
Haines City Police Department	56	14	46,612
Bartow Police Department	37	22	22,765
Lake Wales Police Department	48	9	18,200
Auburndale Police Department	44	10	22,119
Davenport Police Department	29	2	19,224
Lake Alfred Police Department	13	5	9,265
Lake Hamilton Police Department	13	4	2,312

Earlier years

Year	Officers	Per 1,000	Civilians	Agencies
2025	1,373	1.57	1,313	10
2023	1,290	1.58	1,191	10
2021	1,212	1.61	696	10
2020	1,205	1.63	714	10
2019	1,174	1.64	699	10
2018	1,181	1.69	688	10
2017	1,154	1.70	685	10

Full-time employees of the county's city police departments and sheriff's office, as each reported them to the FBI (Uniform Crime Reporting, Law Enforcement Employees), per 1,000 people in the areas those agencies serve (the FBI's population figures). A year is shown only when every one of these agencies sent a count; a count under half or over double the agency's own counts in nearby years is treated as not sent. Towns policed under contract by another agency are counted through that agency. State police, campus and other agencies aren't included. Sheriffs' offices often also run the county jail and courthouse security, so their staff counts include those jobs.

Quick answers

Who is the Polk County Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller?: Stacy M. Butterfield (Republican) is the Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller of Polk County, Florida.
Who is the Polk County Property Appraiser?: Neil Combee (Republican) is the Property Appraiser of Polk County, Florida.
Who is the Polk County Sheriff?: Grady Judd (Republican) is the Sheriff of Polk County, Florida.
Who is the Polk County Supervisor of Elections?: Melony Bell (Republican) is the Supervisor of Elections of Polk County, Florida.
Who is the Polk County Tax Collector?: Joe G. Tedder (Republican) is the Tax Collector of Polk County, Florida.
Who are the Polk County commissioners?: Becky Troutman (District 1); Rick Wilson (District 2); Bill Braswell (District 3 (Vice Chair)); Martha Santiago (District 4 (Chair)); Michael Scott (District 5).
Who is on the Polk County School Board?: William Allen (District 1); Travis L. Keyes (District 2 (Vice-Chair)); Kate Wallace (District 3); Sara Beth (Reynolds) Wyatt (District 4); Kay Fields (District 5); Justin Sharpless (District 6 (Chair)); Lisa Miller (District 7).
What is the population of Polk County?: About 790,694 people, with a median age of 39.5; the median household income is $65,978 and 14.5% live below the poverty line (Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates).
What is the unemployment rate in Polk County?: 5.2% in September 2026 (preliminary): 19,050 people unemployed in a labor force of 364,459, against 5.2% a year earlier (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted).
How many local governments are there in Polk County?: 101 in the Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments: 1 county, 17 municipal, 2 school district and 81 special district governments.
What cities and towns are in Polk County?: 15: Auburndale, Bartow, Davenport, Dundee, Eagle Lake, Fort Meade, Frostproof, Haines City, Lake Alfred, Lake Hamilton, Lake Wales, Lakeland, Mulberry, Polk City, Winter Haven. Each has its own page with its mayor and council.

Officeholders as of November 6, 2026, from each county Supervisor of Elections' official lists and candidate filings and the bodies' own websites; each name links to its source. Officials change between elections (appointments, resignations), and the body's own website is the authority. Party is shown only for offices elected on a partisan ballot.

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