Census tract · Polk County
Census Tract 159, Polk County, Florida
Census Tract 159, GEOID 12105015900, in Polk County, Florida, partly within Bartow, Homeland, Fort Meade and Alturas. 2,257 residents in the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (±339); the 2020 Census counted 2,086.
Residents, 2020-2024
2,257
±339 (90% margin)
2020 Census count: 2,086
Median household income
$70,278
±$11,412 (90% margin)
Polk County: $65,978
Median home value
$164,200
±$11,231 (90% margin)
Polk County: $266,500
Median gross rent
$950
±$219 (90% margin)
Polk County: $1,363
Where is Census Tract 159?
Census Tract 159 is one of 174 census tracts in Polk County, Florida. It covers 60.60 square miles of land, 34 residents per square mile in 2020. Its GEOID, 12105015900, names it uniquely (how tract numbers and GEOIDs work).
| Place | Share of the tract |
|---|---|
| Bartow | 14% |
| Homeland | 14% |
| Fort Meade | 13% |
| Alturas | 1% |
9 census tracts border Census Tract 159: Tract 148.02 ($49,889), Tract 151.01 ($66,111), Tract 151.02 ($82,941), Tract 153.01 ($40,996), Tract 153.02 ($74,500), Tract 158.02 ($44,279), Tract 160.01, Tract 160.03 ($36,250) and Tract 161 ($34,263). The figure in brackets is each tract's median household income.
Whether a tract counts as low- or moderate-income for bank lending (the Community Reinvestment Act) is set by the FFIEC against its metro area's family income: look it up in the FFIEC census geocoder.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 block assignment files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Census Tract 159?
The 2020-2024 American Community Survey puts Census Tract 159's population at 2,257 (±339) in 794 households; the 2020 Census counted 2,086 residents and 839 housing units.
| Measure | Tract 159 | Polk County |
|---|---|---|
| Total population | 2,257±339 | 790,694 |
| Households | 794±107 | 289,425 |
| Average household size | 2.80±0.27 | 2.68 |
| Housing units | 880±98 | 340,748 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Census Tract 159?
The median resident of Census Tract 159 is 39.8 years old; 19.5% are under 18 and 15.2% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 66.6%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 28.4%. 10.3% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Tract 159 | Polk County |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.8±5.8 | 39.5 |
| Under 18 years | 19.5%±4.5 pts | 22.0% |
| 65 years and over | 15.2%±3.8 pts | 19.5% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 28.4%±8.1 pts | 29.2% |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 66.6%±9.5 pts | 50.8% |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 1.5%±1.4 pts | 14.1% |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 1.0%±1.1 pts | 1.8% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±2.3 pts | 0.1% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±2.3 pts | 0.0% |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 2.4%±2.6 pts | 3.4% |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±2.3 pts | 0.7% |
| Born outside the United States | 10.3%±5.2 pts | 12.6% |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 29.5%±9.4 pts | 27.8% |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 6.3%±3.3 pts | 7.2% |
| With a disability | 15.1%±5.0 pts | 13.8% |
| No health insurance coverage | 25.4%±8.4 pts | 12.4% |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 83.5%±6.7 pts | 87.9% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 9.6%±5.4 pts | 23.5% |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 1.7%±2.6 pts | 7.6% |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 93.7%±5.4 pts | 86.3% |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Census Tract 159 earn?
Half of the 794 households in Census Tract 159 earn less than $70,278 a year (±$11,412), against $65,978 across Polk County: 67th highest of the county's 171 tracts with a reliable estimate. 18.4% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Tract 159 | Polk County |
|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $70,278±$11,412 | $65,978 |
| Mean household income | $79,044±$10,305 | $87,487 |
| Per capita income | $28,468±$3,917 | $33,249 |
| People below the poverty line | 18.4%±7.8 pts | 14.5% |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 9.1%±9.9 pts | 21.3% |
| Households receiving SNAP | 10.7%±6.7 pts | 14.6% |
| Households with a computer | 85.0%±10.1 pts | 96.1% |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 74.9%±10.6 pts | 90.7% |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Census Tract 159?
Owners occupy 75.3% of Census Tract 159's occupied homes and renters 24.7%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $164,200 by its owner (±$11,231). The median renter pays $950 a month including utilities.
| Measure | Tract 159 | Polk County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $164,200±$11,231 | $266,500 |
| Median gross rent | $950±$219 | $1,363 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 32.5%±26.1 pts | 44.9% |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,373±$194 | $1,716 |
| Owner-occupied homes | 75.3%±11.1 pts | 70.5% |
| Renter-occupied homes | 24.7%±11.1 pts | 29.5% |
| Housing units | 880±98 | 340,748 |
| Single-family detached homes | 63.3%±11.5 pts | 62.0% |
| Mobile homes | 31.8%±11.5 pts | 19.6% |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.8%±1.5 pts | 4.7% |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 4.3%±3.3 pts | 13.2% |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 9.9%±5.2 pts | 2.6% |
| Households with no vehicle | 9.2%±7.6 pts | 5.4% |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How do people in Census Tract 159 get to work?
70.7% of Census Tract 159's workers drive alone and 13.5% work from home. The average trip to work takes 32.0 minutes.
| Measure | Tract 159 | Polk County |
|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 54.2%±7.1 pts | 58.0% |
| Unemployment rate | 2.9%±2.6 pts | 4.8% |
| Drove alone to work | 70.7%±8.9 pts | 75.0% |
| Carpooled | 13.5%±8.9 pts | 8.8% |
| Public transportation | 1.3%±1.8 pts | 0.4% |
| Walked | 0.0%±5.2 pts | 1.1% |
| Worked from home | 13.5%±6.9 pts | 12.4% |
| Mean travel time to work | 32.0 min±5.0 | 30.5 min |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
How does Census Tract 159 compare with the other tracts in Polk County?
Among Polk County's tracts with a reliable estimate, Census Tract 159 ranks as shown below (1 = highest).
| Measure | In Polk County |
|---|---|
| Population | 154th of 173 |
| Residents per square mile | 168th of 174 |
| Median household income | 67th of 171 |
| Per capita income | 105th of 173 |
| Median home value | 136th of 163 |
| Median gross rent | 148th of 163 |
| Poverty rate | 56th of 128 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 151st of 164 |
| Median age | 83rd of 173 |
| Owner-occupied share | 81st of 172 |
The tracts next to it on Polk County's income ladder
| Tract | Rank | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 115.02 | 64th | $70,955±$12,998 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 104.02 | 65th | $70,541±$16,079 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 141.23 | 66th | $70,395±$20,573 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 159 | 67th | $70,278±$11,412 |
| Tract 119.08 | 68th | $70,144±$11,945 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 121.27 | 69th | $69,931±$7,948 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 123.09 | 70th | $68,750±$29,253 · within the margin of this tract |
"Within the margin": the two incomes differ by less than their combined 90% margins, so the survey cannot say which is higher and the ranks between them are not firm.
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Census Tract 159?
2 of the 18 figures for Census Tract 159 on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
A census tract's figures rest on a few hundred sampled households over five years, so its margins are wider than a city's. Two tracts differ only when the gap between them is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins). How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · Check it at data.census.gov
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections