What it's like to live in Bartow
Bartow is a small city in Florida with rent below the national average, home prices that remain within reach, air quality that stays clean most of the year, and a population that has grown fast since 2020. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Bartow deals with household incomes below the national average, a poverty rate above the national average, hot summers, and above-average rainfall.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Affordable home prices
- Clean air
- Fast-growing population
- Average class sizes
The not so good
- Below-average household incomes
- High poverty rate
- Hot summers
- Above-average rainfall
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
- Car-dependent — few commuters use transit
How Bartow compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Bartow
Based on Bartow's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,284
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $45,680 a year
- 40% of Bartow renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$46,820
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $23,410
- Homes cost 3.4× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 19% below US
$1,142/mo median rent
Cost of living works in this city's favor. Median rent sits around $1,142 a month, nothing that raises eyebrows. Solid value overall. Home prices are reasonable, with a median around $234,100. Not a steal, but not intimidating either.
Median home value $234,100 · 40% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
4.8% county unemployment
Unemployment in Polk County is 4.8%, somewhat above the national average of 4.3%. Lining up work before the move is the safer route. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.
Polk County (county-wide)
SafetyNear US average
351 violent crimes per 100k
Crime runs about typical for a city this size. Some neighborhoods are safer than others, and one overall rate doesn't tell the whole story, so a neighborhood-level look matters more than the headline stat.
Property crime 1019/100k · Bartow Police Department · 2025 data
Getting aroundNear US average
26 min average commute
Commutes run about average, at 26.3 minutes. Fine day to day, but it adds up over a year, and where someone lives relative to where they work starts to matter. 9 in 10 workers drive to work; 8% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are hot and humid, with highs regularly hitting 92°F, and winters are mild, with lows rarely dropping below 51°F. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
1 hospital
There's one Medicare-certified hospital inside city limits, rated 3.0 out of 5 by Medicare. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▼ 37% below US
23% bachelor's degree or higher
College degree attainment runs below average at 23%. That tends to reflect a more trade and working-class economy, which can be great or limiting depending on the industry.
Schools
16 public schools inside the boundary
There are 16 public schools inside the boundary and 2 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 17:1, slightly above the national average of 16:1.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is De Soto National Memorial (56 miles away). There are 2 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Bartow's strongest points are rent below the national average and home prices that remain within reach; the main tradeoffs are household incomes below the national average and a poverty rate above the national average. A year of median rent ($1,142/mo) equals 20% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget.
Other places near Bartow
All Florida guides →Moving to Highland City →
6 mi away · pop. 13,276
Rent $1,993/mo · Income $90,947
Compare with Bartow →Moving to Lakeland Highlands →
9 mi away · pop. 12,102
Rent $1,704/mo · Income $108,263
Compare with Bartow →Moving to Fuller Heights →
11 mi away · pop. 10,083
Rent $1,444/mo · Income $82,006
Compare with Bartow →Not sure Bartow is the one?
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