How many renters in Fort Meade, FL pay more than 30% of their income on rent?

Name: Rent burden in Fort Meade, FL, 2020–2024
Creator: US Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

79.0% (±22.5 points) of renting households in Fort Meade, FL spend 30% or more of their household income on gross rent (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

60.3% spend 35% or more.

The median renting household spends 44.6% of its income on rent.

Figures last updated on November 12, 2026.

Paying 30% or more: 79.0% (±22.5 points)
Paying 35% or more: 60.3% (±17.7 points)
Median share of income: 44.6% (±17.4 points)

Rent as a share of income in Fort Meade

Renting households by gross rent as a percentage of household income, 2020–2024
Share of income spent on rent	Fort Meade	Polk County	Florida	United States
Less than 15%	12.2% (±9.5 points)	10.1%	8.1%	12.6%
15% to 19.9%	3.9% (±3.8 points)	10.9%	9.3%	12.2%
20% to 24.9%	2.8% (±3.4 points)	13.0%	11.3%	12.6%
25% to 29.9%	2.2% (±2.8 points)	11.8%	11.3%	11.5%
30% to 34.9%	18.7% (±13.9 points)	9.3%	9.8%	9.2%
35% or more	60.3% (±17.7 points)	44.9%	50.2%	41.9%

Households whose income could not be measured against their rent (for example, those reporting no income) are left out of these shares, as the Census Bureau leaves them out.

Fort Meade against Polk County, its state and the nation

Estimate (90% margin of error)
	Fort Meade	Polk County	Florida	United States
Paying 30% or more	79.0% (±22.5 points)	54.2% (±2.0 points)	60.0% (±0.4 points)	51.1%
Paying 35% or more	60.3% (±17.7 points)	44.9% (±1.8 points)	50.2% (±0.4 points)	41.9%
Median share of income	44.6% (±17.4 points)	32.3% (±1.0 points)	35.2% (±0.3 points)	30.6%
Median renter household income	$20,564 (±$2,320)	$50,423 (±$1,573)	$53,617 (±$353)	$52,966
Median gross rent	$922 (±$64)	$1,363 (±$28)	$1,669 (±$5)	$1,413

In Fort Meade, the share of renters paying 30% or more of income is higher than in Polk County (54.2%).

It is not measurably different from Florida (60.0%).

It is higher than the national figure (51.1%).

In Polk County, Fort Meade ranks 2 of 36 places with a published estimate, from highest to lowest share of renters paying 30% or more of income.

Statewide, it ranks 71 of 843.

Rankings use the estimates alone; where margins of error overlap, neighboring ranks may not truly differ.

Renters paying 30% or more of income in places near Fort Meade

Nearest places with a published estimate, compared with Fort Meade
Place	Distance	Renters paying 30% or more of income	Compared with this place
Fort Meade	—	79.0% (±22.5 points)	—
Bartow	8.4 mi	41.1% (±10.7 points)	Lower
Bowling Green	8.9 mi	33.6% (±23.0 points)	Lower
Alturas	9.2 mi	0.0% (±55.9 points)	Lower
Crooked Lake Park	14 mi	36.6% (±31.4 points)	Lower
Wahneta	14 mi	54.7% (±31.6 points)	Not measurably different
Highland City	14 mi	54.0% (±16.6 points)	Not measurably different
Eagle Lake	15 mi	58.7% (±34.6 points)	Not measurably different
Mulberry	15 mi	61.4% (±27.4 points)	Not measurably different

Nearby places with a measurably lower figure: Bartow, FL (41.1%), Bowling Green, FL (33.6%), Alturas, FL (0.0%).

Distance is measured in a straight line between the Census Bureau’s internal points for each place.

Renters paying 30% or more of income across Polk County, place by place

Rank	Place	Renters paying 30% or more of income
1	Babson Park	100.0% (±141.4 points)
2	Fort Meade	79.0% (±22.5 points)
3	Lake Alfred	76.3% (±28.1 points)
4 (tie)	Dundee	69.4% (±20.6 points)
4 (tie)	Polk City	69.4% (±31.0 points)
6	Loughman	67.6% (±18.2 points)
7	Lake Wales	67.3% (±10.6 points)
8	Davenport	66.1% (±30.5 points)

Showing 8 of 36 places in Polk County, ranked from highest to lowest.

Survey years: 2020–2024 (American Community Survey 5-year estimates).

Margins of error are at the 90% confidence level.

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Questions about Fort Meade

Are renters in Fort Meade rent-burdened?

79.0% of renting households in Fort Meade pay 30% or more of their income in gross rent, the share housing researchers usually call rent-burdened (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

What share of income do renters in Fort Meade spend on rent?

The median renting household in Fort Meade, FL spends 44.6% (±17.4 points) of its household income on gross rent.

Sources

To check these figures in the Census Bureau’s own API, request the variables below from the 2024 ACS 5-year data profile (acs/acs5/profile) and detailed tables (acs/acs5) for Fort Meade city, Florida (place:24100, in state:12).

Each estimate (E or PE) has a margin of error beside it (M or PM).

The API needs a free key.

Request a Census API key.

DP04_0136E, DP04_0136M, DP04_0137PE, DP04_0137PM, DP04_0138PE, DP04_0138PM, DP04_0139PE, DP04_0139PM, DP04_0140PE, DP04_0140PM, DP04_0141PE, DP04_0141PM, DP04_0142PE, DP04_0142PM, B25071_001E, B25071_001M, B25119_003E, B25119_003M

This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.

Figures are published by the US Census Bureau, HUD, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the FBI; Seayora reproduces them and does not adjust them, except where a sentence says it compares dollar figures after inflation. They describe the whole place, not any one building or street, and are not an appraisal, a rent determination, a tax bill, a safety rating or legal advice.