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Polk County considered fastest-growing county
Joneé Lewis reports
LAKELAND, Fla. - Polk County is the fastest-growing county in Florida and the seventh fastest-growing in the nation, according to a new study.
The United Community Needs Assessment (UCNA) gives an overview of the needs by residents. The two-year study by the GiveWell Community Foundation and United Way of Central Florida included focus groups and surveys to compile the data.
The UCNA identified needs and assets that impact the lives of Polk County residents in the following domains:
- Economic and Employment Opportunities
- Housing
- Education
- Food Security
- Transportation/Infrastructure
- Quality of Life
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"It can be used by elected officials and our policymakers to inform their decisions, and then certainly by non-profit organizations showing what programs are successful, where we're moving the needle and build a case for scaling and growing some of their capacity," said Callie Neslund, the president and CEO of the GiveWell Community Foundation.
The assessment also found between 2010 and 2020 that the population in Polk County grew by 20.4%, making it the ninth most populous county in the state.
"I don't think that the growth is a great surprise to anybody that's here. But certainly, where it is centered, many of us assume that it’s retirees who are coming to Florida when in fact it is quite the opposite," Neslund said.
It found many young families are moving to the area, pointing to the need for more education resources, health care services and housing.
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"I think one of the most important things that we can do through this needs assessment is have a conversation and convene all of those folks together to look at sustainable growth and sustainable solutions," Neslund said. "So, an example of that might be housing. We see that our local wages are not keeping pace with the rapid increase in property values."
Elected leaders say there are several projects in the works to address that need as well as the need for improved traffic management to accommodate growth.
"Everything we're doing is planning on how we can do that. Roundabouts, for example, will increase dramatically. Roundabouts make an intersection anywhere between 40 to 60% more efficient," Lakeland Mayor Bill Mutz said.
The report anticipates by 2030, Polk County’s population is expected to increase by over 20%.