Existing Conditions
Figure 18 highlights the areas of greatest projected employment growth by showing the percent change in
employment per square mile for each TAZ in Polk County from 2010 to 2020 (in other words, the percent change
between Figure 17 and Figure 18). The areas of the county that indicate the highest percent change in employment
are transitioning from primarily rural/agricultural land uses to more intense land uses. The northeast portion of
the county is highly influenced by the Orlando market and is adding many service-related jobs. The area around
the northeast intersection of the Polk Parkway and Interstate 4 (north of Auburndale) is the location of the new
Florida Polytechnic University. The area along State Road 60 between Bartow and Lake Wales has been adding
new business parks, light industry, and manufacturing jobs.
Figure 18. Projected Percent Change in Employment Per Square Mile, 2010-2020
Data source: Polk Transportation Planning Organization
Broadband Assets
Wireline
For households and businesses, broadband connections via fiber, cable, and DSL are commercially available
throughout much of the county. Measured by land area (excluding lakes), approximately 44 percent of the
county has cable broadband coverage, 26 percent has DSL coverage, and 7 percent has fiber coverage. Measured
by census block, an estimated 40,645 people in Polk County live outside areas covered by commercial wireline
broadband service (fiber, cable, or DSL), comprising about 6.75 percent of the population. Approximately
174,000 people (29 percent of the population) live in areas where fiber broadband connections are commercially
available. Approximately 555,000 people (92 percent of the population) live in areas where cable broadband is
commercially available.
Figure 19 shows commercial wireline coverage by service type (Fiber, cable, and DSL). These services overlap
in many areas. Areas where two or more service types overlap are shown in the color of the service type that
typically offers the highest broadband speeds. Fiber is typically highest, followed by cable, then DSL.
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