The Town FilesKathleen, Florida
Community in Polk County · population 6,486 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $203,500
- Household income
- $57,097
- Jan low / Jul high
- 51° / 92°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 60
- Median age
- 35.6
Kathleen is a community of 6,486 people in Polk County, Florida. The median home is worth $203,500, below the typical Florida town ($331,600). It ranks better for cycling than 85% of Florida towns, easier by car than 80% of Florida towns.
How Kathleen ranks
Percentile among Florida towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Florida towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Kathleen is worth $203,500, below the typical Florida town ($331,600). Homes cost about 3.6 times the median household income of $57,097, which is more affordable than 80% of Florida towns. Median rent is $1,247 a month. 79.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Kathleen | Typical Florida town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $203,500 | $331,600 |
| Median rent | $1,247 | $1,569 |
| Median household income | $57,097 | $71,140 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.6× | 4.5× |
| Homeownership | 79.6% | 73.5% |
| Median year built | 1991 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.8% | — |
Who lives in Kathleen
| People | Kathleen | Typical Florida town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 35.6 | 42.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 13.8% | 20.2% |
| Under 18 | 28.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 11.4% | 28.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 31.8% | 11.3% |
| Veterans | 5.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 8.6% | — |
| Work from home | 7.4% | 13.5% |
| Average commute | 28.1 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 94.2% | 92.4% |
Weather in Kathleen
July highs average 92.1°F and January lows 50.6°F. About 56.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical Florida town: 0.0 in). Expect about 119 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 3 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
60 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Kathleen since 1950, compared with 35 for the typical Florida town. 9 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on April 4, 1966 about 0.8 miles from the town center and killed 8. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 11 deaths and 556 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on December 16, 2020.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 28 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on May 22, 1997.
Severe weather in Polk County since 1996
Polk County has been included in 42 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, tornado, freezing.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| October 11, 2024 | Hurricane | DR-4834: Hurricane Milton |
| October 7, 2024 | Hurricane | EM-3622: Hurricane Milton |
| August 10, 2024 | Tropical Storm | DR-4806: Hurricane Debby |
| August 3, 2024 | Tropical Storm | EM-3605: Tropical Storm Debby |
| August 31, 2023 | Hurricane | DR-4734: Hurricane Idalia |
Jobs and pay in Polk County
Polk County had 260,590 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $55,697 a year. Unemployment was 3.7% in 2023; in Kathleen itself the ACS puts it at 4.5%.
Towns near Kathleen
- Lakeland, FL6.8 mi · 112,641 people · home $249,400
- Plant City, FL8.6 mi · 39,764 people · home $291,800
- Combee Settlement, FL9.2 mi · 5,911 people · home $195,900
- Crystal Lake, FL10.3 mi · 5,768 people · home $205,600
- Zephyrhills South, FL11.2 mi · 4,985 people · home $49,800
- Medulla, FL11.7 mi · 10,871 people · home $319,800
- Fussels Corner, FL11.7 mi · 5,560 people · home $92,100
- Zephyrhills, FL11.9 mi · 17,194 people · home $224,700
Kathleen questions
Is Kathleen, Florida a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Kathleen scores better for retirees than 20% of Florida towns and quieter than 63%. 13.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 35.6).
How much does a house cost in Kathleen?
The median owner-occupied home in Kathleen is valued at $203,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $57,097, so homes cost about 3.6 times income. Median rent is $1,247 a month.
What is the weather like in Kathleen?
July highs average 92.1°F and January lows 50.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 56.8 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Kathleen get tornadoes?
60 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Kathleen since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on April 4, 1966. The typical Florida town has had 35.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)