Skip to main content

EconPulse

Local economy signal dashboard

Saved
PLACEStable

Fort Meade, FL

Stable overall. Federal Funds is the clearest support signal, while population needs the most attention. Housing reads as strained for a median-income household.

Post on XLinkedIn
Overall score55out of 100
Compare
82
47
0
58
95

Population

5,225

Data freshness

Unknown

GDP / Output

+6.1% YoY

82

$44.3B

Output changed +6.1% in 2024.

Vintage date unknown

State growth6.3%
U.S. growth5.3%

Jobs

Unemployment rate

47

5.3%

Unemployment is 5.3% for Latest available.

Vintage date unknown

State avg4.8%
U.S. avg5.2%

Population

-15.2% 5-year

0

5,225

Population moved -15.2% over the latest ACS window.

Vintage date unknown

State population22,416,077
U.S. population334,922,499

Housing

Rent share of income

58

30.2%

Median rent consumes 30.2% of median household income: Strained.

Vintage date unknown

State rent$1.7K
U.S. rent$1.4K
HUD_API_TOKEN missing; ACS median gross rent is used as the housing affordability fallback.

Federal Funds

$7.5K per resident

95

$5.4B

$5.4B in federal obligations flowed here in FY2025.

Vintage date unknown

State total$325.0B
U.S. total$5.3T

Population and output

Trend Snapshot

Reported share

Industry Breakdown

FY2025

Federal Money

Federal obligations

$5.4B

$7.5K per resident in reported federal flow.

Top agencies

Dollars
1. Social Security Administration$4.4B
2. Department of Veterans Affairs$668.6M
3. Department of Transportation$72.1M

Top recipients

Dollars
1. STATE OF FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION$62.2M
2. TAMPA ELECTRIC COMPANY$55.8M
3. REDACTED DUE TO PII$32.8M

Strained

Housing Affordability

30.2%

of median income

1BR estimate$756
2BR estimate$996
Median income$36,657
Median home value$175,900

ACS context

Quick Facts

Population

5,225

Median age

44.7

Bachelor's degree+

9.4%

Poverty rate

21.9%

Labor force participation

48.7%

Prime rate

6.8%

CPI YoY

+3.2%

U.S. GDP YoY

+6.5%

Sources and warnings

Data Provenance

Census ACS 5-year

2024

BLS LAUS / CPS

Latest available

BEA regional CAGDP1

2024

USAspending

FY2025

FRED

2026-07-31

HUD Fair Market Rent

Latest available

Data notes
  • HUD_API_TOKEN missing; ACS median gross rent is used as the housing affordability fallback.

5-year compound growth

Historical Trends

Population CAGR

-3.2%

GDP CAGR

+8.0%

Federal flow

5 years

Population (5 years)
20206,163
20215,127
20225,133
20235,172
20245,225
GDP (5 years)
2020$30.1B
2021$34.1B
2022$38.5B
2023$41.8B
2024$44.3B

2-year linear forecast

Predictive Outlook

Population forecast

20245,225
20254,815 *
20264,632 *

R² = 41.7% · * projected

GDP forecast

2024$44.3B
2025$48.6B *
2026$52.2B *

R² = 98.9% · * projected

Linear regression over available historical data. Projections are estimates based on past trends and do not account for policy changes, economic shocks, or other external factors.

housing affordability breakdown

Cost of Living

Median household income$36,657/yr
Median rent$922/mo
Rent share of income30.2%
Est. mortgage (30yr, 6.5%)$10,673/yr
Mortgage share of income29.1%

Rent data from Census ACS 5-year. Mortgage estimate assumes 20% down, 6.5% APR, 30-year fixed.

employment snapshot

Job Market

Unemployment rate5.3%
State avg4.8%
U.S. avg5.2%
Labor force participation48.7%
Poverty rate21.9%

Data from BLS LAUS / CPS. Latest available.

valuation snapshot

Real Estate

Median home value$175,900
Median monthly rent$922
Price-to-rent ratio15.9x

Moderate price-to-rent ratio — buying and renting are roughly balanced in this market.

composite score

Investment Climate

Investment climateModerate
Composite score50/100
Economic growth82/100
Labor market47/100
Population momentum0/100
Overall stability55/100

Composite score weighs economic growth, labor market health, population momentum, and overall stability. Not financial advice.

Location Context

Fort Meade city, Florida

City/Town

Part of

Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL

Nearby locations

Homeland, FLBartow, FLBowling Green, FLAlturas, FLBradley Junction, FL