Medulla, Florida

{{Use American English|date=July 2025}} {{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}} {{Infobox settlement   | official_name = Medulla, Florida | settlement_type = Census-designated place | image_skyline = | imagesize = | image_caption = | image_map = Polk_County_Florida_Incorporated_and_Unincorporated_areas_Medulla_Highlighted.svg | mapsize = 250x200px | map_caption = Location in Polk County and the state of Florida  | subdivision_type = Country | subdivision_name = United States | subdivision_type1 = State | subdivision_name1 = Florida | subdivision_type2 = County | subdivision_name2 = Polk | subdivision_type3 = | subdivision_name3 =  | established_title =  | established_date = | government_footnotes = | government_type = | leader_title = | leader_name =  | unit_pref = Imperial | area_footnotes = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2020">{{cite web|title=2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2020_Gazetteer/2020_gaz_place_12.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=October 31, 2021}}</ref> | area_total_km2 = 14.64 | area_land_km2 = 14.50 | area_water_km2 = 0.14 | area_total_sq_mi = 5.65 | area_land_sq_mi = 5.60 | area_water_sq_mi = 0.05  | population_as_of = 2020 | population_total = 10871 | population_footnotes = | population_density_km2 = 749.74 | population_density_sq_mi = 1941.94  | timezone = Eastern (EST) | utc_offset = -5 | timezone_DST = EDT | utc_offset_DST = -4 | coordinates = {{coord|27|57|15|N|82|00|05|W|region:US-FL|display=inline,title}} | elevation_footnotes = <ref name=gnis/> | elevation_ft = 118  | postal_code_type = | postal_code = 33811, 33813 | area_code = 863 | blank_name = FIPS code | blank_info = 12-43925<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=2008-01-31|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref> | blank1_name = GNIS feature ID | blank1_info = 2403274<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|2403274}}</ref> | footnotes = }}

'''Medulla''' is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in western Polk County, Florida, United States. It is part of the Lakeland–Winter Haven Metropolitan Statistical Area. Medulla is an affluent residential community located south of the Lakeland city limits, and north of the Mulberry city limits. Medulla neighbors Lakeland Highlands, and together the two communities make up much of what is known as south (unincorporated) Lakeland. As of the 2020 census, Medulla had a population of 10,871.<ref name="Census2020PLLede">{{cite web|title=2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)|url=https://api.census.gov/data/2020/dec/pl?get=NAME%2CP1_001N&for=place%3A43925&in=state%3A12|website=United States Census Bureau|year=2021|access-date=March 11, 2026|df=mdy}}</ref> The area is addressed to Lakeland, with zip codes 33811 and 33813. ==Geography==

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of {{convert|5.7|mi2|km2}}, of which {{convert|5.7|mi2|km2}} is land and {{convert|0.04|mi2|km2}} (0.35%) is water.

==History== A post office was established at Medulla in 1881, and remained in operation until 1909.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.postalhistory.com/postoffices.asp?task=display&state=FL&county=Polk | title=Polk County | publisher=Jim Forte Postal History | access-date=6 June 2015}}</ref> Before the post office opened, the community was called Spring Hill.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=FLROAAAAIBAJ&sjid=4_sDAAAAIBAJ&pg=1418%2C2813009 | title=Polk towns named from various sources | work=Lakeland Ledger | date=Jul 8, 1987 | access-date=6 June 2015 | author=Sawyer, Martha F. | pages=5C}}</ref> The name Medulla was given to the area due to its connecting link on the stagecoach rail-line between Bartow and Fort Meade, similar to how the medulla oblongata (in the lower part of the brain) connects with spinal cord.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=n7wwAAAAIBAJ&sjid=CPwDAAAAIBAJ&pg=1280%2C137027 | title=Conversation pieces: Polk history about towns lost and found | work=Lakeland Ledger | date=Jun 1, 1988 | access-date=7 October 2015 | author=Sawyer, Martha F. | pages=10C}}</ref> Medulla saw a period of rapid growth throughout the 1990s and early 2000s with development of Deer Brooke, a mega [https://www.trulia.com/voices/In_My_Neighborhood/what_does_deed_restricted_mean_Can_it_mean_diff-360915 deed restricted community]. Development of many other smaller subdivisions soon followed.

==Demographics== {{US Census population |2020= 10871 |footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=http://www.census.gov/prod/www/decennial.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|accessdate=June 4, 2016}}</ref> | align = right | align-fn = center }}

===2020 census===

As of the 2020 census, Medulla had a population of 10,871. The median age was 36.8 years. 24.3% of residents were under the age of 18 and 14.0% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 91.9 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 89.3 males age 18 and over.<ref name="Census2020DP">{{cite web|title=2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)|url=https://api.census.gov/data/2020/dec/dp?get=NAME%2CDP1_0021P%2CDP1_0024P%2CDP1_0025C%2CDP1_0049C%2CDP1_0045C%2CDP1_0069C%2CDP1_0073C%2CDP1_0125P%2CDP1_0126P%2CDP1_0129P%2CDP1_0133P%2CDP1_0137P%2CDP1_0138P%2CDP1_0139P%2CDP1_0141P%2CDP1_0142P%2CDP1_0143P%2CDP1_0145P%2CDP1_0146P%2CDP1_0147C%2CDP1_0148C%2CDP1_0149C%2CDP1_0156C%2CDP1_0157C%2CDP1_0158C%2CDP1_0159P%2CDP1_0160P&for=place%3A43925&in=state%3A12|website=United States Census Bureau|year=2021|access-date=April 27, 2026|df=mdy}}</ref><ref name="Census2020PL">{{cite web|title=2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)|url=https://api.census.gov/data/2020/dec/pl?get=NAME%2CP1_001N%2CP1_003N%2CP1_004N%2CP1_005N%2CP1_006N%2CP1_007N%2CP1_008N%2CP1_009N%2CP2_001N%2CP2_002N%2CH1_001N%2CH1_002N&for=place%3A43925&in=state%3A12|website=United States Census Bureau|year=2021|access-date=April 27, 2026|df=mdy}}</ref>

100.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 0.0% lived in rural areas.<ref name="Census2020DHC">{{cite web|title=2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)|url=https://api.census.gov/data/2020/dec/dhc?get=NAME%2CP2_002N%2CP2_003N&for=place%3A43925&in=state%3A12|website=United States Census Bureau|year=2023|access-date=April 27, 2026|df=mdy}}</ref>

There were 4,134 households in Medulla, of which 34.0% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 49.6% were married-couple households, 15.7% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 27.3% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 22.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.<ref name="Census2020DP"/>

There were 4,333 housing units, of which 4.6% were vacant. The homeowner vacancy rate was 0.8% and the rental vacancy rate was 4.9%.<ref name="Census2020DP"/>

{| class="wikitable" |+ Racial composition as of the 2020 census<ref name="Census2020PL"/> ! Race !! Number !! Percent |- | White || 7,046 || 64.8% |- | Black or African American || 1,521 || 14.0% |- | American Indian and Alaska Native || 25 || 0.2% |- | Asian || 163 || 1.5% |- | Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander || 1 || 0.0% |- | Some other race || 758 || 7.0% |- | Two or more races || 1,357 || 12.5% |- | ''Hispanic or Latino (of any race)'' || 2,240 || 20.6% |}

===2000 census===

As of the 2000 census<ref name="GR2" />, there were 6,637 people, 2,567 households, and 1,791 families residing in the CDP. The population density was {{convert|1,169.3|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 2,739 housing units at an average density of {{convert|482.6|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units |units|}}. The racial makeup of the CDP was 84.53% White, 11.65% African American, 0.03% Native American, 0.62% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 1.82% from other races, and 1.34% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.20% of the population.

There were 2,567 households, out of which 35.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.6% were married couples living together, 11.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.2% were non-families. 23.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 4.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.58 and the average family size was 3.06.

In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 26.4% under the age of 18, 9.7% from 18 to 24, 33.6% from 25 to 44, 22.0% from 45 to 64, and 8.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.3 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $45,460, and the median income for a family was $51,691. Males had a median income of $35,698 versus $26,341 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $21,459. 6.0% of the population and 4.2% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 4.0% of those under the age of 18 and 7.4% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line. ==References== <references />

Category:Census-designated places in Polk County, Florida Category:Unincorporated communities in Polk County, Florida Category:Unincorporated communities in Florida