 Despite the impressive growth rate, the unemployment rate of Polk has typically been higher than that of the entire state.For example, in August 2010, the county had an unemployment rate of 13.4%, compared to 11.7% for the entire state.During the 2004 Atlantic hurricane season, three hurricanes, Charley, Frances and Jeanne all tracked over Polk County, intersecting in a triangle that includes the city of Bartow.