Auburndale is a city in Polk County, Florida, United States. The population was 11,032 at the 2000 census. According to the U.S Census estimates of 2005, the city had a population of 12,381. It is part of the Lakeland - Winter Haven Metropolitan Statistical Area.HistoryAuburndale was founded in 1880 by Frank Fuller seeking refuge from chilly winters in the Northeast United States. The place was originally named Sanatoria, from a hotel located there. When the railroad arrived, it was renamed Auburndale at the suggestion of settlers from Auburndale, Massachusetts, which itself took its name from the opening line of the poem The Deserted Village by Oliver Goldsmith. Early on, the city became a refuge for many of America's most prominent artists.Geography and climateAuburndale is located at. The city is located 40mi northeast of Tampa and 59mi southwest of Orlando. Auburndale is located within the Central Florida Highlands area of the Atlantic coastal plain with a terrain consisting of flatland interspersed with gently rolling hills.According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 9.3sqmi, of which 5.2sqmi is land and 4.1sqmi (43.87%) is water.Auburndale is located in the humid subtropical zone, as designated by (Köppen climate classification: Cfa).
