United States › Arkansas › Polk County COUNTY
Polk County Arkansas · 19,486 residents (2025 est.) · 857 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO 1990 Census 2000 Census 2009 ACS 2010 ACS 2011 ACS 2012 ACS 2013 ACS 2014 ACS 2015 ACS 2016 ACS 2017 ACS 2018 ACS 2019 ACS 2020 ACS 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS
The short version
Polk County is home to 19,361 people in Arkansas. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 18% of adults. The median age is 44.3, about 5 years above the US median. The typical home is worth $138,400, having more than doubled since 2000. 79% of homes are owner-occupied. The foreign-born share is 3%.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 44.3
US median: 38.9
Less educated
18% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 32%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 20,229 in 2000
19,486 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
from 24 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 38.6 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
17K 18K 19K 20K 21K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Polk County Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $49,191
+7%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $25,180 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $14,063 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 12.8% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 18.2% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.417 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 4.3%
Professional, scientific, technical 3.7%
Public administration 3.3%
Education & health services 1.8%
Transportation & warehousing 1.6%
Arts, entertainment, food 1.6%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$138,400
+32%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $57,500 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$711
+8%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $361 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 78.4% in 2000
21.1% rent
from 18.6% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.52 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 21.6% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 27.9% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 2.4 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 93.1%(18,836)
Hispanic / Latino 3.5%(708)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 86.3%(16,704)
Hispanic / Latino 7%(1,352)
from 20 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
from 33 in 2020
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 17 more ancestry groups with data from 10.9% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 72.6% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 4.3% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 13.5 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 80.4% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 11.3% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.4% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 3.3% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 2.7% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.2% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 4.3% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 5.7% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 54.2% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 64.7% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 14.5% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 24.5% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 2.3% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 16.2% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 25.0% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 21.2% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 59.6% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 87.0% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 86.6% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 95.1% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 4.4% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 23.7%(1,790)
Women 15+
Never married 21.1%(1,752)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 21.2% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 35.2% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 17.1% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 26.9% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 31.7% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 5.8% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 53.1% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 54.4% in 2020
US average: 36.7%
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later) 14.5%(186)
Gulf War (1990s) 17.5%(225)
Share of the 1,286 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Drill deeper
Places similar to Polk County Head to head
Compare Polk County to nearby counties POLK COUNTY VS
Scott County
Income $43,270 −12%
Home value $115,000 −17%
Population 9,965 −49%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
POLK COUNTY VS
Howard County
Income $45,603 −7%
Home value $153,900 +11%
Population 12,306 −37%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
POLK COUNTY VS
Montgomery County
Income $48,906 −1%
Home value $151,900 +10%
Population 8,579 −56%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
POLK COUNTY VS
Sevier County
Income $53,527 +9%
Home value $117,600 −15%
Population 15,758 −19%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Polk County, Arkansas? Polk County, Arkansas has about 19,361 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Polk County, Arkansas? The typical household in Polk County, Arkansas earns about $49,191 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Polk County, Arkansas expensive? In Polk County, Arkansas, the median home is worth about $138,400, and the typical rent is about $711 a month.
How educated are people in Polk County, Arkansas? About 17.8% of adults age 25 and over in Polk County, Arkansas hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Polk County, Arkansas? About 15.9% of people in Polk County, Arkansas live below the federal poverty line.
Has Polk County, Arkansas grown since 1990? Yes, Polk County, Arkansas has grown since 1990. The population has added about 2,014 residents, a change of about 12 percent over that period.
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