COUNTY · 1990 CENSUS

Polk County

Arkansas · 17,347 residents · 857 sq mi

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With 17,347 people, Polk County is a county in Arkansas. The median age is 38.1, about 5 years above the US median. The typical home is worth $35,700. Owners hold 76% of the housing stock. About 10% of adults have finished a four-year degree. The median household earns $17,789, about 41% below the national median.

At a glance

Lower income

below the US median

US median: $30,130

Older

median age 38.1

US median: 33.0

Less educated

10% hold a bachelor's degree

US average: 20%

More affordable

home values down 18%, inflation adjusted

US median home: $93,722

Section 01

Population & growth

Total population

17,347

−14%vs 2000

vs 20,229 in 2000

1990 – 2025

Median age

38.1

−1%vs 2000

vs 38.6 in 2000

US average: 33.0

Land area

857 sq mi

Population, 1990 – 2024

202419K

Age distribution, 1990

Under 56.5%(1,132)

US avg: 7.3%

5 to 97.4%(1,291)

US avg: 7.3%

10 to 147.1%(1,231)

US avg: 6.9%

15 to 197.3%(1,269)

US avg: 7.1%

20 to 245.3%(915)

US avg: 7.5%

25 to 3412.4%(2,154)

US avg: 17.5%

35 to 4412.3%(2,129)

US avg: 15.1%

45 to 5411.7%(2,031)

US avg: 10.2%

55 to 6410.7%(1,849)

US avg: 8.5%

65 to 7410.3%(1,789)

US avg: 7.3%

75 to 847.3%(1,268)

US avg: 4%

85 and over1.7%(289)

US avg: 1.2%

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE

Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income

$17,789

−7%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $25,180 in 2000

US average: $30,130

1990 – 2024

Per capita income

$8,884

−37%vs 2000

vs $14,063 in 2000

US average: $14,340

Poverty rate

18.5%

+0.3 ptsvs 2000

vs 18.2% in 2000

US average: 13.2%

Section 03

Housing

Median home value

$35,700

−18%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $57,500 in 2000

US average: $93,722

1990 – 2024

Median gross rent

$255

−7%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $361 in 2000

US average: $450

Owner-occupied

76.2%

−2.2 ptsvs 2000

vs 78.4% in 2000

23.8% rent

Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000

White, non-Hispanic93.1%(18,836)

Black0.2%(32)

Hispanic / Latino3.5%(708)

Asian0.2%(42)

Other0%

1990

White, non-Hispanic98.4%(17,063)

Black0%(0)

Hispanic / Latino2.1%(360)

Asian0.3%(53)

Other1.3%(231)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Detailed origin tables are available for 2024; showing 2024 data.

Hispanic origin

Mexican6.2%(1,208)

Spaniard0.3%(56)

South American0.1%(28)

Colombian0.1%(28)

Central American0.1%(24)

Panamanian0.1%(13)

Honduran0.1%(11)

Puerto Rican0%(8)

Asian origin

Filipino0.1%(17)

Pacific Islander origin

Marshallese0.2%(34)

Tongan0.1%(16)

Ancestry

English13.3%(2,567)

Irish11.6%(2,245)

German11.2%(2,166)

American7.1%(1,383)

Italian2.5%(475)

French2.1%(411)

Scottish1.6%(310)

Dutch1.1%(214)

Scotch-Irish0.8%(152)

Welsh0.8%(148)

Norwegian0.7%(136)

Polish0.5%(96)

+ 17 more ancestry groups with data

Swiss0.5%(94)

Russian0.4%(72)

French Canadian0.4%(68)

Swedish0.3%(57)

Danish0.3%(52)

Portuguese0.2%(35)

Finnish0.1%(28)

Ukrainian0.1%(28)

Austrian0.1%(27)

Hungarian0.1%(24)

Czech0.1%(23)

Subsaharan African0.1%(18)

Lithuanian0.1%(13)

Belgian0.1%(12)

Croatian0.1%(11)

Latvian0%(9)

West Indian0%(1)

RANKED:Largest English population · Largest Irish population · Largest German population · Largest American population · Largest Mexican population

Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher

9.9%

−1.1 ptsvs 2000

vs 10.9% in 2000

US average: 20.3%

High school or higher

62.4%

−10.1 ptsvs 2000

vs 72.6% in 2000

US average: 75.2%

Graduate degree

3.5%

−0.9 ptsvs 2000

vs 4.3% in 2000

US average: 7.1%

Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute

21.2 min

+56%vs 2000

vs 13.5 min in 2000

US average: 21.9

Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status (2024)

Men 15+

Never married23.7%(1,790)

Married58.4%(4,417)

Widowed4.8%(363)

Divorced13.1%(991)

Women 15+

Never married21.1%(1,752)

Married56.8%(4,707)

Widowed12.8%(1,063)

Divorced9.3%(770)

SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024

Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

Uninsured

9.0%

−12.2 ptssince 2013

from 21.2% in 2013

US average: 8.4%

Employer-based

39.5%

+4.3 ptssince 2020

from 35.2% in 2020

US average: 54.8%

Direct-purchase

13.4%

−3.7 ptssince 2020

from 17.1% in 2020

US average: 13.8%

Medicare

25.5%

−1.4 ptssince 2020

from 26.9% in 2020

US average: 18.4%

Medicaid

31.6%

−0.1 ptssince 2020

from 31.7% in 2020

US average: 20.9%

VA health care

4.3%

−1.5 ptssince 2020

from 5.8% in 2020

US average: 2.2%

Any private

54.1%

+1.0 ptssince 2020

from 53.1% in 2020

US average: 67.1%

Any public

52.8%

−1.6 ptssince 2020

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)

US avg: 26.4%

Gulf War (1990s)17.5%(225)

US avg: 24.3%

Vietnam era51.7%(665)

US avg: 33.1%

Korean War5.1%(65)

US avg: 4.5%

World War II0.5%(6)

US avg: 1%

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

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