COUNTY · 2000 CENSUS

Polk County

Georgia · 38,127 residents · 310 sq mi

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The short version

With 38,127 people, Polk County is a county in Georgia. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 8% of adults. Households here earn about 24% less than in Georgia as a whole. The typical home is worth $72,600, having risen by half since 1990. Renters pay $425 a month at the median. The median household earns $32,328, about 24% below the national median.

At a glance

Lower income

below the US median

US median: $42,589

Mid-age

median age 35.1

US median: 35.2

Less educated

8% hold a bachelor's degree

US average: 24%

Less affordable

home values up 33%, inflation adjusted

US median home: $120,530

Section 01

Population & growth

Total population

38,127

+13%since 1990

from 33,815 in 1990

1990 – 2025

Median age

35.1

+3%since 1990

from 34.1 in 1990

US average: 35.2

Land area

310 sq mi

Population, 1990 – 2024

202444K

Age distribution, 2000

Under 57.2%(2,729)

US avg: 6.8%

5 to 96.9%(2,641)

US avg: 7.3%

10 to 147.4%(2,808)

US avg: 7.3%

15 to 197.5%(2,869)

US avg: 7.2%

20 to 246.8%(2,598)

US avg: 6.7%

25 to 3414.1%(5,374)

US avg: 14.2%

35 to 4414.7%(5,590)

US avg: 16%

45 to 5412.6%(4,819)

US avg: 13.4%

55 to 649.6%(3,673)

US avg: 8.6%

65 to 747.2%(2,731)

US avg: 6.5%

75 to 844.5%(1,717)

US avg: 4.4%

85 and over1.5%(578)

US avg: 1.5%

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE

Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income

$32,328

+10%inflation adjusted, since 1990

from $22,326 in 1990

US average: $42,589

1990 – 2024

Per capita income

$15,617

+53%since 1990

from $10,184 in 1990

US average: $21,522

Poverty rate

15.5%

−0.8 ptssince 1990

from 16.3% in 1990

US average: 12.4%

Section 03

Housing

Median home value

$72,600

+33%inflation adjusted, since 1990

from $41,300 in 1990

US average: $120,530

1990 – 2024

Median gross rent

$425

+2%inflation adjusted, since 1990

from $316 in 1990

US average: $602

Owner-occupied

71.3%

−1.1 ptssince 1990

from 72.4% in 1990

28.7% rent

Section 04

Race & ethnicity

1990

White, non-Hispanic84.5%(28,562)

Black14.3%(4,835)

Hispanic / Latino1.6%(553)

Asian0.1%(49)

2000

White, non-Hispanic77.9%(29,684)

Black13.3%(5,073)

Hispanic / Latino7.7%(2,921)

Asian0.3%(118)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

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

Hispanic origin

Mexican8.2%(3,573)

Central American4%(1,731)

Guatemalan3.7%(1,627)

Puerto Rican1.5%(643)

Salvadoran0.2%(80)

South American0.1%(45)

Peruvian0.1%(43)

Spaniard0.1%(26)

Honduran0%(14)

Costa Rican0%(10)

Dominican0%(3)

Ecuadorian0%(2)

Asian origin

Sri Lankan0.5%(211)

Asian Indian0.2%(74)

Japanese0%(16)

Pacific Islander origin

Native Hawaiian0.1%(48)

Ancestry

English23.3%(10,217)

American13.5%(5,911)

Irish6.6%(2,868)

German5.4%(2,375)

Italian2%(862)

Scottish1.1%(479)

Scotch-Irish1.1%(473)

French0.7%(312)

Polish0.6%(265)

Dutch0.3%(135)

Subsaharan African0.3%(125)

Welsh0.3%(117)

+ 17 more ancestry groups with data

Norwegian0.2%(104)

Greek0.2%(83)

British0.2%(79)

West Indian0.1%(61)

Turkish0.1%(48)

Portuguese0.1%(36)

Russian0.1%(31)

Haitian0.1%(30)

Swedish0.1%(28)

Trinidadian & Tobagonian0.1%(26)

French Canadian0.1%(25)

Croatian0%(16)

Arab0%(15)

Austrian0%(9)

Jamaican0%(5)

Hungarian0%(4)

Finnish0%(1)

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

Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher

8.0%

+1.2 ptssince 1990

from 6.8% in 1990

US average: 24.4%

High school or higher

63.3%

+11.5 ptssince 1990

from 51.8% in 1990

US average: 80.3%

Graduate degree

3.9%

+1.1 ptssince 1990

from 2.8% in 1990

US average: 8.8%

Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute

22.3 min

Unchangedsince 1990

from 22.4 min in 1990

US average: 17.6

Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status

Men 15+

Never married26.5%(3,882)

Married60.3%(8,829)

Widowed2.4%(354)

Divorced10.7%(1,569)

Women 15+

Never married17%(2,601)

Married57.6%(8,806)

Widowed14.6%(2,235)

Divorced10.7%(1,639)

SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2000

Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

Uninsured

12.0%

−9.0 ptssince 2013

from 21.0% in 2013

US average: 8.4%

Employer-based

50.0%

−1.5 ptssince 2020

from 51.5% in 2020

US average: 54.8%

Direct-purchase

9.7%

+0.8 ptssince 2020

from 8.9% in 2020

US average: 13.8%

Medicare

17.8%

+0.5 ptssince 2020

from 17.3% in 2020

US average: 18.4%

Medicaid

27.1%

+5.7 ptssince 2020

from 21.4% in 2020

US average: 20.9%

VA health care

1.1%

−0.5 ptssince 2020

from 1.6% in 2020

US average: 2.2%

Any private

59.4%

−0.2 ptssince 2020

from 59.6% in 2020

US average: 67.1%

Any public

40.6%

+4.5 ptssince 2020

from 36.1% 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)17.2%(312)

US avg: 26.4%

Gulf War (1990s)37%(670)

US avg: 24.3%

Vietnam era38.6%(699)

US avg: 33.1%

Korean War3%(55)

US avg: 4.5%

World War II0.6%(11)

US avg: 1%

Share of the 1,810 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.

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