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COUNTY · 2020 ACS

Polk County

Georgia · 42,853 residents · 310.34 sq mi
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The short version

Polk County has notably lower household income than the US average, with a median household income of $46,846. Population has held roughly steady since 2000. 13% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, below the national rate of 33%. Median home value has risen by half since 2000, reaching $121,900.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $66,278
Mid-age
median age 39.0
US median: 38.8
Less educated
13% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 33%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $265,253
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
42,853
+12%since 2000
from 38,127 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Median age
39.0
+11%since 2000
from 35.1 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Population, 1990 – 2024
33K36K39K42K45K1990201020202024Polk County
202444K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2020
Under 56.2%(2,643)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 96.6%(2,810)
US avg: 6.1%
10 to 147.5%(3,204)
US avg: 6.5%
15 to 197.3%(3,148)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 246%(2,563)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 3411.6%(4,959)
US avg: 13.5%
35 to 4411.9%(5,081)
US avg: 12.7%
45 to 5412.6%(5,412)
US avg: 12.3%
55 to 6413.6%(5,811)
US avg: 13.1%
65 to 7410.2%(4,386)
US avg: 10%
75 to 845.2%(2,249)
US avg: 4.9%
85 and over1.4%(587)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$46,846
−4%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $32,328 in 2000
US average: $66,278
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$24,258
+55%since 2000
from $15,617 in 2000
US average: $35,364
Households earning $100K+
30.0%
+11.4 ptssince 2009
from 18.6% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
Poverty rate
18.3%
+2.8 ptssince 2000
from 15.5% in 2000
US average: 12.8%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Retail trade25.6%
US avg: 10%
Information10.7%
US avg: 11.1%
Wholesale trade8.7%
US avg: 6.7%
Finance & insurance5.8%
US avg: 5.5%
Professional, scientific, technical3%
US avg: 4.7%
Other services2.9%
US avg: 6.6%
Transportation & warehousing2.8%
US avg: 2.5%
Education & health services2.8%
US avg: 0.8%
Public administration2.3%
US avg: 4.7%
Arts, entertainment, food2.1%
US avg: 2%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing1%
US avg: 1.7%
Construction0.8%
US avg: 1.2%
Manufacturing0.2%
US avg: 0.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$121,900
+12%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $72,600 in 2000
US average: $265,253
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$720
+13%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $425 in 2000
US average: $1,124
Owner-occupied
65.7%
−5.5 ptssince 2000
from 71.3% in 2000
34.3% rent
Afford Score
2.6
Unchangedsince 2009
from 2.6 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index: median home value divided by median household income. Lower is more affordable.
RELATED:See current rent listings in Polk County on RentDataNow
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic77.9%(29,684)
Black13.3%(5,073)
Hispanic / Latino7.7%(2,921)
Asian0.3%(118)
Other0%
2020
White, non-Hispanic70.4%(30,161)
Black11.9%(5,119)
Hispanic / Latino13%(5,585)
Asian0.6%(239)
Other3.1%(1,345)
Segregation Score
24
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican6.9%(2,929)
Central American5.4%(2,301)
Guatemalan5.4%(2,301)
Puerto Rican0.2%(83)
Spaniard0.2%(83)
Colombian0.1%(28)
Asian origin
Asian Indian0.3%(115)
Korean0.1%(57)
Filipino0.1%(57)
Thai0%(12)
Pacific Islander origin
Ancestry
American23.7%(10,020)
Irish9.1%(3,828)
English6.8%(2,859)
German3.7%(1,565)
Scottish1.9%(790)
Italian1.6%(695)
Scotch-Irish0.8%(354)
French0.7%(314)
Dutch0.7%(308)
Polish0.6%(246)
Welsh0.4%(162)
British0.4%(155)
+ 15 more ancestry groups with data
West Indian0.3%(107)
Haitian0.3%(107)
Serbian0.2%(70)
Portuguese0.1%(36)
Bulgarian0.1%(29)
Greek0.1%(28)
Hungarian0.1%(27)
Ukrainian0%(21)
Czech0%(14)
Norwegian0%(13)
Russian0%(10)
Swedish0%(10)
RANKED:Largest American population · Largest Irish population · Largest Mexican population · Largest English population · Largest Central American population
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
12.7%
+4.7 ptssince 2000
from 8.0% in 2000
US average: 32.9%
High school or higher
80.7%
+17.5 ptssince 2000
from 63.3% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
Graduate degree
4.8%
+0.9 ptssince 2000
from 3.9% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
29.2 min
+31%since 2000
from 22.3 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
Drive alone to work
82.5%
+3.8 ptssince 2009
from 78.7% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
No vehicle available
6.5%
−0.1 ptssince 2009
from 6.6% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
5.4%
−6.0 ptssince 2011
from 11.4% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
Labor force participation
60.2%
+0.6 ptssince 2011
from 59.6% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Management & professional
20.5%
−32.5 ptssince 2009
from 53.0% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
Section 08

People & community

Male
48.9%
−1.4 ptssince 2009
from 50.3% in 2009
Female
51.1%
+1.4 ptssince 2009
from 49.7% in 2009
Foreign born
6.7%
−0.6 ptssince 2009
from 7.3% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
Uninsured
15.7%
−63.3 ptssince 2013
from 79.0% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married32.2%(5,510)
Married53%(9,071)
Widowed2.4%(410)
Divorced12.4%(2,127)
Women 15+
Never married28.4%(5,072)
Married48.2%(8,612)
Widowed9.3%(1,666)
Divorced14%(2,506)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Drill deeper

Places similar to Polk County

Greene County
Pop 47,411
Okeechobee County
Pop 42,608
Coles County
Pop 46,607
Thomas County
Pop 46,368
Places similar to Polk County
Head to head

Compare Polk County to nearby counties

POLK COUNTY VS
Haralson County
Income$72,127+54%
Home value$227,500+87%
Population33,066−27%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
POLK COUNTY VS
Floyd County
Income$65,565+40%
Home value$217,900+79%
Population101,378+123%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
POLK COUNTY VS
Paulding County
Income$98,031+109%
Home value$326,300+168%
Population190,996+320%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
POLK COUNTY VS
Bartow County
Income$82,243+76%
Home value$289,000+137%
Population120,800+165%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Polk County, Georgia?

Polk County, Georgia has about 42,853 residents according to the 2020 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Polk County, Georgia?

The typical household in Polk County, Georgia earns about $46,846 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Polk County, Georgia expensive?

In Polk County, Georgia, the median home is worth about $121,900, and the typical rent is about $720 a month.

How educated are people in Polk County, Georgia?

About 12.7% of adults age 25 and over in Polk County, Georgia hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Polk County, Georgia?

About 18.3% of people in Polk County, Georgia live below the federal poverty line.

Has Polk County, Georgia grown since 1990?

Yes, Polk County, Georgia has grown since 1990. The population has added about 9,038 residents, a change of about 27 percent over that period.

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Explore from here

8 census tracts
Census Tract 101Census Tract 107Census Tract 106Census Tract 105Census Tract 104Census Tract 102.01Census Tract 103Census Tract 102.02
3 ZIP codes
ZIP 30125ZIP 30153ZIP 30104
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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →