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COUNTY

Polk County

Minnesota · 30,545 residents (2025 est.) · 1,970.999 sq mi
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The short version

Polk County has lower-than-average household income, with a median household income of $73,107. Population has held roughly steady since 2000. Median home value has roughly tripled since 2000, reaching $222,800. It sits in the top 10% of US counties for household income.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Mid-age
median age 39.8
US median: 38.9
Less educated
28% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 68%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
30,705
−2%since 2000
from 31,369 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Population density
16 / sq mi
Unchangedsince 2009
from 16 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
Median age
39.8
+4%since 2000
from 38.2 in 2000
US average: 38.9

PEP 2025 EST:30,545 residents (Census Bureau Vintage 2025, released March 2026)

Population, 1990 – 2024
31K31K32K32K33K1990201020202024Polk County
202431K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 56.1%(1,888)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 96.8%(2,077)
US avg: 6%
10 to 147%(2,154)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 197.4%(2,260)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 245.2%(1,593)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3411.3%(3,465)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4412.8%(3,938)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5410.9%(3,348)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6413.4%(4,120)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 7410.7%(3,281)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 845.9%(1,826)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over2.5%(755)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$73,107
+14%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $35,105 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$37,371
+116%since 2000
from $17,279 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
49.1%
+26.1 ptssince 2009
from 23.1% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
11.9%
+0.9 ptssince 2000
from 10.9% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.434
+4%since 2010
from 0.416 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Information11.5%
US avg: 10.8%
Retail trade9.3%
US avg: 9.9%
Wholesale trade8.2%
US avg: 6.9%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing6.6%
US avg: 1.6%
Construction6.5%
US avg: 1.2%
Finance & insurance4.9%
US avg: 5.9%
Professional, scientific, technical4.1%
US avg: 5.1%
Other services3.5%
US avg: 6.7%
Public administration2.9%
US avg: 4.8%
Transportation & warehousing2.3%
US avg: 2.2%
Arts, entertainment, food1.2%
US avg: 1.9%
Education & health services0.8%
US avg: 0.9%
Manufacturing0.1%
US avg: 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$222,800
+68%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $72,700 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$855
+19%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $396 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
71.3%
−2.9 ptssince 2000
from 74.1% in 2000
28.7% rent
Vacancy rate
15.9%
+1.1 ptssince 2009
from 14.8% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Owner cost-burdened
18.1%
−0.8 ptssince 2009
from 18.9% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
49.3%
+3.5 ptssince 2009
from 45.8% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
3.0
+29%since 2009
from 2.4 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index: median home value divided by median household income. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
68
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
RELATED:See current rent listings in Polk County on RentDataNow
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic92.4%(28,994)
Black0.3%(86)
Hispanic / Latino4.8%(1,502)
Asian0.3%(91)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic84%(25,806)
Black2%(604)
Hispanic / Latino6.9%(2,122)
Asian0.8%(247)
Other6.3%(1,926)
Diversity Score
36
+77%since 2009
from 20 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Segregation Score
25
−2%since 2020
from 26 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

Hispanic origin
Mexican5.6%(1,733)
Spaniard0.4%(126)
Puerto Rican0.2%(63)
Ecuadorian0.1%(45)
Panamanian0.1%(32)
Venezuelan0.1%(24)
Costa Rican0.1%(16)
Chilean0%(11)
Cuban0%(7)
+ 1 more hispanic origin group with data
Asian origin
Chinese0.2%(57)
Asian Indian0.2%(54)
Filipino0.1%(41)
Hmong0.1%(38)
Korean0.1%(33)
Laotian0.1%(20)
Pacific Islander origin
Ancestry
Norwegian33.5%(10,296)
German26.5%(8,130)
Irish7.3%(2,234)
Swedish7.3%(2,228)
French5%(1,521)
English3.9%(1,208)
American3.2%(972)
Polish3.1%(949)
Czech2.3%(712)
Russian1.3%(391)
Italian1.1%(339)
+ 36 more ancestry groups with data
Scottish1%(314)
Dutch1%(299)
Finnish0.9%(269)
Danish0.5%(164)
Swiss0.5%(156)
Arab0.4%(127)
Turkish0.4%(118)
Scotch-Irish0.3%(83)
Lebanese0.2%(75)
Canadian0.2%(55)
Serbian0.2%(54)
Ethiopian0.2%(47)
Austrian0.1%(44)
Croatian0.1%(42)
Ukrainian0.1%(42)
Guyanese0.1%(34)
Iraqi0.1%(31)
West Indian0.1%(27)
Haitian0.1%(26)
Greek0.1%(25)
Brazilian0.1%(23)
Syrian0.1%(21)
Portuguese0.1%(20)
Hungarian0.1%(19)
Ghanaian0.1%(17)
Nigerian0.1%(16)
Slovak0%(11)
Belgian0%(6)
British0%(4)
Slovene0%(1)
RANKED:Largest Norwegian population · Largest German population · Largest Irish population · Largest Swedish population · Largest Mexican population
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
28.0%
+10.4 ptssince 2000
from 17.6% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
93.8%
+11.8 ptssince 2000
from 82.0% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
9.0%
+3.7 ptssince 2000
from 5.3% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
18.6 min
+54%since 2000
from 12.1 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
78.3%
+0.8 ptssince 2009
from 77.5% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
6.7%
−4.3 ptssince 2009
from 11.0% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
1.6%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 1.6% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
5.8%
+1.8 ptssince 2009
from 4.0% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
6.2%
+2.9 ptssince 2009
from 3.3% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.2%
−0.6 ptssince 2009
from 0.8% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
7.4%
−0.6 ptssince 2009
from 8.0% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
3.6%
−2.5 ptssince 2011
from 6.0% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
66.3%
−1.3 ptssince 2011
from 67.6% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Self-employed
17.3%
+0.9 ptssince 2009
from 16.4% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
37.3%
−25.5 ptssince 2009
from 62.8% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
51.4%
+1.7 ptssince 2009
from 49.7% in 2009
Female
48.6%
−1.7 ptssince 2009
from 50.3% in 2009
Foreign born
2.1%
+0.1 ptssince 2009
from 2.0% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
6.2%
−42.9 ptssince 2009
from 49.0% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
11.7%
−1.4 ptssince 2012
from 13.1% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
5.8%
−85.6 ptssince 2013
from 91.4% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
90.4%
+14.7 ptssince 2017
from 75.7% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
English only at home
94.0%
+1.1 ptssince 2016
from 92.9% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
2.5%
−0.9 ptssince 2016
from 3.5% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married33.2%(4,174)
Married54.4%(6,839)
Widowed2.6%(331)
Divorced9.8%(1,227)
Women 15+
Never married26%(3,127)
Married55.2%(6,631)
Widowed10.2%(1,220)
Divorced8.6%(1,037)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Drill deeper

Places similar to Polk County

Morgan County
Pop 30,306
Peach County
Pop 29,877
White County
Pop 29,802
Haralson County
Pop 33,066
Places similar to Polk County
Head to head

Compare Polk County to nearby counties

POLK COUNTY VS
Red Lake County
Income$77,188+6%
Home value$162,000−27%
Population3,940−87%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
POLK COUNTY VS
Pennington County
Income$77,325+6%
Home value$195,500−12%
Population13,686−55%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
POLK COUNTY VS
Norman County
Income$72,260−1%
Home value$147,100−34%
Population6,336−79%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
POLK COUNTY VS
Marshall County
Income$72,543−1%
Home value$164,500−26%
Population8,798−71%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Polk County, Minnesota?

Polk County, Minnesota has about 30,705 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

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

The typical household in Polk County, Minnesota earns about $73,107 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Polk County, Minnesota expensive?

In Polk County, Minnesota, the median home is worth about $222,800, and the typical rent is about $855 a month.

How educated are people in Polk County, Minnesota?

About 28.0% of adults age 25 and over in Polk County, Minnesota hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Polk County, Minnesota?

About 11.9% of people in Polk County, Minnesota live below the federal poverty line.

Has Polk County, Minnesota grown since 1990?

Yes, Polk County, Minnesota has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 1,793 residents, a change of about -6 percent over that period.

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Explore from here

10 census tracts
Census Tract 206Census Tract 201Census Tract 209Census Tract 210Census Tract 203Census Tract 205Census Tract 207Census Tract 204Census Tract 208Census Tract 202
16 ZIP codes
ZIP 56721ZIP 56716ZIP 56542ZIP 56762ZIP 56540ZIP 56556ZIP 56535ZIP 56723ZIP 56736ZIP 56592ZIP 56523ZIP 56722ZIP 56684ZIP 56646ZIP 56517ZIP 56568
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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →