COUNTY · 1990 CENSUS

Polk County

Minnesota · 32,498 residents · 1,971 sq mi

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The short version

With 32,498 people, Polk County is a county in Minnesota. The typical home is worth $47,000. Owners hold 75% of the housing stock. That trails the Minnesota median by roughly 27%. About 13% of adults have finished a four-year degree. Median rent is $293 a month.

At a glance

Lower income

below the US median

US median: $30,130

Mid-age

median age 34.7

US median: 33.0

Less educated

13% hold a bachelor's degree

US average: 20%

More affordable

home values down 15%, inflation adjusted

US median home: $93,722

Section 01

Population & growth

Total population

32,498

+4%vs 2000

vs 31,369 in 2000

1990 – 2025

Median age

34.7

−9%vs 2000

vs 38.2 in 2000

US average: 33.0

Land area

1,971 sq mi

Population, 1990 – 2024

202431K

Age distribution, 1990

Under 57.2%(2,355)

US avg: 7.3%

5 to 98.6%(2,796)

US avg: 7.3%

10 to 148.1%(2,647)

US avg: 6.9%

15 to 197.1%(2,302)

US avg: 7.1%

20 to 245.3%(1,721)

US avg: 7.5%

25 to 3414.1%(4,598)

US avg: 17.5%

35 to 4413.4%(4,359)

US avg: 15.1%

45 to 549.5%(3,079)

US avg: 10.2%

55 to 648.8%(2,874)

US avg: 8.5%

65 to 749%(2,915)

US avg: 7.3%

75 to 846.3%(2,059)

US avg: 4%

85 and over2.4%(793)

US avg: 1.2%

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Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income

$22,559

−15%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $35,105 in 2000

US average: $30,130

1990 – 2024

Per capita income

$10,199

−41%vs 2000

vs $17,279 in 2000

US average: $14,340

Poverty rate

14.4%

+3.4 ptsvs 2000

vs 10.9% in 2000

US average: 13.2%

Section 03

Housing

Median home value

$47,000

−15%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $72,700 in 2000

US average: $93,722

1990 – 2024

Median gross rent

$293

−3%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $396 in 2000

US average: $450

Owner-occupied

74.7%

+0.5 ptsvs 2000

vs 74.1% in 2000

25.3% rent

Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000

White, non-Hispanic92.4%(28,994)

Black0.3%(86)

Hispanic / Latino4.8%(1,502)

Asian0.3%(91)

Other0%

1990

White, non-Hispanic97.1%(31,541)

Black0.2%(71)

Hispanic / Latino3%(968)

Asian0.3%(97)

Other2.4%(789)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

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

Hispanic origin

Mexican5.6%(1,733)

Spaniard0.4%(126)

South American0.3%(89)

Puerto Rican0.2%(63)

Central American0.2%(52)

Ecuadorian0.1%(45)

Panamanian0.1%(32)

Venezuelan0.1%(24)

Costa Rican0.1%(16)

Chilean0%(11)

Bolivian0%(9)

Cuban0%(7)

+ 1 more hispanic origin group with data

Salvadoran0%(4)

Asian origin

Chinese0.2%(57)

Asian Indian0.2%(54)

Filipino0.1%(41)

Hmong0.1%(38)

Korean0.1%(33)

Laotian0.1%(20)

Bangladeshi0%(3)

Pacific Islander origin

Native Hawaiian0%(4)

Guamanian0%(2)

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)

French Canadian1.3%(404)

Russian1.3%(391)

Italian1.1%(339)

+ 36 more ancestry groups with data

Subsaharan African1.1%(337)

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)

Armenian0%(9)

Romanian0%(9)

Australian0%(7)

Belgian0%(6)

British0%(4)

Bulgarian0%(4)

Slovene0%(1)

Jamaican0%(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

12.9%

−4.7 ptsvs 2000

vs 17.6% in 2000

US average: 20.3%

High school or higher

73.0%

−9.0 ptsvs 2000

vs 82.0% in 2000

US average: 75.2%

Graduate degree

3.1%

−2.2 ptsvs 2000

vs 5.3% in 2000

US average: 7.1%

Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute

23.4 min

+93%vs 2000

vs 12.1 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 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

Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

Uninsured

5.8%

−2.8 ptssince 2013

from 8.6% in 2013

US average: 8.4%

Employer-based

53.4%

−2.8 ptssince 2020

from 56.2% in 2020

US average: 54.8%

Direct-purchase

17.9%

−0.3 ptssince 2020

from 18.2% in 2020

US average: 13.8%

Medicare

19.6%

−0.3 ptssince 2020

from 19.9% in 2020

US average: 18.4%

Medicaid

21.8%

+0.7 ptssince 2020

from 21.1% in 2020

US average: 20.9%

VA health care

2.6%

−1.3 ptssince 2020

from 3.9% in 2020

US average: 2.2%

Any private

70.4%

−2.5 ptssince 2020

from 72.9% in 2020

US average: 67.1%

Any public

39.2%

+0.2 ptssince 2020

from 39.0% 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)16.5%(235)

US avg: 26.4%

Gulf War (1990s)18%(256)

US avg: 24.3%

Vietnam era41.4%(590)

US avg: 33.1%

Korean War3.6%(52)

US avg: 4.5%

World War II0%(0)

US avg: 1%

Share of the 1,426 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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