CensusEasy
COUNTY

Polk County

North Carolina · 20,533 residents (2025 est.) · 237.687 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO
Compare
Notable rankings
#65Oldest by median ageof 3,14454.9
The short version

Polk County has lower-than-average household income, with a median household income of $67,758. Population has held roughly steady since 2000. Median home value has roughly tripled since 2000, reaching $315,000. With a median age of 54.9, the population is older than the US median of 38.9.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 54.9
US median: 38.9
Average education
36% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 66%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
19,891
+9%since 2000
from 18,324 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Population density
84 / sq mi
+4%since 2009
from 80 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
Median age
54.9
+22%since 2000
from 44.9 in 2000
US average: 38.9

PEP 2025 EST:20,533 residents (Census Bureau Vintage 2025, released March 2026)

Population, 1990 – 2024
14K16K17K19K21K1990201020202024Polk County
202420K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 53.5%(687)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 93.8%(748)
US avg: 6%
10 to 145.1%(1,012)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 194.3%(852)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 243.8%(765)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 348.4%(1,669)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 449.8%(1,957)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5411.6%(2,313)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6417.1%(3,401)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 7417.1%(3,392)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 8411%(2,194)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over4.5%(901)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$67,758
+3%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $36,259 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$43,211
+118%since 2000
from $19,804 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
44.7%
+24.8 ptssince 2009
from 19.9% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
14.0%
+3.9 ptssince 2000
from 10.1% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.498
+23%since 2010
from 0.404 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Information10.5%
US avg: 10.8%
Wholesale trade9%
US avg: 6.9%
Retail trade8.9%
US avg: 9.9%
Other services7.3%
US avg: 6.7%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing4.3%
US avg: 1.6%
Construction4.1%
US avg: 1.2%
Finance & insurance3.7%
US avg: 5.9%
Public administration3.4%
US avg: 4.8%
Professional, scientific, technical2.9%
US avg: 5.1%
Arts, entertainment, food2.3%
US avg: 1.9%
Transportation & warehousing1.3%
US avg: 2.2%
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
$315,000
+66%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $103,900 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$1,178
+26%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $515 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
76.9%
−1.8 ptssince 2000
from 78.7% in 2000
23.1% rent
Vacancy rate
18.7%
−1.3 ptssince 2009
from 20.1% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Owner cost-burdened
15.7%
−10.3 ptssince 2009
from 26.0% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
37.8%
−8.7 ptssince 2009
from 46.5% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
4.6
+8%since 2009
from 4.3 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index: median home value divided by median household income. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
71
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-Hispanic90.1%(16,504)
Black5.8%(1,061)
Hispanic / Latino3%(551)
Asian0.2%(39)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic86.6%(17,234)
Black4.4%(876)
Hispanic / Latino5.6%(1,118)
Asian0.8%(154)
Other2.6%(509)
Diversity Score
30
+26%since 2009
from 24 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Segregation Score
23
+6%since 2020
from 22 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
Mexican3.2%(631)
Puerto Rican0.8%(152)
Guatemalan0.6%(114)
Spaniard0.3%(57)
Honduran0.2%(42)
Cuban0.2%(35)
Colombian0.1%(28)
Peruvian0.1%(28)
Salvadoran0.1%(14)
Asian origin
Pakistani0.3%(59)
Korean0.3%(51)
Chinese0.1%(20)
Vietnamese0.1%(16)
Ancestry
English19.6%(3,908)
Irish12.8%(2,538)
German11.5%(2,296)
American10.9%(2,169)
Scottish4.1%(824)
Scotch-Irish3.5%(695)
Italian3.1%(626)
French2.9%(584)
British1.4%(276)
Polish1%(203)
Dutch1%(195)
Norwegian1%(191)
+ 23 more ancestry groups with data
Swedish0.6%(128)
Welsh0.6%(119)
Greek0.5%(91)
Canadian0.4%(84)
Danish0.4%(70)
Swiss0.3%(52)
Czech0.3%(51)
Hungarian0.2%(36)
Russian0.2%(35)
Slovak0.1%(21)
Arab0.1%(18)
Austrian0.1%(17)
Finnish0.1%(15)
West Indian0.1%(15)
Belgian0.1%(12)
Brazilian0.1%(12)
Ukrainian0.1%(11)
Lithuanian0.1%(10)
Jamaican0.1%(10)
Iranian0%(9)
RANKED:Largest English population · Largest Irish population · Largest German population · Largest American population · Largest Scottish population
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
36.2%
+10.5 ptssince 2000
from 25.7% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
93.4%
+12.8 ptssince 2000
from 80.6% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
13.8%
+4.2 ptssince 2000
from 9.6% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
28.4 min
+58%since 2000
from 18.0 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
70.4%
−7.0 ptssince 2009
from 77.5% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
11.6%
−3.3 ptssince 2009
from 14.9% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
0.0%
−0.3 ptssince 2009
from 0.3% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
15.8%
+10.4 ptssince 2009
from 5.5% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
1.8%
+0.4 ptssince 2009
from 1.4% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.0%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
4.0%
+0.4 ptssince 2009
from 3.6% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
5.1%
−8.3 ptssince 2011
from 13.4% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
53.8%
Unchangedsince 2011
from 53.8% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Self-employed
9.6%
−3.8 ptssince 2009
from 13.3% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
35.4%
−19.0 ptssince 2009
from 54.4% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
47.9%
−0.4 ptssince 2009
from 48.3% in 2009
Female
52.1%
+0.4 ptssince 2009
from 51.7% in 2009
Foreign born
4.5%
+0.4 ptssince 2009
from 4.1% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
8.6%
−38.1 ptssince 2009
from 46.7% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
17.1%
+2.5 ptssince 2012
from 14.6% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
9.9%
−74.1 ptssince 2013
from 84.0% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
84.8%
+10.4 ptssince 2017
from 74.4% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
English only at home
94.5%
−0.1 ptssince 2016
from 94.6% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
4.5%
Unchangedsince 2016
from 4.5% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married24.1%(1,994)
Married62.3%(5,148)
Widowed5%(412)
Divorced8.6%(713)
Women 15+
Never married18.5%(1,696)
Married55.8%(5,124)
Widowed13.3%(1,218)
Divorced12.4%(1,139)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Drill deeper

Places similar to Polk County

Lamar County
Pop 20,941
Long County
Pop 21,557
Gilchrist County
Pop 20,488
Plumas County
Pop 18,583
Places similar to Polk County
Head to head

Compare Polk County to nearby counties

POLK COUNTY VS
Rutherford County
Income$51,410−24%
Home value$201,800−36%
Population65,745+220%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
POLK COUNTY VS
Henderson County
Income$68,187+1%
Home value$351,400+12%
Population122,375+496%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
POLK COUNTY VS
Spartanburg County
Income$66,234−2%
Home value$233,300−26%
Population380,857+1755%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
POLK COUNTY VS
McDowell County
Income$57,168−16%
Home value$171,100−46%
Population45,198+120%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Polk County, North Carolina?

Polk County, North Carolina has about 19,891 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Polk County, North Carolina?

The typical household in Polk County, North Carolina earns about $67,758 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Polk County, North Carolina expensive?

In Polk County, North Carolina, the median home is worth about $315,000, and the typical rent is about $1,178 a month.

How educated are people in Polk County, North Carolina?

About 36.2% of adults age 25 and over in Polk County, North Carolina hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Polk County, North Carolina?

About 14.0% of people in Polk County, North Carolina live below the federal poverty line.

Has Polk County, North Carolina grown since 1990?

Yes, Polk County, North Carolina has grown since 1990. The population has added about 5,475 residents, a change of about 38 percent over that period.

Keep going

Explore from here

8 census tracts
Census Tract 9201.04Census Tract 9201.03Census Tract 9202.01Census Tract 9203.04Census Tract 9201.01Census Tract 9203.03Census Tract 9202.02Census Tract 9203.01
4 ZIP codes
ZIP 28782ZIP 28722ZIP 28756ZIP 28773
Up the hierarchy
All counties in North Carolina
Rankings
Highest income countiesLowest poverty counties

DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →