United States › North Carolina › Polk County COUNTY
Polk County North Carolina · 20,533 residents (2025 est.) · 238 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO 1990 Census 2000 Census 2009 ACS 2010 ACS 2011 ACS 2012 ACS 2013 ACS 2014 ACS 2015 ACS 2016 ACS 2017 ACS 2018 ACS 2019 ACS 2020 ACS 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS
The short version
With 19,891 people, Polk County is a county in North Carolina. The median age is 54.9, about 16 years above the US median. 77% of homes are owner-occupied. The foreign-born share is 4%. Density works out to 84 people per square mile. The median household earns $67,758, about 18% below the national median.
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 from 18,324 in 2000
20,533 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
from 80 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 44.9 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
14K 16K 17K 19K 21K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Polk County Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $67,758
+3%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $36,259 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $19,804 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 19.9% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 10.1% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.404 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 4.3%
Public administration 3.4%
Professional, scientific, technical 2.9%
Arts, entertainment, food 2.3%
Transportation & warehousing 1.3%
Education & health services 0.8%
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$315,000
+66%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $103,900 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$1,178
+26%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $515 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 78.7% in 2000
23.1% rent
from 20.1% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.26 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 26.0% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 46.5% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 4.3 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 90.1%(16,504)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 86.6%(17,234)
Hispanic / Latino 5.6%(1,118)
from 24 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
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 Ancestry
+ 23 more ancestry groups with data from 25.7% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 80.6% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 9.6% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 18.0 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 77.5% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 14.9% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.3% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 5.5% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 1.4% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 3.6% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 13.4% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 53.8% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 67.5% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 13.3% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 24.4% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 4.1% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 14.3% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 14.6% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 16.0% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 74.4% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 89.7% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 86.9% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 94.6% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 4.5% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 24.1%(1,994)
Women 15+
Never married 18.5%(1,696)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 16.0% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 42.8% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 24.4% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 33.8% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 15.7% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 3.5% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 65.7% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 46.1% 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) 11.2%(162)
Gulf War (1990s) 13.4%(195)
Share of the 1,451 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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Drill deeper
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%
Population 65,745 +220%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
POLK COUNTY VS
Henderson County
Income $68,187 +1%
Home value $351,400 +12%
Population 122,375 +496%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
POLK COUNTY VS
Spartanburg County
Income $66,234 −2%
Home value $233,300 −26%
Population 380,857 +1755%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
POLK COUNTY VS
McDowell County
Income $57,168 −16%
Home value $171,100 −46%
Population 45,198 +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.
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