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
median household income $67,758, 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
Unique to this place
What stands out about Polk County
What changed most since 1990
White share91.6% → 86.6%(−5.0 pts)US over the same years: −17.8 pts
Median age42.8 → 54.9(+12.1 years)US over the same years: +6.0 years
Median home value (2024 dollars)$162,245 → $315,000(+94%)US over the same years: +67%
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)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)13.4%(195)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era54.3%(788)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War3.5%(51)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II2.5%(36)
US avg: 1%
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.
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Over time
Polk County, decade by decade
Polk County population, inflation-adjusted income and home value, education, and diversity by year
Year
Population
Median household income
Median home value
Bachelor's degree+
Diversity score
1990
14,416
$64,324
$162,245
20.1%
19.5
2000
18,324
$66,051
$189,270
25.7%
23.1
2010
20,510
$62,854
$240,961
27.2%
26.7
2020
19,328
$63,178
$269,921
32.7%
30.9
2024
19,891
$67,758
$315,000
36.2%
30.4
Census years come from the decennial census and the latest year from the American Community Survey, so part of any change between those two rows can reflect the different surveys. Dollar figures are adjusted for inflation to 2024 dollars; a figure ending in "+" was at the Census Bureau's reporting cap that year. The diversity score runs from 0 to 100; see how it's calculated.
