United States › Nebraska › Polk County COUNTY
Polk County Nebraska · 5,270 residents (2025 est.) · 439 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
Polk County is home to 5,225 people in Nebraska. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 20% of adults. 79% of homes are owner-occupied. Density works out to 12 people per square mile. The median age is 43.4, about 4 years above the US median. The foreign-born share is 3%.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 43.4
US median: 38.9
Less educated
20% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 65%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 5,639 in 2000
5,270 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
from 12 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 41.6 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
5K 5K 5K 6K 6K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Polk County Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $69,768
+1%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $37,819 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $17,934 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 21.0% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 5.8% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.393 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 17.1%
Professional, scientific, technical 6%
Public administration 5.5%
Education & health services 2.1%
Transportation & warehousing 1.8%
Arts, entertainment, food 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$189,900
+65%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $63,300 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$681
−3%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $387 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 77.2% in 2000
21.1% rent
from 19.7% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.32 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 16.5% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 26.9% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 1.9 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 98.3%(5,543)
Hispanic / Latino 1.1%(61)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 90.1%(4,709)
Hispanic / Latino 6.3%(330)
from 7 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
from 24 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
+ 13 more ancestry groups with data from 13.5% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 86.6% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 3.9% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 14.0 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 75.0% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 8.3% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 9.5% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 5.5% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.6% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 2.7% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 4.0% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 65.9% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 75.7% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 11.5% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 31.8% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 1.3% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 12.9% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 12.0% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 8.3% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 78.9% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 90.4% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 92.6% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 94.2% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 4.6% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 8.3% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 49.8% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 22.6% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 22.9% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 11.1% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 3.7% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 71.4% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 32.9% 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) 15.6%(47)
Gulf War (1990s) 13.6%(41)
Share of the 301 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
Drill deeper
Places similar to Polk County Head to head
Compare Polk County to nearby counties POLK COUNTY VS
York County
Income $77,757 +11%
Home value $189,400 same
Population 14,564 +176%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
POLK COUNTY VS
Butler County
Income $79,268 +14%
Home value $184,200 −3%
Population 8,507 +61%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
POLK COUNTY VS
Merrick County
Income $68,354 −2%
Home value $175,900 −7%
Population 7,905 +50%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
POLK COUNTY VS
Nance County
Income $65,179 −7%
Home value $132,000 −30%
Population 3,290 −38%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Polk County, Nebraska? Polk County, Nebraska has about 5,225 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Polk County, Nebraska? The typical household in Polk County, Nebraska earns about $69,768 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Polk County, Nebraska expensive? In Polk County, Nebraska, the median home is worth about $189,900, and the typical rent is about $681 a month.
How educated are people in Polk County, Nebraska? About 20.0% of adults age 25 and over in Polk County, Nebraska hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Polk County, Nebraska? About 7.9% of people in Polk County, Nebraska live below the federal poverty line.
Has Polk County, Nebraska grown since 1990? Yes, Polk County, Nebraska has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 450 residents, a change of about -8 percent over that period.
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