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COUNTY · 2020 ACS

Polk County

Oregon · 87,433 residents · 741 sq mi
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The short version

With 87,433 people, Polk County is a county in Oregon. The population is up 40% since 2000. The foreign-born share is 7%. About 31% of adults have finished a four-year degree. The typical home is worth $290,100, having more than doubled since 2000. Households earn $65,665 at the median, near the US median.

At a glance
Average income
near the US median
US median: $66,278
Mid-age
median age 38.6
US median: 38.8
Average education
31% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 33%
Less affordable
home values up 35%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $265,253
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
87,433
+40%since 2000
from 62,380 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Median age
38.6
+6%since 2000
from 36.5 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Land area
741 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
46K58K70K82K94K19902000201020202024Polk County
202490K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2020
Under 55.4%(4,761)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 96.3%(5,500)
US avg: 6.1%
10 to 146.9%(5,997)
US avg: 6.5%
15 to 197.2%(6,312)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 247.6%(6,652)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 3412%(10,473)
US avg: 13.5%
35 to 4412.3%(10,719)
US avg: 12.7%
45 to 5411%(9,653)
US avg: 12.3%
55 to 6411.9%(10,382)
US avg: 13.1%
65 to 7411.2%(9,832)
US avg: 10%
75 to 845.9%(5,160)
US avg: 4.9%
85 and over2.3%(1,992)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$65,665
+3%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $42,311 in 2000
US average: $66,278
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$31,957
+66%since 2000
from $19,282 in 2000
US average: $35,364
Households earning $100K+
43.8%
+12.7 ptssince 2009
from 31.1% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
Poverty rate
12.1%
+0.6 ptssince 2000
from 11.5% in 2000
US average: 12.8%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Information10.1%
US avg: 11.1%
Retail trade8.4%
US avg: 10%
Wholesale trade7.3%
US avg: 6.7%
Other services4.5%
US avg: 6.6%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing4%
US avg: 1.7%
Construction3.9%
US avg: 1.2%
Finance & insurance3.2%
US avg: 5.5%
Public administration2.6%
US avg: 4.7%
Professional, scientific, technical2.6%
US avg: 4.7%
Transportation & warehousing1.9%
US avg: 2.5%
Arts, entertainment, food0.9%
US avg: 2%
Education & health services0.6%
US avg: 0.8%
Manufacturing0.1%
US avg: 0.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$290,100
+35%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $143,200 in 2000
US average: $265,253
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$1,043
+23%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $565 in 2000
US average: $1,124
Owner-occupied
65.6%
−2.8 ptssince 2000
from 68.4% in 2000
34.4% rent
Persons per household
2.70 people
−4%since 2009
from 2.81 people in 2009
US average: 2.61
Afford Score
4.4
+5%since 2009
from 4.2 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic85.6%(53,394)
Black0.4%(229)
Hispanic / Latino8.8%(5,480)
Asian1.1%(671)
Other0%
2020
White, non-Hispanic74%(64,719)
Black0.8%(682)
Hispanic / Latino14.6%(12,730)
Asian1.9%(1,702)
Other6%(5,249)
Segregation Score
29
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
Mexican11.9%(10,115)
Puerto Rican0.5%(460)
Guatemalan0.4%(332)
Spaniard0.2%(160)
Cuban0.1%(109)
Chilean0.1%(105)
Costa Rican0.1%(94)
Salvadoran0.1%(92)
Nicaraguan0.1%(79)
+ 4 more hispanic origin groups with data
Asian origin
Chinese0.4%(377)
Filipino0.2%(197)
Vietnamese0.2%(189)
Japanese0.2%(145)
Korean0.1%(102)
Asian Indian0.1%(65)
Thai0%(42)
Laotian0%(20)
Pacific Islander origin
Marshallese0.3%(278)
Chamorro0.2%(163)
Samoan0%(11)
Ancestry
German19.7%(16,674)
English10.8%(9,127)
Irish10.2%(8,624)
American6.6%(5,554)
Norwegian4.4%(3,738)
Italian2.9%(2,469)
Scottish2.9%(2,422)
Swedish2.5%(2,152)
French2.5%(2,125)
Polish1.7%(1,462)
Dutch1.7%(1,458)
+ 34 more ancestry groups with data
Danish0.9%(792)
Welsh0.9%(785)
British0.8%(708)
Russian0.6%(546)
Portuguese0.4%(368)
Ukrainian0.4%(330)
Hungarian0.4%(313)
Swiss0.4%(303)
Finnish0.4%(299)
Canadian0.3%(284)
Lithuanian0.2%(187)
Czech0.2%(182)
Belgian0.2%(174)
Austrian0.2%(128)
Greek0.1%(124)
Slovak0.1%(121)
Iranian0.1%(119)
West Indian0.1%(119)
Slovene0.1%(86)
Romanian0.1%(75)
Australian0.1%(61)
Arab0.1%(58)
Croatian0%(37)
Haitian0%(37)
Armenian0%(31)
Egyptian0%(18)
Brazilian0%(14)
Latvian0%(4)
Syrian0%(2)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
30.5%
+5.2 ptssince 2000
from 25.3% in 2000
US average: 32.9%
High school or higher
91.5%
+6.1 ptssince 2000
from 85.5% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
Graduate degree
12.3%
+3.1 ptssince 2000
from 9.2% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
27.0 min
+64%since 2000
from 16.4 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
Drive alone to work
75.8%
−2.8 ptssince 2009
from 78.6% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
No vehicle available
4.7%
−0.2 ptssince 2009
from 4.9% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
5.6%
−3.1 ptssince 2011
from 8.7% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
Labor force participation
59.9%
−0.6 ptssince 2011
from 60.5% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
71.8%
US average: 73.3%
Management & professional
36.9%
+4.1 ptssince 2009
from 32.8% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
Section 08

People & community

Male
48.9%
+0.4 ptssince 2009
from 48.5% in 2009
Female
51.1%
−0.4 ptssince 2009
from 51.5% in 2009
Foreign born
6.9%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 6.9% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
Uninsured
5.6%
−6.1 ptssince 2013
from 11.7% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Computer in household
94.9%
US average: 91.9%
Same house as last year
83.4%
US average: 86.2%
Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married34.6%(12,478)
Married52.3%(18,864)
Widowed2.4%(855)
Divorced10.7%(3,850)
Women 15+
Never married29.5%(11,191)
Married48%(18,229)
Widowed7.8%(2,982)
Divorced14.7%(5,597)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Uninsured
5.6%
−6.1 ptssince 2013
from 11.7% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Employer-based
57.9%
US average: 55.4%
Direct-purchase
14.5%
US average: 13.7%
Medicare
19.3%
US average: 17.6%
Medicaid
21.6%
US average: 20.0%
VA health care
2.4%
US average: 2.3%
Any private
70.7%
US average: 68.1%
Any public
38.8%
US average: 35.2%

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, 2020
Gulf War (2001 or later)17%(967)
US avg: 20.6%
Gulf War (1990s)15.2%(862)
US avg: 21.4%
Vietnam era38.6%(2,197)
US avg: 35.2%
Korean War10.3%(583)
US avg: 7.6%
World War II2.5%(141)
US avg: 2.9%

Share of the 5,686 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

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Head to head

Compare Polk County to nearby counties

POLK COUNTY VS
Yamhill County
Income$90,063+37%
Home value$471,700+63%
Population110,024+22%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
POLK COUNTY VS
Benton County
Income$77,702+18%
Home value$513,000+77%
Population97,728+9%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
POLK COUNTY VS
Lincoln County
Income$63,165−4%
Home value$410,800+42%
Population50,636−44%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
POLK COUNTY VS
Marion County
Income$77,351+18%
Home value$416,400+44%
Population355,777+295%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Polk County, Oregon?

Polk County, Oregon has about 87,433 residents according to the 2020 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Polk County, Oregon?

The typical household in Polk County, Oregon earns about $65,665 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Polk County, Oregon expensive?

In Polk County, Oregon, the median home is worth about $290,100, and the typical rent is about $1,043 a month.

How educated are people in Polk County, Oregon?

About 30.5% of adults age 25 and over in Polk County, Oregon hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Polk County, Oregon?

About 12.1% of people in Polk County, Oregon live below the federal poverty line.

Has Polk County, Oregon grown since 1990?

Yes, Polk County, Oregon has grown since 1990. The population has added about 37,892 residents, a change of about 76 percent over that period.

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

How we source and harmonize this data →