United States › Tennessee › Polk County COUNTY
Polk County Tennessee · 18,592 residents (2025 est.) · 435 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 17,898 people, Polk County is a county in Tennessee. The median age is 46.9, about 8 years above the US median. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 17% of adults. 84% of homes are owner-occupied. The foreign-born share is 1%. The typical home is worth $169,900, having more than doubled since 2000.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 46.9
US median: 38.9
Less educated
17% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 46%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 16,050 in 2000
18,592 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
from 36 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 38.6 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
13K 14K 16K 17K 18K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Polk County Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $62,522
+16%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $29,643 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $16,025 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 16.4% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 13.0% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.428 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Professional, scientific, technical 5.7%
Transportation & warehousing 2.8%
Education & health services 2.6%
Arts, entertainment, food 2%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 1.5%
Public administration 1.2%
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$169,900
+46%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $63,900 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$676
+8%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $345 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 80.8% in 2000
16.4% rent
from 18.2% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.32 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 19.7% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 26.5% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 2.9 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 97.8%(15,689)
Hispanic / Latino 0.7%(117)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 89.1%(15,941)
Hispanic / Latino 2.2%(388)
from 9 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
from 17 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
+ 20 more ancestry groups with data from 7.5% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 62.2% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 3.6% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 22.0 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 76.5% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 14.3% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.2% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 4.4% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 3.4% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 5.2% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 13.1% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 55.9% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 69.8% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 10.0% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 21.7% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 1.0% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 11.2% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 22.6% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 13.9% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 64.5% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 82.4% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 85.2% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 97.8% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 1.1% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 29.3%(2,250)
Women 15+
Never married 18.5%(1,390)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 13.9% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 43.1% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 13.8% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 24.8% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 19.3% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 3.1% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 57.4% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 41.7% 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) 17.5%(180)
Gulf War (1990s) 13.1%(135)
Share of the 1,029 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
Bradley County
Income $66,552 +6%
Home value $261,900 +54%
Population 115,465 +521%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
POLK COUNTY VS
Fannin County
Income $57,073 −9%
Home value $306,600 +80%
Population 26,111 +40%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
POLK COUNTY VS
McMinn County
Income $61,470 −2%
Home value $211,800 +25%
Population 57,404 +209%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
POLK COUNTY VS
Murray County
Income $69,253 +11%
Home value $180,700 +6%
Population 41,607 +124%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Polk County, Tennessee? Polk County, Tennessee has about 17,898 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Polk County, Tennessee? The typical household in Polk County, Tennessee earns about $62,522 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Polk County, Tennessee expensive? In Polk County, Tennessee, the median home is worth about $169,900, and the typical rent is about $676 a month.
How educated are people in Polk County, Tennessee? About 16.6% of adults age 25 and over in Polk County, Tennessee hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Polk County, Tennessee? About 13.9% of people in Polk County, Tennessee live below the federal poverty line.
Has Polk County, Tennessee grown since 1990? Yes, Polk County, Tennessee has grown since 1990. The population has added about 4,255 residents, a change of about 31 percent over that period.
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