CensusEasy
COUNTY · 1990 CENSUS

Polk County

Tennessee · 13,643 residents · 435 sq mi
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The short version

With 13,643 people, Polk County is a county in Tennessee. 83% of homes are owner-occupied. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 6% of adults. The typical home is worth $37,700. The median age is 36.5, about 3 years above the US median. Renters pay $258 a month at the median.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $30,130
Older
median age 36.5
US median: 33.0
Less educated
6% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 20%
More affordable
home values down 22%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $93,722
Section 01

Population & growth

13,643
−15%vs 2000
vs 16,050 in 2000
1990 – 2025
36.5
−6%vs 2000
vs 38.6 in 2000
US average: 33.0
Land area
435 sq mi
Population, 19902024
13K14K16K17K18K19902000201020202024Polk County
202418K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 1990
Under 55.8%(787)
US avg: 7.3%
5 to 95.3%(720)
US avg: 7.3%
10 to 147.8%(1,068)
US avg: 6.9%
15 to 198.4%(1,144)
US avg: 7.1%
20 to 246.9%(944)
US avg: 7.5%
25 to 3413.9%(1,900)
US avg: 17.5%
35 to 4413.7%(1,870)
US avg: 15.1%
45 to 5413.6%(1,855)
US avg: 10.2%
55 to 6410.2%(1,391)
US avg: 8.5%
65 to 748.3%(1,136)
US avg: 7.3%
75 to 844.8%(649)
US avg: 4%
85 and over1.3%(179)
US avg: 1.2%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

$21,663
−4%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $29,643 in 2000
US average: $30,130
1990 – 2024
$9,311
−42%vs 2000
vs $16,025 in 2000
US average: $14,340
18.3%
+5.2 ptsvs 2000
vs 13.0% in 2000
US average: 13.2%
Section 03

Housing

$37,700
−22%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $63,900 in 2000
US average: $93,722
1990 – 2024
$258
−1%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $345 in 2000
US average: $450
82.9%
+2.1 ptsvs 2000
vs 80.8% in 2000
17.1% rent
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic97.8%(15,689)
Black0.1%(22)
Hispanic / Latino0.7%(117)
Asian0.1%(19)
Other0%
1990
White, non-Hispanic99.5%(13,578)
Black0%(0)
Hispanic / Latino0.4%(51)
Asian0.4%(55)
Other0.1%(10)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Detailed origin tables are available for 2024; showing 2024 data.

Hispanic origin
Mexican1.2%(207)
Guatemalan0.6%(107)
Puerto Rican0.2%(30)
Cuban0.1%(17)
Spaniard0.1%(9)
Asian origin
Chinese0.1%(25)
Filipino0.1%(11)
Korean0%(8)
Ancestry
Irish15.1%(2,696)
German13.7%(2,450)
English13.6%(2,441)
American9.4%(1,683)
Scottish3.2%(573)
Italian2.4%(435)
French2.1%(370)
Dutch1.8%(324)
Scotch-Irish1.8%(314)
Polish1.3%(234)
Welsh0.7%(118)
British0.6%(100)
+ 20 more ancestry groups with data
Hungarian0.4%(73)
Austrian0.3%(57)
Norwegian0.3%(50)
Slovak0.2%(40)
Arab0.2%(36)
Lebanese0.2%(31)
Swedish0.1%(22)
Russian0.1%(21)
Lithuanian0.1%(19)
Greek0.1%(18)
Portuguese0.1%(16)
Croatian0.1%(15)
Swiss0.1%(9)
Serbian0%(7)
Czech0%(1)
Section 05

Education

5.8%
−1.7 ptsvs 2000
vs 7.5% in 2000
US average: 20.3%
High school or higher
51.3%
−11.0 ptsvs 2000
vs 62.2% in 2000
US average: 75.2%
1.5%
−2.0 ptsvs 2000
vs 3.6% in 2000
US average: 7.1%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

27.5 min
+25%vs 2000
vs 22.0 min in 2000
US average: 21.9
Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married29.3%(2,250)
Married53.9%(4,145)
Widowed4.2%(321)
Divorced12.7%(976)
Women 15+
Never married18.5%(1,390)
Married56.2%(4,223)
Widowed9.2%(690)
Divorced16.1%(1,212)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

14.9%
+1.0 ptssince 2013
from 13.9% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
46.1%
+3.0 ptssince 2020
from 43.1% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
15.4%
+1.6 ptssince 2020
from 13.8% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
24.3%
−0.5 ptssince 2020
from 24.8% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
18.2%
−1.1 ptssince 2020
from 19.3% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
2.4%
−0.7 ptssince 2020
from 3.1% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
60.1%
+2.7 ptssince 2020
from 57.4% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
39.3%
−2.4 ptssince 2020
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)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)13.1%(135)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era46.7%(481)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War1.8%(19)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0%(0)
US avg: 1%

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.

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
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Frequently asked

How many people live in Polk County, Tennessee?

Polk County, Tennessee has about 13,643 residents according to the 1990 Census.

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

The typical household in Polk County, Tennessee earns about $21,663 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 $37,700, and the typical rent is about $258 a month.

How educated are people in Polk County, Tennessee?

About 5.8% 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 18.3% of people in Polk County, Tennessee live below the federal poverty line.

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

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