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COUNTY

Polk County

Texas · 53,434 residents (2025 est.) · 1,057 sq mi
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The short version

Polk County is home to 52,800 people in Texas. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 16% of adults. The median age is 44.0, about 5 years above the US median. Owners hold 78% of the housing stock. The typical home is worth $184,800, having more than tripled since 2000. The population is up 28% since 2000.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 44.0
US median: 38.9
Less educated
16% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 100%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
52,800
+28%since 2000
from 41,133 in 2000
53,434 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1990 – 2025
Population density
50 / sq mi
+14%since 2009
from 44 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
Median age
44.0
+12%since 2000
from 39.3 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Land area
1,057 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
28K35K42K48K55K19902000201020202024Polk County
202453K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 55%(2,624)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 95.1%(2,711)
US avg: 6%
10 to 146.6%(3,489)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 195.1%(2,676)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 245.6%(2,958)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3411.4%(6,004)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4412.4%(6,564)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5412.8%(6,762)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6416.9%(8,911)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 7413.8%(7,283)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 844.1%(2,150)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over1.3%(668)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$62,259
+12%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $30,495 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$30,198
+91%since 2000
from $15,834 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
41.4%
+27.0 ptssince 2009
from 14.4% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
17.5%
+0.1 ptssince 2000
from 17.4% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.436
−2%since 2010
from 0.443 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Wholesale trade10.2%
US avg: 6.9%
Information10.2%
US avg: 10.8%
Retail trade7.6%
US avg: 9.9%
Finance & insurance6.8%
US avg: 5.9%
Other services5.4%
US avg: 6.7%
Professional, scientific, technical4.7%
US avg: 5.1%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing4%
US avg: 1.6%
Public administration3%
US avg: 4.8%
Transportation & warehousing2.2%
US avg: 2.2%
Manufacturing2.2%
US avg: 0.4%
Education & health services2.1%
US avg: 0.9%
Construction1.7%
US avg: 1.2%
Arts, entertainment, food0.9%
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$184,800
+100%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $50,600 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$987
+29%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $421 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
78.1%
−3.6 ptssince 2000
from 81.7% in 2000
21.9% rent
Vacancy rate
26.3%
+0.7 ptssince 2009
from 25.6% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Persons per household
2.51 people
Unchangedsince 2009
from 2.52 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
Owner cost-burdened
18.0%
−8.1 ptssince 2009
from 26.1% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
39.6%
−2.4 ptssince 2009
from 42.0% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
3.0
+47%since 2009
from 2.0 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.
Gentrification Score
81
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic74.7%(30,723)
Black13%(5,357)
Hispanic / Latino9.4%(3,861)
Asian0.4%(156)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic70.9%(37,440)
Black7.7%(4,079)
Hispanic / Latino15.3%(8,100)
Asian0.6%(295)
Other5.5%(2,886)
Diversity Score
58
+10%since 2009
from 53 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Segregation Score
27
−20%since 2020
from 34 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

Hispanic origin
Mexican13.2%(6,987)
Salvadoran0.4%(224)
Puerto Rican0.2%(123)
Venezuelan0.2%(121)
Cuban0.1%(78)
Spaniard0.1%(65)
Honduran0%(25)
Dominican0%(11)
Asian origin
Cambodian0.2%(120)
Korean0.2%(81)
Vietnamese0.1%(33)
Filipino0.1%(31)
Japanese0%(25)
Chinese0%(2)
Pacific Islander origin
Samoan0%(2)
Ancestry
German10.7%(5,648)
English10.1%(5,323)
American9.9%(5,245)
Irish7.9%(4,157)
French2.2%(1,157)
Italian1.9%(1,022)
Norwegian1.2%(637)
Welsh1.2%(623)
Scottish1.1%(563)
Polish0.9%(467)
Dutch0.6%(334)
+ 28 more ancestry groups with data
Czech0.6%(320)
Swedish0.5%(267)
Arab0.3%(177)
Danish0.2%(121)
Egyptian0.2%(116)
West Indian0.2%(104)
British0.1%(79)
Russian0.1%(78)
Portuguese0.1%(62)
Haitian0.1%(62)
Greek0.1%(57)
Slovak0.1%(55)
Ukrainian0.1%(46)
Belgian0.1%(37)
Moroccan0.1%(32)
Finnish0.1%(31)
Lebanese0.1%(29)
Hungarian0%(21)
Kenyan0%(20)
Barbadian0%(18)
Jamaican0%(18)
Canadian0%(17)
Austrian0%(12)
Swiss0%(11)
Somali0%(8)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
16.2%
+5.7 ptssince 2000
from 10.4% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
83.5%
+13.5 ptssince 2000
from 70.0% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
5.4%
+2.0 ptssince 2000
from 3.4% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
29.8 min
+32%since 2000
from 22.6 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
77.3%
−0.1 ptssince 2009
from 77.4% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
11.0%
−5.8 ptssince 2009
from 16.8% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
0.1%
−0.7 ptssince 2009
from 0.7% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
7.4%
+5.1 ptssince 2009
from 2.3% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
2.3%
+1.1 ptssince 2009
from 1.2% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.0%
−0.1 ptssince 2009
from 0.1% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
3.8%
−3.1 ptssince 2009
from 6.9% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
8.1%
−2.2 ptssince 2011
from 10.3% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
48.9%
+0.3 ptssince 2011
from 48.6% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
64.8%
+1.6 ptssince 2020
from 63.2% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
Self-employed
19.3%
+4.5 ptssince 2009
from 14.9% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
31.7%
+9.0 ptssince 2009
from 22.6% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
53.8%
+2.3 ptssince 2009
from 51.5% in 2009
Female
46.2%
−2.3 ptssince 2009
from 48.5% in 2009
Foreign born
4.5%
−0.5 ptssince 2009
from 5.0% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
9.5%
−3.7 ptssince 2009
from 13.2% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
22.7%
−2.0 ptssince 2012
from 24.7% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
14.4%
−10.2 ptssince 2013
from 24.6% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
88.2%
+25.3 ptssince 2017
from 62.9% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
95.4%
+6.7 ptssince 2020
from 88.7% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
Same house as last year
81.6%
+2.1 ptssince 2020
from 79.5% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
English only at home
88.3%
+0.8 ptssince 2016
from 87.5% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
10.1%
−0.8 ptssince 2016
from 10.9% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married29.7%(7,085)
Married52.8%(12,591)
Widowed4.3%(1,024)
Divorced13.2%(3,144)
Women 15+
Never married19.9%(4,011)
Married56.9%(11,459)
Widowed11.2%(2,263)
Divorced11.9%(2,399)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Uninsured
14.4%
−10.2 ptssince 2013
from 24.6% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
44.8%
+5.6 ptssince 2020
from 39.2% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
16.1%
−0.4 ptssince 2020
from 16.5% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
23.7%
+0.1 ptssince 2020
from 23.6% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
19.8%
+0.5 ptssince 2020
from 19.3% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
4.2%
+0.2 ptssince 2020
from 4.0% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
60.2%
+4.9 ptssince 2020
from 55.3% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
40.9%
−0.2 ptssince 2020
from 41.1% 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)30.7%(1,220)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)18.2%(724)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era36%(1,430)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War2%(80)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0.3%(10)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 3,973 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

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Pop 53,801
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Pop 50,039
Madison County
Pop 55,172
Colbert County
Pop 59,474
Places similar to Polk County
Head to head

Compare Polk County to nearby counties

POLK COUNTY VS
San Jacinto County
Income$65,364+5%
Home value$209,300+13%
Population29,488−45%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
POLK COUNTY VS
Tyler County
Income$55,396−11%
Home value$157,300−15%
Population20,443−62%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
POLK COUNTY VS
Trinity County
Income$52,018−16%
Home value$119,500−35%
Population14,384−73%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
POLK COUNTY VS
Angelina County
Income$60,960−2%
Home value$163,500−12%
Population88,154+65%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Polk County, Texas?

Polk County, Texas has about 52,800 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

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

The typical household in Polk County, Texas earns about $62,259 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Polk County, Texas expensive?

In Polk County, Texas, the median home is worth about $184,800, and the typical rent is about $987 a month.

How educated are people in Polk County, Texas?

About 16.2% of adults age 25 and over in Polk County, Texas hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Polk County, Texas?

About 17.5% of people in Polk County, Texas live below the federal poverty line.

Has Polk County, Texas grown since 1990?

Yes, Polk County, Texas has grown since 1990. The population has added about 22,113 residents, a change of about 72 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 →