COUNTY
Polk County
Wisconsin · 45,803 residents (2025 est.) · 914 sq mi
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The short version
With 45,555 people, Polk County is a county in Wisconsin. The median age is 46.7, about 8 years above the US median. Few US counties rank higher on income. Owners hold 81% of the housing stock. 1% of locals were born outside the United States. About 24% of adults have finished a four-year degree.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 46.7
US median: 38.9
Less educated
24% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 49%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth
45,555
+10%since 2000
from 41,319 in 2000
45,803 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1990 – 2025
Land area
914 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
202446K
Age distribution, 2024
Under 54.5%(2,061)
5 to 95.2%(2,371)
10 to 146%(2,756)
15 to 196%(2,743)
20 to 244.5%(2,064)
25 to 3410.2%(4,630)
35 to 4411.7%(5,345)
45 to 5412.3%(5,625)
55 to 6416.8%(7,655)
65 to 7413.9%(6,342)
75 to 846.9%(3,149)
85 and over1.8%(814)
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy
$77,219
+3%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $41,183 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Households earning $100K+
51.3%
+24.2 ptssince 2009
from 27.2% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Workforce by industry, 2024
Retail trade23.2%
Information10.5%
Wholesale trade10%
Other services4.9%
Finance & insurance3.9%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing3.4%
Professional, scientific, technical3.3%
Public administration3.3%
Construction3.1%
Transportation & warehousing2.1%
Arts, entertainment, food1.1%
Education & health services0.6%
Manufacturing0.3%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03
Housing
$271,900
+49%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $100,200 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
3.5
+5%since 2009
from 3.4 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.
49
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity
2000
White, non-Hispanic97.1%(40,131)
Black0.1%(56)
Hispanic / Latino0.8%(329)
Asian0.3%(105)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic93%(42,344)
Black0.2%(105)
Hispanic / Latino2.2%(1,008)
Asian0.5%(207)
Other4.2%(1,891)
17
+91%since 2009
from 9 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
17
−22%since 2020
from 22 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
Mexican1.5%(672)
Puerto Rican0.3%(122)
Cuban0.1%(55)
South American0.1%(46)
Central American0.1%(33)
Colombian0.1%(33)
Salvadoran0%(21)
Nicaraguan0%(12)
Peruvian0%(8)
Argentine0%(3)
Ecuadorian0%(2)
Asian origin
Hmong0.1%(64)
Filipino0.1%(61)
Korean0.1%(26)
Japanese0.1%(25)
Vietnamese0%(9)
Asian Indian0%(6)
Cambodian0%(4)
Okinawan0%(2)
Pacific Islander origin
Native Hawaiian0%(9)
Ancestry
German33.9%(15,443)
Norwegian14.3%(6,502)
Swedish10.2%(4,651)
Irish9.9%(4,530)
English7.1%(3,213)
American4.7%(2,127)
French3.3%(1,506)
Polish3.1%(1,414)
Danish2.8%(1,291)
Italian2.8%(1,282)
French Canadian1.6%(737)
Czech1.2%(525)
+ 32 more ancestry groups with data
Dutch1.1%(494)
Scottish0.9%(419)
Finnish0.8%(346)
Russian0.4%(192)
Hungarian0.4%(175)
Swiss0.3%(151)
Welsh0.3%(139)
Scotch-Irish0.2%(112)
Belgian0.2%(94)
Austrian0.2%(93)
Arab0.2%(83)
Croatian0.1%(57)
British0.1%(54)
Subsaharan African0.1%(37)
Ukrainian0.1%(35)
Lebanese0.1%(34)
Slovak0.1%(32)
Canadian0.1%(31)
Greek0.1%(31)
Slovene0.1%(29)
Nigerian0.1%(25)
Syrian0%(21)
West Indian0%(17)
Jamaican0%(17)
Latvian0%(14)
Lithuanian0%(6)
Portuguese0%(6)
Moroccan0%(4)
Egyptian0%(3)
Armenian0%(3)
Australian0%(3)
Serbian0%(3)
Section 05
Education
High school or higher
94.1%
+8.2 ptssince 2000
from 85.9% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Section 06
Commute & transportation
Section 07
Work & employment
Women 20-64 in the labor force
77.1%
−0.7 ptssince 2020
from 77.8% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
Section 08
People & community
Computer in household
94.5%
+5.3 ptssince 2020
from 89.2% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married28.5%(5,551)
Married56.2%(10,937)
Widowed3.1%(600)
Divorced12.2%(2,365)
Women 15+
Never married20.4%(3,853)
Married58.4%(11,038)
Widowed8.1%(1,538)
Divorced13.1%(2,485)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage
Direct-purchase
19.7%
+2.0 ptssince 2020
from 17.7% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
VA health care
3.1%
+0.1 ptssince 2020
from 3.0% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
71.9%
−0.7 ptssince 2020
from 72.6% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
39.1%
+2.1 ptssince 2020
from 37.0% 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)18.3%(521)
Gulf War (1990s)17.1%(485)
Vietnam era40.9%(1,163)
Korean War3.9%(112)
World War II0.9%(26)
Share of the 2,842 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 46,605
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Pop 53,160
Montrose County
Pop 44,591
Places similar to Polk CountyHead to head
Compare Polk County to nearby counties
POLK COUNTY VS
Chisago County
Income$99,400+29%
Home value$351,900+29%
Population59,142+29%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
POLK COUNTY VS
Burnett County
Income$62,819−19%
Home value$231,300−15%
Population17,223−62%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
POLK COUNTY VS
Barron County
Income$65,933−15%
Home value$216,600−20%
Population46,484+1%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
POLK COUNTY VS
St. Croix County
Income$103,046+33%
Home value$377,700+39%
Population98,276+115%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Polk County, Wisconsin?
Polk County, Wisconsin has about 45,555 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Polk County, Wisconsin?
The typical household in Polk County, Wisconsin earns about $77,219 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Polk County, Wisconsin expensive?
In Polk County, Wisconsin, the median home is worth about $271,900, and the typical rent is about $957 a month.
How educated are people in Polk County, Wisconsin?
About 24.3% of adults age 25 and over in Polk County, Wisconsin hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Polk County, Wisconsin?
About 8.2% of people in Polk County, Wisconsin live below the federal poverty line.
Has Polk County, Wisconsin grown since 1990?
Yes, Polk County, Wisconsin has grown since 1990. The population has added about 10,782 residents, a change of about 31 percent over that period.
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14 census tracts
Census Tract 9608Census Tract 9610Census Tract 9611Census Tract 9601Census Tract 9607.01Census Tract 9602Census Tract 9609.01Census Tract 9605Census Tract 9609.02Census Tract 9606Census Tract 9603.02Census Tract 9607.02Census Tract 9603.01Census Tract 9603.0314 ZIP codes
ZIP 54001ZIP 54020ZIP 54024ZIP 54837ZIP 54853ZIP 54005ZIP 54810ZIP 54889ZIP 54009ZIP 54026ZIP 54824ZIP 54858ZIP 54826ZIP 54006Up the hierarchy
All counties in WisconsinDATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024