Polk County, NC

County

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2023 Population

19,689

0.773% 1-year growth

US Senator

Thom Tillis

Republican Party

US Senator

Ted Budd

Republican Party

2023 Median Age

54.4

0.369% 1-year increase

2023 Poverty Rate

13.7%

24.1% 1-year increase

2023 Median Household Income

$61,005

0.893% 1-year growth

2023 Median Property Value

$281,100

10.2% 1-year growth

2023 Employed Population

8,701

1.73% 1-year growth

About

In 2023, Polk County, NC had a population of 19.7k people with a median age of 54.4 and a median household income of $61,005. Between 2022 and 2023 the population of Polk County, NC grew from 19,538 to 19,689, a 0.773% increase and its median household income grew from $60,465 to $61,005, a 0.893% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Polk County, NC are White (Non-Hispanic) (87.2%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (5.09%), Two Races Including Other (Hispanic) (4.37%), Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic) (1.54%), and White (Hispanic) (0.559%).

None of the households in Polk County, NC reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

98.2% of the residents in Polk County, NC are U.S. citizens.

In 2023, the median property value in Polk County, NC was $281,100, and the homeownership rate was 76.6%.

Most people in Polk County, NC drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 27.6 minutes. The average car ownership in Polk County, NC was 2 cars per household.

Polk County, NC borders Henderson County, NC, Rutherford County, NC, Greenville County, SC, and Spartanburg County, SC.

United States North Carolina

Population & Diversity

Polk County, NC is home to a population of 19.7k people, from which 98.2% are citizens. As of 2023, 4.39% of Polk County, NC residents were born outside of the country (864 people).

In 2023, there were 17.1 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (17.2k people) in Polk County, NC than any other race or ethnicity. There were 1k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 860 Two Races Including Other (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

98.2%

2023 Citizenship

98.2%

2022 Citizenship

As of 2023, 98.2% of Polk County, NC residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2022, the percentage of US citizens in Polk County, NC was 98.2%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Polk County, NC compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Polk County, NC

White (Non-Hispanic)
17.2k ± 60
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
1k ± 122
Two Races Including Other (Hispanic)
860 ± 175

5.46%

Hispanic Population

1.08k people

5.46% of the people in Polk County, NC are hispanic (1.08k people).

The following chart shows the 8 races represented in Polk County, NC as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for North Carolina.

Most Common Origin

Mexico
224,963 ± 11,520 people
India
83,219 ± 7,055 people
Honduras
48,247 ± 5,380 people

In 2023, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of North Carolina was Mexico, the natal country of 224,963 North Carolina residents, followed by India with 83,219 and Honduras with 48,247.

Foreign-Born Population

4.39%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

864 people

4.23%

2022 Foreign-Born Population

826 people

As of 2023, 4.39% of Polk County, NC residents (864 people) were born outside of the United States, which is approximately the same as the national average of 13.8%. In 2022, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Polk County, NC was 4.23%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Polk County, NC compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
669 ± 143
Gulf War (2001-)
219 ± 92
Gulf War (1990s)
124 ± 70

Polk County, NC has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 3.05 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Polk County, NC employs 8.7k people. In 2023, the largest industries in Polk County, NC were Health Care & Social Assistance (1,673 people), Manufacturing (932 people), and Retail Trade (912 people), and the highest paying industries were Wholesale Trade ($71,346), Finance & Insurance ($67,595), and Information ($51,964).

Employment

Occupations

8.7k

2023 Value

± 640

1.73%

1 Year growth

± 10%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Polk County, NC grew at a rate of 1.73%, from 8.55k employees to 8.7k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Polk County, NC, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (1,074 people), Sales & Related Occupations (1,072 people), and Management Occupations (813 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Polk County, NC.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for North Carolina.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in North Carolina (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

Industries

Employment by Industries

8.7k

2023 Value

± 640

1.73%

1 Year growth

± 10%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Polk County, NC grew at a rate of 1.73%, from 8.55k employees to 8.7k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Polk County, NC, are Health Care & Social Assistance (1,673 people), Manufacturing (932 people), and Retail Trade (912 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Polk County, NC, though some of these residents may live in Polk County, NC and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$43,391

Median earning men ± $4,540

$29,542

Median earning women ± $3,108

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2023 are Wholesale Trade ($72,404), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($65,804), and Information ($63,382).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2023 are Information ($45,625), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($45,265), and Construction ($41,250).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for North Carolina.

Y-Axis

3.04%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 4.86M people employed in North Carolina. This represents a 3.04% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 10.9%.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in North Carolina.

Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

57
Construction
39
Other Services (except Public Administration)
31
Retail Trade

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

The visualization shows the number of establishments and its share across establishment sizes.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$52.3k
Health Care and Social Assistance
$22.9k
Construction
$16.9k
Manufacturing

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

Education

Completions

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for North Carolina.

Measure

In 2023, 0.995% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.855% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for North Carolina.

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2023 were High School or Equivalent (2.18M), Some college (1.81M), and Bachelors Degree (1.69M).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Polk County, NC was $281,100 in 2023, which is 0.926 times smaller than the national average of $303,400. Between 2022 and 2023 the median property value increased from $255,000 to $281,100, a 10.2% increase. The homeownership rate in Polk County, NC is 76.6%, which is higher than the national average of 65%.

People in Polk County, NC have an average commute time of 27.6 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Polk County, NC is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Polk County, NC is $61,005. In 2023, the tract with the highest Median Household Income in Polk County, NC was Census Tract 9201.04, Polk County, NC with a value of $66,888, followed by Census Tract 9201.03, Polk County, NC and Census Tract 9203.03, Polk County, NC, with respective values of $66,176 and $61,750.

In 2024, 10.8% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Polk County, NC. From 2014 to 2024, the indicator declined 2.94%.

Housing

Property

$281,100

Median Property Value 2023

±$17,038

$6,689

Median Property Taxes

±$496

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Polk County, NC the largest share of households pay taxes in the $800 - $1,499 range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Polk County, NC compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

76.6%

Homeownership

2023

60.7%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2023

In 2023, 76.6% of the housing units in Polk County, NC were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 76.5%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Polk County, NC compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

Census Tract 9201.04, Polk County, NC
Census Tract 9201.03, Polk County, NC
Census Tract 9203.03, Polk County, NC

In 2023, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Polk County, NC was Census Tract 9201.04, Polk County, NC with a value of $66,888, followed by Census Tract 9201.03, Polk County, NC and Census Tract 9203.03, Polk County, NC, with respective values of $66,176 and $61,750.

The following map shows all of the tracts in Polk County, NC colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$61,005

Median Household Income

± $5,732

8.73k

Number of Households

± 574

In 2023, the median household income of the 8.73k households in Polk County, NC grew to $61,005 from the previous year's value of $60,465.

The following chart displays the households in Polk County, NC distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Polk County, NC is from North Carolina.

0.467

2023 Wage GINI in North Carolina

0.47

2022 Wage GINI in North Carolina

In 2023, the income inequality in North Carolina was 0.467 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.639% decline from 2022 to 2023, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for North Carolina was lower than than the national average of 0.476. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in North Carolina in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in North Carolina across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2023

Drove Alone (74.6%)
Worked At Home (12.1%)
Carpooled (11%)

In 2023, 74.6% of workers in Polk County, NC drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (12.1%) and those who carpooled to work (11%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

27.6 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Polk County, NC have a longer commute time (27.6 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.6 minutes). Additionally, 3.89% of the workforce in Polk County, NC have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Polk County, NC compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Polk County, NC distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Polk County, NC have 2 cars.

Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2024, 10.8% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Polk County, NC. From 2014 to 2024, the indicator declined 2.94%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the population living with severe housing problems.

Poverty & Diversity

13.7% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Polk County, NC (2.64k out of 19.4k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.4%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 75+, followed by Females 55 - 64 and then Females 25 - 34.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Polk County, NC is White, followed by Two Or More and Hispanic.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Children in Poverty

In 2024, 19.5% of the children was living in poverty in Polk County, NC. From 2014 to 2024, the indicator declined 10%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the children living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Security

Crimes & Accidents

Indicator

In 2022, the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population was 63.4 in Polk County, NC. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator declined 58.1 per 100,000 population.

The graph shows the trend in the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population.

Health

90.3% of the population of Polk County, NC has health coverage, with 35.4% on employee plans, 13% on Medicaid, 23.5% on Medicare, 16.8% on non-group plans, and 1.62% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Polk County, NC see 1,310 patients per year on average, which represents a 19% decrease from the previous year (1,618 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 2855 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 512 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 47.6% were men and 52.4% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

1,310 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Polk County, NC

Primary care physicians in Polk County, NC see an average of 1,310 patients per year. This represents a 19% decrease from the previous year (1,618 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Polk County, NC in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2023, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 16.9% under 18 years, 13% between 18 and 34 years, 38.6% between 35 and 64 years, and 31.5% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 47.6% were men and 52.4% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

9.73%

Uninsured

35.4%

Employer Coverage

13%

Medicaid

23.5%

Medicare

16.8%

Non-Group

1.62%

Military or VA

Between 2022 and 2023, the percent of uninsured citizens in Polk County, NC declined by 2.05% from 9.93% to 9.73%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Polk County, NC changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

Health Indicators

Health Outcomes

Indicator

In 2014, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was 70.4 in Polk County, NC.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Polk County, NC.

Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2024, the percentage of the adult population (age 18 and older) that reports a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2 (age-adjusted) was 31.7% in Polk County, NC.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Polk County, NC.