Polk County, NC

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Population

20,434

0.541% growth

Median Age

52.1


Median Household Income

$48,412

2.14% growth

Poverty Rate

10.9%


Number of Employees

8,710

2.31% growth

Median Property Value

$205,500

1.2% decline

About

Economy

Health

Diversity

Housing & Living

About

In 2017, Polk County, NC had a population of 20.4k people with a median age of 52.1 and a median household income of $48,412. Between 2016 and 2017 the population of Polk County, NC grew from 20,324 to 20,434, a 0.541% increase and its median household income grew from $47,396 to $48,412, a 2.14% increase.

The population of Polk County, NC is 88% White Alone, 5.78% Hispanic or Latino, and 5.1% Black or African American Alone. N/A% of the people in Polk County, NC speak a non-English language, and 98% are U.S. citizens.

The median property value in Polk County, NC is $205,500, and the homeownership rate is 73.1%. Most people in Polk County, NC commute by Drove Alone, and the average commute time is 24.5 minutes. The average car ownership in Polk County, NC is 2 cars per household.

Photo by Jeremy Taylor

United StatesNorth Carolina

Economy

The economy of Polk County, NC employs 8.71k people. The largest industries in Polk County, NC are Health Care & Social Assistance (1,477 people), Retail Trade (1,217 people), and Manufacturing (1,024 people), and the highest paying industries are Wholesale Trade ($60,597), Finance & Insurance ($55,536), and Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($51,250).

Median household income in Polk County, NC is $48,412. Males in Polk County, NC have an average income that is 1.34 times higher than the average income of females, which is $44,729. The income inequality in Polk County, NC (measured using the Gini index) is 0.473, which is lower than than the national average.

Wages

Median Household Income

$48,412

2017 value

± $2,365

2.14%

1 Year Growth

± 7.31%

Households in Polk County, NC have a median annual income of $48,412, which is less than the median annual income of $61,937 across the entire United States. This is in comparison to a median income of $47,396 in 2016, which represents a 2.14% annual growth.

Look at the chart to see how the median household income in Polk County, NC compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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Wage by Gender in Common Jobs

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

$59,982

Average Male Salary

± $1,136

$44,729

Average Female Salary

± $812

In 2017, full-time male employees in North Carolina made 1.34 times more than female employees.

This chart shows the gender-based wage disparity in the 5 most common occupations in North Carolina by number of full-time employees.

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Wage by Race and Ethnicity in Common Jobs

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

Highest Average Salaries by Race & Ethnicity

  1. Asian

    $59,267 ± $4,472

  2. White

    $49,962 ± $811

  3. Two or More Races

    $36,539 ± $3,942

In 2017 the highest paid race/ethnicity of North Carolina workers was Asian. These workers were paid 1.19 times more than White workers, who made the second highest salary of any race/ethnicity.

This chart shows the race- and ethnicity-based wage disparities in the 5 most common occupations in North Carolina by number of full-time employees.

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Wage Distribution

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

0.473

2017 Wage GINI

0.471

2016 Wage GINI

In 2017, the income inequality in North Carolina was 0.473 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.39% growth from 2016 to 2017, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat less even.

The 2017 the GINI for North Carolina was lower than than the national average of 0.479. 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.

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Income by Location

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Highest Median Household Income (Total)

  1. Census Tract 9201.04

  2. Census Tract 9203.03

  3. Census Tract 9203.04

In 2017, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Polk County, NC was Census Tract 9201.04 with a value of $56,310, followed by Census Tract 9203.03 and Census Tract 9203.04, with respective values of $49,392 and $49,057.

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

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Poverty by Age and Gender

Females 55 - 64

Largest Demographic Living in Poverty

10.9% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Polk County, NC (2.2k out of 20.1k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is lower than the national average of 13.1%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 55 - 64, followed by Males 55 - 64 and then Males 25 - 34.

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.

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Poverty by Race and Ethnicity

Largest Race or Ethnicity Living in Poverty

  1. White

    1,676 ± 234

  2. Hispanic

    390 ± 138

  3. Black

    281 ± 144

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

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.

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Occupations

Employment by Occupations

8.71k

2017 Value

± 599

2.31%

1 Year growth

± 9.54%

From 2016 to 2017, employment in Polk County, NC grew at a rate of 2.31%, from 8.51k employees to 8.71k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Polk County, NC, are Sales & Related Occupations (1,202 people), Office & Administrative Support Occupations (1,026 people), and Management Occupations (924 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Polk County, NC.

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Most Common

The most common jobs held by residents of Polk County, NC, by number of employees, are Sales & Related Occupations (1,202 people), Office & Administrative Support Occupations (1,026 people), and Management Occupations (924 people).

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Most Specialized

Compared to other counties, Polk County, NC has an unusually high number of residents working as Construction & Extraction Occupations (1.43 times higher than expected), Food Preparation & Serving Related Occupations (1.34 times), and Sales & Related Occupations (1.3 times).

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Highest Paid

The highest paid jobs held by residents of Polk County, NC, by median earnings, are Computer & Mathematical Occupations ($71,926), Fire Fighting & Prevention, & Other Protective Service Workers Including Supervisors ($61,467), and Business & Financial Operations Occupations ($58,869).

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Industries

Employment by Industries

8.71k

2017 Value

± 599

2.31%

1 Year growth

± 9.54%

From 2016 to 2017, employment in Polk County, NC grew at a rate of 2.31%, from 8.51k employees to 8.71k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Polk County, NC, are Health Care & Social Assistance (1,477 people), Retail Trade (1,217 people), and Manufacturing (1,024 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.

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Most Common

The most common industries in Polk County, NC, by number of employees, are Health Care & Social Assistance (1,477 people), Retail Trade (1,217 people), and Manufacturing (1,024 people).

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Most Specialized

Compared to other counties, Polk County, NC has an unusually high number of Construction (1.56 times higher than expected), Wholesale Trade (1.23 times), and Health Care & Social Assistance (1.22 times) industries.

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Highest Paying

The highest paying industries in Polk County, NC, by median earnings, are Wholesale Trade ($60,597), Finance & Insurance ($55,536), and Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($51,250).

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Domestic Trade

Domestic Production & Consumption

Domestic production and consumption consists of products and services shipped from North Carolina to other states, or from other states to North Carolina.

Top Domestic Production in Dollars

  1. Mixed freight

    $54.9B

  2. Pharmaceuticals

    $41.2B

  3. Machinery

    $40B

In 2015, the top outbound North Carolina product (by dollars) was Mixed freight with $54.9B, followed by Pharmaceuticals ($41.2B) and Machinery ($40B).

The following chart shows the share of these products in relation to all outbound North Carolina products.

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Domestic Trade Growth

Showing data for North Carolina state.

$443B

2020 Value

$632B

Projected 2045 Value

42.7% growth

In 2020, total outbound North Carolina trade was $443B. This is expected to increase 42.7% to $632B by 2045.

The following chart shows how the domestic outbound North Carolina trade is projected to change in comparison to its neighboring states.

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Interstate Trade

Interstate trade consists of products and services shipped from North Carolina to other states, or from other states to North Carolina.

Most Common Trade Partners

  1. South Carolina

    $28.4B

  2. Virginia

    $28.1B

  3. Georgia

    $28B

In 2015, the top outbound North Carolina domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was South Carolina with $28.4B, followed by Virginia with $28.1B and Georgia and $28B.

The following map shows the amount of trade that North Carolina shares with each state (excluding itself).

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Health

88% of the population of Polk County, NC has health coverage, with 33.3% on employee plans, 12% on Medicaid, 22.4% on Medicare, 19.1% on non-group plans, and 1.2% on military or VA plans.

Per capita personal health care spending in the county of Polk County, NC was $7,264 in 2014. This is a 3.37% increase from the previous year ($7,027).

Primary care physicians in Polk County, NC see 1851 patients per year on average, which represents a 9.14% increase from the previous year (1696 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 2542 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 565 patients per year.

Comparing across all counties in the state, Edgecombe County has the highest prevalence of diabetes (16.2%). Additionally, Hertford County has the highest prevalence of adult obesity (40.5%)

Patient to Clinician Ratios

1,851 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio

Primary care physicians in Polk County, NC see an average of 1,851 patients per year. This represents a 9.14% increase from the previous year (1,696 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 neighboring states.

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Behavioral Health Conditions

Data only available at the state level.

State with the Highest Prevalence

  1. West Virginia

    8.26% of the population affected

  2. Arkansas

    8.13% of the population affected

  3. New Hampshire

    7.98% of the population affected

In 2016, West Virginia had the highest prevalence of adults with major depressive episode, with 8.26% of the population affected. The second highest is Arkansas (8.13%), followed by New Hampshire (7.98%).

The following map shows the percent of individuals with major depressive episode by state over multiple years.

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Access and Quality

Data only available at state level.

Most prevalent states

  1. Mississippi

    19.2% of adults

  2. Texas

    17.9% of adults

  3. Louisiana

    17.6% of adults

In 2016, Mississippi had the highest prevalence of adults who haven't seen a doctor in the past 12 months due to cost, at 19.2%. It is followed by Texas (17.9%) and Louisiana (17.6%).

The following map shows the prevalence of adults who haven't seen a doctor in the past 12 months due to cost by state over multiple years.

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Health Care Spending

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

$7,264

Total Per Capita Spending on Personal Health Care 

$3,859

Per Enrollee Private Health Insurance Spending on Personal Health Care

$7,225

Per Enrollee Medicaid Spending on Personal Health Care

$10,260

Per Enrollee Medicare Spending on Personal Health Care

Between 2013 and 2014, all personal health care spending per capita in North Carolina (including private, Medicare, and Medicaid) grew 3.37%, from $7,027 to $7,264.

The following chart shows how this spending changed over time in comparison to Medicaid, Medicare, and private insurance spending, per enrollee.

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Health Care Coverage

12%

Uninsured

33.3%

Employer Coverage

12%

Medicaid

22.4%

Medicare

19.1%

Non-Group

1.2%

Military or VA

Between 2016 and 2017, the percent of uninsured citizens in Polk County, NC declined by 6.14% from 12.7% to 12%.

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.

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Health Risks

Data available at the county level.

Most at risk counties

  1. Edgecombe County

    16.2% prevalence

  2. Robeson County

    16.1% prevalence

  3. Hertford County

    16% prevalence

Edgecombe County has the highest prevalence of diabetes in North Carolina, at 16.2%.

The following map shows the prevalence of diabetes in North Carolina by county over multiple years.

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Diversity

Polk County, NC is home to a population of 20.4k people, from which 98% are citizens. As of 2017, 3.83% of Polk County, NC residents were born outside of the country (783 people).

The ethnic composition of the population of Polk County, NC is composed of 18k White Alone residents (88%), 1.18k Hispanic or Latino residents (5.78%), 1.04k Black or African American Alone residents (5.1%), 115 Two or More Races residents (0.563%), 85 Asian Alone residents (0.416%), 33 American Indian & Alaska Native Alone residents (0.161%), 5 Some Other Race Alone residents (0.0245%), and 0 Native Hawaiian & Other Pacific Islander Alone residents (0%).

Age

Age by Nativity

52

Median Native-Born Age

± 0.4

41

Median Foreign-Born Age

± 8.6

In 2017, the median age of all people in Polk County, NC was 52.1. Native-born citizens, with a median age of 52, were generally older than than foreign-born citizens, with a median age of 41. But people in Polk County, NC are getting getting older. In 2016, the average age of all Polk County, NC residents was 51.

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Heritage

Foreign-Born Population

3.83%

2017 Foreign-Born Population

783 people

3.36%

2016 Foreign-Born Population

683 people

As of 2017, 3.83% of Polk County, NC residents (783 people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.7%. In 2016, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Polk County, NC was 3.36%, 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.

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Global Diversity

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

Most Common Origin

  1. Mexico

    242,756 ± 11,950 people

  2. India

    60,392 ± 6,015 people

  3. Honduras

    34,513 ± 4,553 people

In 2017, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of North Carolina was Mexico, the natal country of 242,756 North Carolina residents, followed by India with 60,392 and Honduras with 34,513.

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Citizenship

98%

2017 Citizenship

98.4%

2016 Citizenship

As of 2017, 98% of Polk County, NC residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.2%. In 2016, the percentage of US citizens in Polk County, NC was 98.4%, 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.

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Race and Ethnicity

Most Common

  1. White Alone

    18k ± 9

  2. Hispanic or Latino

    1.18k ± 295

  3. Black or African American Alone

    1.04k ± 94

In 2017, there were 15.2 times more White Alone residents (18k people) in Polk County, NC than any other race or ethnicity. There were 1.18k Hispanic or Latino and 1.04k Black or African American Alone residents, the second and third most common racial or ethnic groups.

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

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Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

  1. Vietnam

    672 ± 134

  2. Korea

    297 ± 84

  3. World War II

    143 ± 58

Polk County, NC has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 2.26 times greater than any other conflict.

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Housing & Living

The median property value in Polk County, NC was $205,500 in 2017, which is 0.895 times smaller than the national average of $229,700. Between 2016 and 2017 the median property value increased from $208,000 to $205,500, a 1.2% decrease. The homeownership rate in Polk County, NC is 73.1%, which is higher than the national average of 63.9%. People in Polk County, NC have an average commute time of 24.5 minutes, and they commute by Drove Alone. Car ownership in Polk County, NC is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Housing

Property Value

$205,500

2017 Median

± $14,339

$208,000

2016 Median

± $16,777

In 2017, the median property value in Polk County, NC declined from to $205,500 from the previous year's value of $208,000.

The following charts display, first, the property values in Polk County, NC compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies and, second, owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property value buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Polk County, NC the largest share of households have a property value in the $300k - $400k range.

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Household Income

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

$48,412

Median Household Income

± $2,365

8.91k

Number of Households

± 528

In 2017, the median household income of the 8.91k households in Polk County, NC grew to $48,412 from the previous year's value of $47,396.

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.

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Property Taxes

$800 - $1,499

Average Range

This chart shows the households in Polk County, NC 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.

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Rent vs Own

73.1%

2017 Homeownership

73%

2016 Homeownership

In 2017, 73.1% of the housing units in Polk County, NC were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 73%.

This percentage of owner-occupation is higher than the national average of 63.9%. This chart shows the ownership percentage in Polk County, NC compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

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Commute Time

24.5 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Polk County, NC have a shorter commute time (24.5 minutes) than the normal US worker (25.1 minutes). Additionally, 2.35% 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.

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Commuter Transportation

Most Common Method of Travel

  1. Drove Alone

    77%

  2. Carpooled

    13.5%

  3. Worked At Home

    4.82%

In 2017, the most common method of travel for workers in Polk County, NC was Drove Alone (77%), followed by those who Carpooled (13.5%) and those who Worked At Home (4.82%).

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.

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Transportation

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, followed by 3 cars.

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