Polk County, TX

County

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2023 Population

51,780

2.46% 1-year growth

US Senator

John Cornyn

Republican Party

US Senator

Ted Cruz

Republican Party

2023 Median Age

43.9

0.228% 1-year increase

2023 Poverty Rate

18.1%

10.3% 1-year increase

2023 Median Household Income

$59,066

3.06% 1-year growth

2023 Median Property Value

$154,000

1.92% 1-year growth

2023 Employed Population

18,627

1.69% 1-year growth

About

In 2023, Polk County, TX had a population of 51.8k people with a median age of 43.9 and a median household income of $59,066. Between 2022 and 2023 the population of Polk County, TX grew from 50,536 to 51,780, a 2.46% increase and its median household income grew from $57,315 to $59,066, a 3.06% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Polk County, TX are White (Non-Hispanic) (71.4%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (7.84%), Two+ (Hispanic) (6.88%), White (Hispanic) (5.67%), and Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (3.96%).

None of the households in Polk County, TX 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.

97.5% of the residents in Polk County, TX are U.S. citizens.

In 2023, the median property value in Polk County, TX was $154,000, and the homeownership rate was 77.5%.

Most people in Polk County, TX drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 30.5 minutes. The average car ownership in Polk County, TX was 2 cars per household.

Polk County, TX borders Angelina County, TX, Hardin County, TX, Liberty County, TX, San Jacinto County, TX, Trinity County, TX, and Tyler County, TX.

United States Texas

Population & Diversity

Polk County, TX is home to a population of 51.8k people, from which 97.5% are citizens. As of 2023, 4.64% of Polk County, TX residents were born outside of the country (2.4k people).

In 2023, there were 9.12 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (37k people) in Polk County, TX than any other race or ethnicity. There were 4.06k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 3.56k Two+ (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

97.5%

2023 Citizenship

97.6%

2022 Citizenship

As of 2023, 97.5% of Polk County, TX residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2022, the percentage of US citizens in Polk County, TX was 97.6%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

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

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Polk County, TX

White (Non-Hispanic)
37k ± 126
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
4.06k ± 386
Two+ (Hispanic)
3.56k ± 565

15.1%

Hispanic Population

7.8k people

15.1% of the people in Polk County, TX are hispanic (7.8k people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Polk County, TX 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 Texas.

Most Common Origin

Mexico
2,430,315 ± 36,649 people
India
305,649 ± 13,502 people
El Salvador
224,600 ± 11,591 people

In 2022, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Texas was Mexico, the natal country of 2,430,315 Texas residents, followed by India with 305,649 and El Salvador with 224,600.

Foreign-Born Population

4.64%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

2.4k people

4.67%

2022 Foreign-Born Population

2.36k people

As of 2023, 4.64% of Polk County, TX residents (2.4k people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.8%. In 2022, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Polk County, TX was 4.67%, meaning that the rate has been decreasing.

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

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
1,529 ± 278
Gulf War (2001-)
786 ± 268
Gulf War (1990s)
418 ± 152

Polk County, TX has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.95 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Polk County, TX employs 18.6k people. The largest industries in Polk County, TX are Construction (2,552 people), Retail Trade (2,151 people), and Health Care & Social Assistance (2,031 people), and the highest paying industries are Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($103,438), Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($90,145), and Utilities ($88,281).

Males in Texas have an average income that is 1.38 times higher than the average income of females, which is $58,213. The income inequality in Texas (measured using the Gini index) is 0.476, which is lower than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

18.6k

2023 Value

± 1,210

1.69%

1 Year growth

± 8.86%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Polk County, TX grew at a rate of 1.69%, from 18.3k employees to 18.6k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Polk County, TX, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (2,440 people), Production Occupations (1,863 people), and Construction & Extraction Occupations (1,755 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Polk County, TX.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

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

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in Texas (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.

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Industries

Employment by Industries

18.6k

2023 Value

± 1,210

1.69%

1 Year growth

± 8.86%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Polk County, TX grew at a rate of 1.69%, from 18.3k employees to 18.6k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Polk County, TX, are Construction (2,552 people), Retail Trade (2,151 people), and Health Care & Social Assistance (2,031 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Polk County, TX, though some of these residents may live in Polk County, TX and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$49,569

Median earning men ± $4,257

$30,526

Median earning women ± $3,124

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2023 are Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting, & Mining ($92,714), Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($80,368), and Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($79,583).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2023 are Wholesale Trade ($94,130), Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($73,750), and Construction ($45,588).

Employment by Industry Sector

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

Y-Axis

4.59%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 13.8M people employed in Texas. This represents a 4.59% 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 9.63%.

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

Establishments by Size

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

Depending on the option selected, the visualization shows the number of employees or number of establishments and its share across establishment sizes.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$102k
Manufacturing
$76.3k
Health Care and Social Assistance
$57.5k
Retail Trade

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

Civics

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Polk County, TX went to Donald J. Trump with 76.8% of the vote. The runner-up was Joseph R Biden Jr. (22.3%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (0.707%).

John Cornyn and Ted Cruz are the senators currently representing the state of Texas. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

Texas is currently represented by 38 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

2020 Election Results

Donald J. Trump (76.8%)
Republican Party
Joseph R Biden Jr. (22.3%)
Democratic Party
Jo Jorgensen (0.707%)
Libertarian Party

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Polk County, TX went to Donald J. Trump with 76.8% of the vote. The runner-up was Joseph R Biden Jr. (22.3%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (0.707%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Polk County, TX for each registered party from 1976 to 2020.

Senator Elections

US Senators from Texas

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for Texas.

John Cornyn

Senator from Texas

Assumed office on December 2, 2002
Phil Gramm resigned (effective November 30, 2002) a few weeks before the expiration of his term in hopes that his successor, fellow Republican John Cornyn, could gain seniority over other newly elected senators. However, Cornyn did not gain additional seniority due to a 1980 Rules Committee policy.

Ted Cruz

Senator from Texas

Assumed office on January 3, 2013

John Cornyn and Ted Cruz are the senators currently representing Texas.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in Texas over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

US Representative Elections

US Representatives from Texas

Texas is currently represented by 38 members in the U.S. house.

Members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms, and the following chart shows the how the members for Texas have changed over time starting in 2008.

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 Texas.

Measure

In 2022, 1.59% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 1.53% 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 Texas.

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2022 were High School or Equivalent (5.7M), Some college (4.97M), and Bachelors Degree (4.2M).

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, TX was $154,000 in 2023, which is 0.508 times smaller than the national average of $303,400. Between 2022 and 2023 the median property value increased from $151,100 to $154,000, a 1.92% increase. The homeownership rate in Polk County, TX is 77.5%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 65%.

People in Polk County, TX have an average commute time of 30.5 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Polk County, TX is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Polk County, TX is $59,066. In 2023, the tract with the highest Median Household Income in Polk County, TX was Census Tract 2102.06 with a value of $67,542, followed by Census Tract 2102.04 and Census Tract 2103.02, with respective values of $67,041 and $57,228.

In 2023, 14.6% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Polk County, TX. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 1.06%.

Housing

Property

$154,000

Median Property Value 2023

±$10,956

$14,395

Median Property Taxes

±$963

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, TX the largest share of households pay taxes in the < $800 range.

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

Rent vs Own

77.5%

Homeownership

2023

69.2%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2023

In 2023, 77.5% of the housing units in Polk County, TX were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 78%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Polk County, TX 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 2102.06
Census Tract 2102.04
Census Tract 2103.02

In 2023, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Polk County, TX was Census Tract 2102.06 with a value of $67,542, followed by Census Tract 2102.04 and Census Tract 2103.02, with respective values of $67,041 and $57,228.

The following map shows all of the tracts in Polk County, TX 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.

$59,066

Median Household Income

± $3,522

18.6k

Number of Households

± 1,132

In 2023, the median household income of the 18.6k households in Polk County, TX grew to $59,066 from the previous year's value of $57,315.

The following chart displays the households in Polk County, TX 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, TX is from Texas.

0.476

2022 Wage GINI in Texas

0.476

2021 Wage GINI in Texas

In 2022, the income inequality in Texas was 0.476 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.0231% decline from 2021 to 2022, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for Texas was lower than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in Texas in comparison to the national average.

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

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2023

Drove Alone (81.2%)
Carpooled (8.96%)
Worked At Home (5.36%)

In 2023, 81.2% of workers in Polk County, TX drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (8.96%) and those who worked at home (5.36%).

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

30.5 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Polk County, TX have a longer commute time (30.5 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.6 minutes). Additionally, 8.45% of the workforce in Polk County, TX have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Polk County, TX 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, TX distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Polk County, TX have 2 cars.

Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2023, 14.6% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Polk County, TX. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 1.06%.

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

Poverty & Diversity

18.1% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Polk County, TX (8.68k out of 48.1k 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 55 - 64, followed by Females 25 - 34 and then Males < 5.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Polk County, TX 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.

Children in Poverty

In 2023, 24.7% of the children was living in poverty in Polk County, TX. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 4.9%.

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.

Health

84.2% of the population of Polk County, TX has health coverage, with 33.5% on employee plans, 17.5% on Medicaid, 15.8% on Medicare, 15.3% on non-group plans, and 2.22% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Polk County, TX see 1963 patients per year on average, which represents a 7.03% increase from the previous year (1834 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 2076 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 1922 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 50.6% were men and 49.4% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

1,963 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Polk County, TX

Primary care physicians in Polk County, TX see an average of 1,963 patients per year. This represents a 7.03% increase from the previous year (1,834 patients).

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

Health Care Diversity

In 2023, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 22.9% under 18 years, 16.3% between 18 and 34 years, 41.2% between 35 and 64 years, and 19.6% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 50.6% were men and 49.4% were women.

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

Uninsured People

15.8%

Uninsured

33.5%

Employer Coverage

17.5%

Medicaid

15.8%

Medicare

15.3%

Non-Group

2.22%

Military or VA

Between 2022 and 2023, the percent of uninsured citizens in Polk County, TX declined by 5.26% from 16.7% to 15.8%.

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

Health Indicators

Health Outcomes

Indicator

In 2023, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was 63.4 in Polk County, TX.

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

Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2023, 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 38.4% in Polk County, TX.

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