Polk County, TX

County

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2024 Population

52,800

US Senator

John Cornyn

Republican Party

US Senator

Ted Cruz

Republican Party

2024 Median Age

0.228% 1-year increase

2024 Poverty Rate

17.5%

3.26% 1-year decrease

2024 Median Household Income

$62,259

5.41% 1-year growth

2024 Median Property Value

$184,800

20% 1-year growth

2024 Employed Population

19,378

4.03% 1-year growth

About

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.

97.6% of the residents in Polk County, TX are U.S. citizens.

In 2024, the median property value in Polk County, TX was $184,800, and the homeownership rate was 78.1%.

Most people in Polk County, TX drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 29.8 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 52.8k people, from which 97.6% are citizens. As of 2024, 4.48% of Polk County, TX residents were born outside of the country (2.36k people).

In 2024, there were 8.35 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (37.4k people) in Polk County, TX than any other race or ethnicity. There were 4.49k Two Races Including Other (Hispanic) and 4.08k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

97.6%

2024 Citizenship

97.5%

2023 Citizenship

As of 2024, 97.6% of Polk County, TX residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.2%. In 2023, the percentage of US citizens in Polk County, TX was 97.5%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

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)
37.4k ± 231
Two Races Including Other (Hispanic)
4.49k ± 576
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
4.08k ± 355

15.3%

Hispanic Population

8.1k people

15.3% of the people in Polk County, TX are hispanic (8.1k people).

The following chart shows the 8 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
2,397,739 ± 36,447 people
India
325,248 ± 13,925 people
El Salvador
221,729 ± 11,517 people

In 2023, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Texas was Mexico, the natal country of 2,397,739 Texas residents, followed by India with 325,248 and El Salvador with 221,729.

Foreign-Born Population

4.48%

2024 Foreign-Born Population

2.36k people

4.64%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

2.4k people

As of 2024, 4.48% of Polk County, TX residents (2.36k people) were born outside of the United States, which is approximately the same as the national average of 14%. In 2023, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Polk County, TX was 4.64%, 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
1,357 ± 251
Gulf War (2001-)
1,220 ± 304
Gulf War (1990s)
448 ± 161

Polk County, TX has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.11 times greater than any other conflict.

The chart shows the distribution of veterans by conflict in Polk County, TX.

Economy

The economy of Polk County, TX employs 19.4k people. In 2024, the largest industries in Polk County, TX were Health Care & Social Assistance (2,687 people), Construction (1,979 people), and Retail Trade (1,971 people), and the highest paying industries were Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($94,104), Utilities ($90,203), and Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($82,008).

Employment

Occupations

19.4k

2024 Value

± 1,253

4.03%

1 Year growth

± 8.81%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Polk County, TX grew at a rate of 4.03%, from 18.6k employees to 19.4k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Polk County, TX, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (2,358 people), Sales & Related Occupations (1,602 people), and Construction & Extraction Occupations (1,553 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 Texas.

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.

Industries

Employment by Industries

19.4k

2024 Value

± 1,253

4.03%

1 Year growth

± 8.81%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Polk County, TX grew at a rate of 4.03%, from 18.6k employees to 19.4k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Polk County, TX, are Health Care & Social Assistance (2,687 people), Construction (1,979 people), and Retail Trade (1,971 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

$51,917

Median earning men ± $6,895

$32,861

Median earning women ± $3,904

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2024 are Manufacturing ($92,704), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($85,242), and Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($76,520).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2024 are Wholesale Trade ($81,571), Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($62,500), and Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($56,690).

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 industries with the most establishments

71
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
70
Retail Trade
63
Other Services (except Public Administration)

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

$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 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Texas went to Donald J. Trump with 56.1% of the vote. The runner-up was Kamala Harris (42.5%), followed by Jill Stein (0.726%).

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

Voting results are not available for Polk County, TX. Showing the available data for Texas.

2024 Election Results

Donald J. Trump (56.1%)
Republican Party
Kamala Harris (42.5%)
Democratic Party
Jill Stein (0.726%)
Green Party

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Texas went to Donald J. Trump with 56.1% of the vote. The runner-up was Kamala Harris (42.5%), followed by Jill Stein (0.726%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Texas for each registered party from 1976 to 2024.

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.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Polk County, TX was $184,800 in 2024, which is 0.555 times smaller than the national average of $332,700. Between 2023 and 2024 the median property value increased from $154,000 to $184,800, a 20% increase. The homeownership rate in Polk County, TX is 78.1%, which is higher than the national average of 65.2%.

People in Polk County, TX have an average commute time of 29.8 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.

In 2025, 15.4% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Polk County, TX. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 0.286%.

Housing

Property

$184,800

Median Property Value 2024

±$17,395

$15,241

Median Property Taxes

±$1,043

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 $3k+ 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

78.1%

Homeownership

2024

67.8%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2024

In 2024, 78.1% of the housing units in Polk County, TX were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 77.5%.

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

Equity

Household Income

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

$62,259

Median Household Income

± $3,861

19.5k

Number of Households

± 1,205

In 2024, the median household income of the 19.5k households in Polk County, TX grew to $62,259 from the previous year's value of $59,066.

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.

0.475

2023 Wage GINI in Texas

0.476

2022 Wage GINI in Texas

In 2023, the income inequality in Texas was 0.475 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.208% decline from 2022 to 2023, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for Texas was lower than than the national average of 0.476. 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 2024

Drove Alone (77.3%)
Carpooled (11%)
Worked At Home (7.39%)

In 2024, 77.3% of workers in Polk County, TX drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (11%) and those who worked at home (7.39%).

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

29.8 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Polk County, TX have a longer commute time (29.8 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.4 minutes). Additionally, 7.65% 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 2025, 15.4% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Polk County, TX. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 0.286%.

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

Poverty & Diversity

17.5% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Polk County, TX (8.54k out of 48.9k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.5%. 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 2025, 30% of the children was living in poverty in Polk County, TX. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator grew 0.4%.

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 286 in Polk County, TX. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator grew 52.8 per 100,000 population.

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

Health

85.6% of the population of Polk County, TX has health coverage, with 36.7% on employee plans, 15.3% on Medicaid, 16.4% on Medicare, 14.8% on non-group plans, and 2.44% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Polk County, TX see 2,076 patients per year on average, which represents a 0% change from the previous year (2,076 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 2421 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 1548 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

2,076 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Polk County, TX

Primary care physicians in Polk County, TX see an average of 2,076 patients per year. This represents a 0% change from the previous year (2,076 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 2024, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 22.6% under 18 years, 16.3% between 18 and 34 years, 41.3% between 35 and 64 years, and 19.8% 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

14.4%

Uninsured

36.7%

Employer Coverage

15.3%

Medicaid

16.4%

Medicare

14.8%

Non-Group

2.44%

Military or VA

Between 2023 and 2024, the percent of uninsured citizens in Polk County, TX declined by 9.06% from 15.8% to 14.4%.

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 2025, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was 76.1 in Polk County, TX.

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

Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2025, 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 40.4% in Polk County, TX.

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