Polk County (West) PUMA, IA

Public Use Microdata Area (PUMA)

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2023 Population

165,194

0.144% 1-year growth

US Senator

Chuck Grassley

Republican Party

US Senator

Joni Ernst

Republican Party

2023 Median Age

38.4

1.59% 1-year increase

2023 Poverty Rate

7.26%

0.528% 1-year increase

2023 Median Household Income

$96,770

3.25% 1-year growth

2023 Median Property Value

$298,600

5.89% 1-year growth

2022 Employed Population

79,366

27.7% 1-year decline

About

In 2023, Polk County (West) PUMA, IA had a population of 165k people with a median age of 38.4 and a median household income of $96,770. Between 2022 and 2023 the population of Polk County (West) PUMA, IA grew from 164,957 to 165,194, a 0.144% increase and its median household income grew from $93,727 to $96,770, a 3.25% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Polk County (West) PUMA, IA are White (Non-Hispanic) (79.8%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (5.6%), Asian (Non-Hispanic) (5.24%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (2.83%), and White (Hispanic) (2.61%).

12.1% of the households in Polk County (West) PUMA, IA 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.

95.4% of the residents in Polk County (West) PUMA, IA are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Polk County (West) PUMA, IA are Iowa School of Beauty-Des Moines (67 degrees awarded in 2022), La James International College-Johnston (48 degrees), and Body Wisdom Massage Therapy School (25 degrees).

In 2023, the median property value in Polk County (West) PUMA, IA was $298,600, and the homeownership rate was 70.3%.

Most people in Polk County (West) PUMA, IA drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 18.8 minutes. The average car ownership in Polk County (West) PUMA, IA was 2 cars per household.

Polk County (West) PUMA, IA borders Des Moines City PUMA, IA, Story & Boone Counties PUMA, IA, Jasper, Marion, Warren Counties PUMA, IA, Polk County (East)--Ankeny & Altoona Cities PUMA, IA, and Dallas, Madison Counties PUMA, IA.

United States Iowa

Population & Diversity

Polk County (West) PUMA, IA is home to a population of 165k people, from which 95.4% are citizens. As of 2023, 9.41% of Polk County (West) PUMA, IA residents were born outside of the country (15.6k people).

In 2023, there were 14.3 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (132k people) in Polk County (West) PUMA, IA than any other race or ethnicity. There were 9.25k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 8.66k Asian (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

The most common non-English languages spoken as the primary langauge in households in Polk County (West) PUMA, IA are Spanish (6,231 households), Serbo-Croatian (2,435 households), and Chinese (Incl. Mandarin, Cantonese) (1,365 households).

Population & Diversity

Residents by Gender and Age

RACE/ETHNICITY

74,593

Women

50.4%

73,284

Men

49.6%

The resident population of United States in 2022 was 147,877 inhabitants, with 49.6% men, and 50.4% women.

The visualization shows the distribution of the residents by gender and age in the United States.

With the upper buttons you can add a filter by race.

Citizenship

95.4%

2023 Citizenship

95.7%

2022 Citizenship

As of 2023, 95.4% of Polk County (West) PUMA, IA residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2022, the percentage of US citizens in Polk County (West) PUMA, IA was 95.7%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Polk County (West) PUMA, IA compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Polk County (West) PUMA, IA

White (Non-Hispanic)
132k ± 2.07k
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
9.25k ± 1.47k
Asian (Non-Hispanic)
8.66k ± 1.17k

6.23%

Hispanic Population

10.3k people

6.23% of the people in Polk County (West) PUMA, IA are hispanic (10.3k people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Polk County (West) PUMA, IA as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

Most Common Origin

India
1,683 ± 1,001 people
Mexico
1,503 ± 947 people
Bosnia and Herzegovina
926 ± 745 people

In 2022, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Polk County (West) PUMA, IA was India, the natal country of 1,683 Polk County (West) PUMA, IA residents, followed by Mexico with 1,503 and Bosnia and Herzegovina with 926.

Foreign-Born Population

9.41%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

15.6k people

9.04%

2022 Foreign-Born Population

14.9k people

As of 2023, 9.41% of Polk County (West) PUMA, IA residents (15.6k 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 (West) PUMA, IA was 9.04%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

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

Non-English Households

Most Common Non-English Languages

Spanish
6,231 households (4.02%)
Serbo-Croatian
2,435 households (1.57%)
Chinese (Incl. Mandarin, Cantonese)
1,365 households (0.881%)

12.1% of the households in Polk County (West) PUMA, IA reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language, which is lower than the national average of 22%. 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.

In 2023, the most common non-English language spoken in households in Polk County (West) PUMA, IA was Spanish. 4.02% of the households in Polk County (West) PUMA, IA reported speaking Spanish at home as the primary shared language between all members living in the household.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Gulf War (2001-)
2,157 ± 389
Vietnam
1,793 ± 300
Gulf War (1990s)
1,480 ± 360

Polk County (West) PUMA, IA has a large population of military personnel who served in Gulf War (2001-), 1.2 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Polk County (West) PUMA, IA employs 79.4k people. The largest industries in Polk County (West) PUMA, IA are Elementary & secondary schools (4,419 people), Construction (3,952 people), and Insurance carriers (3,741 people), and the highest paying industries are Household appliances & electrical & electronic goods merchant wholesalers ($220,020), Legal services ($162,882), and Car Dealers ($150,041).

Males in Polk County (West) PUMA, IA have an average income that is 1.39 times higher than the average income of females, which is $68,574. The income inequality in Polk County (West) PUMA, IA (measured using the Gini index) is 0.437, which is lower than than the national average.

Employment

Workforce Diversity

Measure

RACE/ETHNICITY

50,383

Women

47.3%

56,234

Men

52.7%

The workforce of Polk County (West) PUMA, IA in 2020 was 106,617 people, with 47.3% woman, and 52.7% men.

The visualization shows the distribution of the workforce by gender and age in Polk County (West) PUMA, IA.

With the upper buttons you can see the distribution of the average salary and add a filter by race.

Occupations

79.4k

2022 Value

−27.7%

1 Year decline

± −27.7%

From 2021 to 2022, employment in Polk County (West) PUMA, IA declined at a rate of −27.7%, from 110k employees to 79.4k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Polk County (West) PUMA, IA, are Driver/sales workers & truck drivers (2,607 people), Customer service representatives (1,826 people), and Elementary & middle school teachers (1,761 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Polk County (West) PUMA, IA.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

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

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in Iowa (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

79.4k

2022 Value

−27.7%

1 Year decline

± −27.7%

From 2021 to 2022, employment in Polk County (West) PUMA, IA declined at a rate of −27.7%, from 110k employees to 79.4k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Polk County (West) PUMA, IA, are Elementary & secondary schools (4,419 people), Construction (3,952 people), and Insurance carriers (3,741 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Polk County (West) PUMA, IA, though some of these residents may live in Polk County (West) PUMA, IA and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$66,849

Median earning men ± $1,941

$49,703

Median earning women ± $1,989

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2023 are Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting, & Mining ($130,170), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($94,438), and Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($89,063).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2023 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($77,030), Wholesale Trade ($75,046), and Public Administration ($74,214).

Employment by Industry Sector

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

Y-Axis

1.48%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 1.57M people employed in Iowa. This represents a 1.48% 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 Iowa.

Civics

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Iowa went to Donald J. Trump with 55.7% of the vote. The runner-up was Kamala Harris (42.5%), followed by Robert Kennedy (0.789%).

Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst are the senators currently representing the state of Iowa. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

Iowa is currently represented by 4 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 (West) PUMA, IA. Showing the available data for Iowa.

2024 Election Results

Donald J. Trump (55.7%)
Republican Party
Kamala Harris (42.5%)
Democratic Party
Robert Kennedy (0.789%)
Independent Party

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Iowa went to Donald J. Trump with 55.7% of the vote. The runner-up was Kamala Harris (42.5%), followed by Robert Kennedy (0.789%).

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

Senator Elections

US Senators from Iowa

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

Chuck Grassley

Senator from Iowa

Assumed office on January 3, 1981

Joni Ernst

Senator from Iowa

Assumed office on January 3, 2015

Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst are the senators currently representing Iowa.

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 Iowa over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

US Representative Elections

US Representatives from Iowa

Iowa is currently represented by 4 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 Iowa have changed over time starting in 2008.

Education

In 2022, universities in Polk County (West) PUMA, IA awarded 140 degrees. The student population of Polk County (West) PUMA, IA in 2022 is skewed towards women, with 9 male students and 168 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Polk County (West) PUMA, IA are White (86 and 61.4%), followed by Black or African American (19 and 13.6%), Hispanic or Latino (19 and 13.6%), and Two or More Races (8 and 5.71%).

The largest universities in Polk County (West) PUMA, IA by number of degrees awarded are Iowa School of Beauty-Des Moines (67 and 47.9%), La James International College-Johnston (48 and 34.3%), and Body Wisdom Massage Therapy School (25 and 17.9%).

The most popular majors in Polk County (West) PUMA, IA are Aesthetician & Skin Care Specialist (56 and 40%), General Cosmetology (34 and 24.3%), and Massage Therapy (32 and 22.9%).

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

Measure

In 2015 in Polk County (West) PUMA, IA, the percentage of applicants admitted was 97.9%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 27.7%. The number of students enrolled in 2022 was 177 (5.08% men and 94.9% women).

The line chart shows the evolution of the percentage of applicants admitted, admitted who enrolled or the number of students enrolled according to the option selected in the upper button.

Enrollments by Gender and Races

In 2022 there were 177 students enrolled in Polk County (West) PUMA, IA, 5.08% men and 94.9% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 134 records, of which 97% were women and 2.99% men.

Completions

Concentrations

General Cosmetology

Most Common

34 degrees awarded

In 2022, the most common concentation for 2 to 4 Year Postsecondary Certificate recipients in Polk County (West) PUMA, IA was General Cosmetology with 34 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a 2 to 4 Year Postsecondary Certificate from schools in Polk County (West) PUMA, IA according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

Iowa School of Beauty-Des Moines
67 degrees awarded
La James International College-Johnston
48 degrees awarded
Body Wisdom Massage Therapy School
25 degrees awarded

In 2022, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Iowa School of Beauty-Des Moines with 67 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

In 2022, 7 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Polk County (West) PUMA, IA, which is 0.0526 times less than the 133 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2022 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 86 degrees mean that there were 4.53 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Black or African American, with 19 degrees awarded.

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

Measure

In 2022, 0.45% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.619% of women were in the same situation.

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

Educational Attainment

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population of Polk County (West) PUMA, IA in 2022 were Bachelors Degree (36.7k), High School or Equivalent (22k), and Some college (21.2k).

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 (West) PUMA, IA was $298,600 in 2023, which is 0.984 times smaller than the national average of $303,400. Between 2022 and 2023 the median property value increased from $282,000 to $298,600, a 5.89% increase. The homeownership rate in Polk County (West) PUMA, IA is 70.3%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 65%.

People in Polk County (West) PUMA, IA have an average commute time of 18.8 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Polk County (West) PUMA, IA is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Polk County (West) PUMA, IA is $96,770. In 2023, the PUMA with the highest Median Household Income in Polk County (West) PUMA, IA was Dallas, Madison Counties PUMA, IA with a value of $100,153, followed by Polk County (West) PUMA, IA and Linn County outside Cedar Rapids City PUMA, IA, with respective values of $96,770 and $95,396.

Housing

Property

$298,600

Median Property Value 2023

±$5,651

$47,053

Median Property Taxes

±$1,506

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 (West) PUMA, IA the largest share of households pay taxes in the $3k+ range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Polk County (West) PUMA, IA compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

70.3%

Homeownership

2023

67.3%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2023

In 2023, 70.3% of the housing units in Polk County (West) PUMA, IA were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 70.2%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Polk County (West) PUMA, IA 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)

In 2023, the PUMA with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Polk County (West) PUMA, IA was Dallas, Madison Counties PUMA, IA with a value of $100,153, followed by Polk County (West) PUMA, IA and Linn County outside Cedar Rapids City PUMA, IA, with respective values of $96,770 and $95,396.

The following map shows all of the PUMAs in Polk County (West) PUMA, IA 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.

$96,770

Median Household Income

± $3,333

67k

Number of Households

± 2,114

In 2023, the median household income of the 67k households in Polk County (West) PUMA, IA grew to $96,770 from the previous year's value of $93,727.

The following chart displays the households in Polk County (West) PUMA, IA 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 $200k+ range.

Wage Distribution

0.437

2022 Wage GINI in Polk County (West) PUMA, IA

0.443

2021 Wage GINI in Polk County (West) PUMA, IA

In 2022, the income inequality in Polk County (West) PUMA, IA was 0.437 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 1.27% decline from 2021 to 2022, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for Polk County (West) PUMA, IA was lower than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in Polk County (West) PUMA, IA in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in Polk County (West) PUMA, IA across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2023

Drove Alone (73.5%)
Worked At Home (17.2%)
Carpooled (7.35%)

In 2023, 73.5% of workers in Polk County (West) PUMA, IA drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (17.2%) and those who carpooled to work (7.35%).

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

18.8 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Polk County (West) PUMA, IA have a shorter commute time (18.8 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.6 minutes). Additionally, 1.04% of the workforce in Polk County (West) PUMA, IA have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

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

Poverty

Poverty & Diversity

7.26% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Polk County (West) PUMA, IA (11.9k out of 164k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is lower than the national average of 12.4%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Males 25 - 34 and then Females 18 - 24.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Polk County (West) PUMA, IA is White, followed by Black 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.

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

96.1% of the population of Polk County (West) PUMA, IA has health coverage, with 62.2% on employee plans, 11% on Medicaid, 11.3% on Medicare, 10.4% on non-group plans, and 1.15% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Iowa see 1357 patients per year on average, which represents a 0.742% increase from the previous year (1347 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1431 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 532 patients per year.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

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

1,357 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Iowa

Primary care physicians in Iowa see an average of 1,357 patients per year. This represents a 0.742% increase from the previous year (1,347 patients).

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

Health Care Diversity

In 2023, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 26.2% under 18 years, 18.9% between 18 and 34 years, 40.3% between 35 and 64 years, and 14.7% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 50.1% were men and 49.9% were women.

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

Uninsured People

3.95%

Uninsured

62.2%

Employer Coverage

11%

Medicaid

11.3%

Medicare

10.4%

Non-Group

1.15%

Military or VA

Between 2022 and 2023, the percent of uninsured citizens in Polk County (West) PUMA, IA declined by 1.62% from 4.01% to 3.95%.

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