Polk County, WI

County

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2024 Population
45,555
US Senator
Ron Johnson
Republican Party
US Senator
Tammy Baldwin
Democratic Party
2024 Median Age
46.7
0.43% 1-year increase
2024 Poverty Rate
8.16%
1.53% 1-year decrease
2024 Median Household Income
$77,219
1.33% 1-year growth
2024 Median Property Value
$271,900
12.7% 1-year growth
2024 Employed Population
22,275
0.0854% 1-year growth

About

None of the households in Polk County, WI 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.

99.5% of the residents in Polk County, WI are U.S. citizens.

In 2024, the median property value in Polk County, WI was $271,900, and the homeownership rate was 81%.

Most people in Polk County, WI drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 29.8 minutes. The average car ownership in Polk County, WI was 2 cars per household.

United StatesWisconsin

Population & Diversity

Polk County, WI is home to a population of 45.6k people, from which 99.5% are citizens. As of 2024, 1.18% of Polk County, WI residents were born outside of the country (537 people).

In 2024, there were 43.6 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (42.3k people) in Polk County, WI than any other race or ethnicity. There were 972 Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic) and 576 Two Races Including Other (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

99.5%
2024 Citizenship
99.6%
2023 Citizenship

As of 2024, 99.5% of Polk County, WI residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.2%. In 2023, the percentage of US citizens in Polk County, WI was 99.6%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

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

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Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Polk County, WI
  1. White (Non-Hispanic)
    42.3k ± 223
  2. Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic)
    972 ± 112
  3. Two Races Including Other (Non-Hispanic)
    576 ± 212
2.21%
Hispanic Population
1.01k people

In 2024, there were 43.6 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (42.3k people) in Polk County, WI than any other race or ethnicity. There were 972 Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic) and 576 Two Races Including Other (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

2.21% of the people in Polk County, WI are hispanic (1.01k people).

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

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Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for Wisconsin.
Most Common Origin
  1. Mexico
    89,915 ± 7,306 people
  2. India
    21,992 ± 3,634 people
  3. China
    14,287 ± 2,931 people

In 2023, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Wisconsin was Mexico, the natal country of 89,915 Wisconsin residents, followed by India with 21,992 and China with 14,287.

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Foreign-Born Population

1.18%
2024 Foreign-Born Population
537 people
1.2%
2023 Foreign-Born Population
542 people

As of 2024, 1.18% of Polk County, WI residents (537 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, WI was 1.2%, meaning that the rate has been decreasing.

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

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Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period
  1. Vietnam
    1,140 ± 142
  2. Gulf War (2001-)
    521 ± 138
  3. Gulf War (1990s)
    346 ± 111

Polk County, WI has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 2.19 times greater than any other conflict.

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

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Economy

The economy of Polk County, WI employs 22.3k people. In 2024, the largest industries in Polk County, WI were Manufacturing (5,177 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (3,057 people), and Retail Trade (2,336 people), and the highest paying industries were Transportation & Warehousing ($71,769), Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($71,604), and Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($69,514).

Employment

Occupations

22.3k
2024 Value
± 695
0.0854%
1 Year growth
± 4.32%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Polk County, WI grew at a rate of 0.0854%, from 22.3k employees to 22.3k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Polk County, WI, are Production Occupations (3,028 people), Management Occupations (2,882 people), and Office & Administrative Support Occupations (2,108 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Polk County, WI.

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Unemployment Insurance Claims

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

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in Wisconsin (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

22.3k
2024 Value
± 695
0.0854%
1 Year growth
± 4.32%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Polk County, WI grew at a rate of 0.0854%, from 22.3k employees to 22.3k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Polk County, WI, are Manufacturing (5,177 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (3,057 people), and Retail Trade (2,336 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Polk County, WI, though some of these residents may live in Polk County, WI and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

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Median Earnings by Industry

$58,118
Median earning men ± $2,558
$42,416
Median earning women ± $1,490

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2024 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($105,481), Public Administration ($78,021), and Information ($76,250).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2024 are Wholesale Trade ($65,887), Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($62,750), and Public Administration ($55,982).

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Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Wisconsin.
Y-Axis
1.6%
Year-over-year growth
Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 2.95M people employed in Wisconsin. This represents a 1.6% 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 13.3%.

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

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Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments
  1. 123
    Construction
  2. 89
    Other Services (except Public Administration)
  3. 62
    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.

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Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll
  1. $272k
    Manufacturing
  2. $147k
    Health Care and Social Assistance
  3. $65k
    Retail Trade

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

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Civics

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Wisconsin went to Donald J. Trump with 49.6% of the vote. The runner-up was Kamala Harris (48.7%), followed by Robert Kennedy (0.518%).

Ron Johnson and Tammy Baldwin are the senators currently representing the state of Wisconsin. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

Wisconsin is currently represented by 8 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

Voting results are not available for Polk County, WI. Showing the available data for Wisconsin.
2024 Election Results
  1. Donald J. Trump (49.6%)
    Republican Party
  2. Kamala Harris (48.7%)
    Democratic Party
  3. Robert Kennedy (0.518%)
    Independent Party

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Wisconsin went to Donald J. Trump with 49.6% of the vote. The runner-up was Kamala Harris (48.7%), followed by Robert Kennedy (0.518%).

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

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Senator Elections

US Senators from Wisconsin

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for Wisconsin.
Ron Johnson
Senator from Wisconsin3
Assumed office on January 3, 2011
Tammy Baldwin
Senator from Wisconsin1
Assumed office on January 3, 2013

Ron Johnson and Tammy Baldwin are the senators currently representing Wisconsin.

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

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Housing & Living

The median property value in Polk County, WI was $271,900 in 2024, which is 0.817 times smaller than the national average of $332,700. Between 2023 and 2024 the median property value increased from $241,200 to $271,900, a 12.7% increase. The homeownership rate in Polk County, WI is 81%, which is higher than the national average of 65.2%.

People in Polk County, WI have an average commute time of 29.8 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Polk County, WI is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

In 2025, 10.7% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Polk County, WI. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 5.72%.

Housing

Property

$271,900
Median Property Value 2024
±$7,974
$15,833
Median Property Taxes
±$535

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, WI the largest share of households pay taxes in the $3k+ range.

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

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Rent vs Own

81%
Homeownership
2024
61.4%
Homeowners with Mortgage
2024

In 2024, 81% of the housing units in Polk County, WI were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 81.1%.

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

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Equity

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.
$77,219
Median Household Income
± $2,446
19.5k
Number of Households
± 634

In 2024, the median household income of the 19.5k households in Polk County, WI grew to $77,219 from the previous year's value of $76,208.

The following chart displays the households in Polk County, WI 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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Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Polk County, WI is from Wisconsin.
0.441
2023 Wage GINI in Wisconsin
0.443
2022 Wage GINI in Wisconsin

In 2023, the income inequality in Wisconsin was 0.441 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.492% decline from 2022 to 2023, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for Wisconsin was lower than than the national average of 0.476. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in Wisconsin in comparison to the national average.

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

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Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2024
  1. Drove Alone (77.3%)
  2. Worked At Home (11.8%)
  3. Carpooled (7.62%)

In 2024, 77.3% of workers in Polk County, WI drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (11.8%) and those who carpooled to work (7.62%).

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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Commute Time

29.8 minutes
Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Polk County, WI have a longer commute time (29.8 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.4 minutes). Additionally, 4.66% of the workforce in Polk County, WI have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

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

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Car Ownership

2 cars
Average Number

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

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Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2025, 10.7% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Polk County, WI. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 5.72%.

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

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Poverty & Diversity

8.16% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Polk County, WI (3.67k out of 45k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is lower than the national average of 12.5%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 55 - 64, followed by Males 55 - 64 and then Females 65 - 74.

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

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Children in Poverty

In 2025, 12.2% of the children was living in poverty in Polk County, WI. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 3.9%.

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

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Security

Crimes & Accidents

Indicator

In 2022, the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population was 274 in Polk County, WI. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator grew 12.5 per 100,000 population.

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

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Health

93.8% of the population of Polk County, WI has health coverage, with 47.6% on employee plans, 14.2% on Medicaid, 16.7% on Medicare, 14.1% on non-group plans, and 1.2% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Polk County, WI see 1,262 patients per year on average, which represents a 0% change from the previous year (1,262 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1693 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 462 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 50.9% were men and 49.1% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

1,262 to 1
Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Polk County, WI

Primary care physicians in Polk County, WI see an average of 1,262 patients per year. This represents a 0% change from the previous year (1,262 patients).

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

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Health Care Diversity

In 2024, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 21% under 18 years, 15.7% between 18 and 34 years, 41.1% between 35 and 64 years, and 22.2% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 50.9% were men and 49.1% were women.

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

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Uninsured People

6.21%
Uninsured
47.6%
Employer Coverage
14.2%
Medicaid
16.7%
Medicare
14.1%
Non-Group
1.2%
Military or VA

Between 2023 and 2024, the percent of uninsured citizens in Polk County, WI grew by 2.34% from 6.07% to 6.21%.

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

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Health Indicators

Health Outcomes

Indicator

In 2025, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was 55.9 in Polk County, WI.

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

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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% in Polk County, WI.

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

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Clinical Care

Indicator

In 2025, the percentage of population under age 65 without health insurance was 7.14% in Polk County, WI.

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

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