Population 30,705 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Polk County
Household size in Polk County
| Period | Polk County | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.36 | 2.52 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.41 | 2.54 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.42 | 2.55 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.41 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.05 | +0.00 | −0.03 |
The average household in Polk County has 2.41 people, under the U.S. average of 2.65. Since 2006–10, household size has crept up from 2.36, even as the national average fell. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the northwest.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Polk County
| Period | Polk County | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 40.0 | 37.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 40.0 | 38.9 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 40.0 | 39.6 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 39.9 | 40.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | −0.1 | +2.1 | +2.3 |
At 39.9, the median age in Polk County is close to the national median of 40.1, so its age mix looks much like the country's. The youngest areas are in the northwest, the oldest in the east.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Polk County
| Period | Polk County | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.3% | 9.9% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 10.4% | 10.2% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 9.2% | 9.7% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 8.0% | 9.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | −2.4 pts | −0.3 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Polk County: 8.0% of households, against 11.6% nationally. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has fallen 2.4 points, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Polk County
Renters in Polk County
| Period | Polk County | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 27.0% | 25.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 28.4% | 27.9% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 27.1% | 28.4% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 28.7% | 27.8% | 34.8% |
| Change | +1.7 pts | +2.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
Nearly three in ten households in Polk County rent their homes (28.7%), a little below the national share of 34.8%; the rest own. Among homeowners, 44.0% have no mortgage at all, above the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the center; owners are most common in the south. The renter share has risen 1.7 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Polk County
| Period | Polk County | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.7% | 9.2% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 11.1% | 9.0% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 12.8% | 8.7% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 14.0% | 8.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | +1.3 pts | −0.9 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 14.0% of the housing in Polk County, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand. Vacancy is up 1.3 points from 2006–10, even as the national rate fell.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Polk County
| Period | Polk County | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1965 | 1973 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1967 | 1974 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1968 | 1975 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1970 | 1978 | 1980 |
| Change | +5 | +5 | +6 |
The housing in Polk County is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1970, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. The median year built has moved up from 1965 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the northwest, while the south has the oldest housing.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Polk County
| Period | Polk County | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $554 | $882 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $651 | $953 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $741 | $1,099 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $982 | $1,404 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$428 | +$522 | +$606 |
The median renter in Polk County pays $982 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $428 a month from 2006–10, a 77% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 35.0% of the typical renter's income, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the south; the highest are in the northwest.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Polk County
Bachelor's degrees in Polk County
| Period | Polk County | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 21.4% | 32.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 21.8% | 33.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 26.0% | 36.2% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 27.6% | 39.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +6.2 pts | +7.4 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are less common in Polk County than nationally: 27.6% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. The share with a degree is up 6.2 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Polk County
| Period | Polk County | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 87.8% | 91.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 89.9% | 92.2% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 92.2% | 93.0% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 93.6% | 93.7% | 89.3% |
| Change | +5.8 pts | +2.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Polk County is above the national rate: 93.6% of adults have a diploma, against 89.3%. Minnesota as a whole looks much the same. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 5.8 points, mirroring the country.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Polk County
| Period | Polk County | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.7% | 6.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 5.0% | 6.5% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.5% | 3.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.8% | 4.1% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.9 pts | −2.4 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been easier to find in Polk County than nationally: unemployment was 3.8%, against 5.4%. Unemployment is down 1.9 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Polk County compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Polk County | 2.41 | 39.9 | 8.0% | 28.7% | 14.0% | 1970 | $982 | 27.6% | 93.6% | 3.8% |
| Red Lake County | 2.33 | 43.5 | 7.9% | 16.6% | 10.9% | 1969 | $543 | 18.7% | 95.2% | 1.1% |
| Grand Forks County | 2.27 | 33.7 | 7.7% | 48.2% | 8.4% | 1982 | $1,085 | 39.3% | 96.0% | 2.2% |
| Pennington County | 2.22 | 41.6 | 7.6% | 27.8% | 9.6% | 1972 | $911 | 20.9% | 94.8% | 3.0% |
| Norman County | 2.33 | 44.0 | 10.5% | 20.6% | 15.7% | 1959 | $771 | 23.0% | 93.7% | 5.2% |
| Traill County | 2.30 | 41.4 | 9.0% | 25.7% | 8.1% | 1964 | $897 | 31.0% | 94.6% | 2.3% |
| Mahnomen County | 2.81 | 35.3 | 20.5% | 26.7% | 22.1% | 1974 | $691 | 16.1% | 88.3% | 9.6% |
| Clearwater County | 2.58 | 42.3 | 8.5% | 19.9% | 22.8% | 1981 | $721 | 20.0% | 88.4% | 7.6% |
| Steele County | 2.24 | 46.2 | 5.0% | 22.2% | 26.9% | 1967 | $763 | 28.8% | 95.3% | 3.3% |
| Nelson County | 2.18 | 48.7 | 5.1% | 24.9% | 24.2% | 1962 | $696 | 29.9% | 92.7% | 1.0% |
| Griggs County | 2.17 | 53.2 | 6.6% | 23.4% | 27.2% | 1957 | $532 | 26.0% | 93.1% | 1.5% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Sumter County, GA · Taylor County, KY · Taylor County, FL · Tattnall County, GA · Tate County, MS · Taos County, NM · Talbot County, MD · Susquehanna County, PA · Sunflower County, MS · Tazewell County, VA
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Polk County. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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