Population 19,891 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Polk County
Household size in Polk County
| Period | Polk County | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.19 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.29 | 2.58 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.26 | 2.56 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.22 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.03 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Polk County are small: just 2.22 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the north.
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 | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 49.9 | 37.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 50.8 | 38.9 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 53.2 | 40.2 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 52.9 | 40.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | +3.0 | +2.3 | +2.3 |
With a median age of 52.9, Polk County is noticeably older than the country as a whole (40.1), an age mix that tilts toward empty nesters and retirees. The median age has climbed from 49.9 in 2006–10, mirroring the country. Few North Carolina counties are older: only three of 100.
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 | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.5% | 12.3% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 7.1% | 12.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 5.9% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 7.8% | 11.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | +0.3 pts | −1.0 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Polk County: 7.8% of households, against 11.6% nationally. Polk County has a lower share of single-parent households than the great majority of North Carolina counties.
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 | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 22.1% | 31.9% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 24.3% | 34.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 26.0% | 34.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 23.1% | 33.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | +1.0 pts | +1.4 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 23.1% of households in Polk County rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. About half of owners (51.3%) have paid off their mortgages, well above the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the center; owners are most common in the north. The renter share has edged up 1.0 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 | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 18.4% | 12.8% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 22.3% | 12.8% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 21.7% | 12.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 17.9% | 11.4% | 9.6% |
| Change | −0.4 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 17.9% 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.
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 | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1979 | 1983 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1983 | 1985 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1983 | 1986 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1984 | 1990 | 1980 |
| Change | +5 | +7 | +6 |
Homes in Polk County are a bit newer than the national norm: the median home was built in 1984, versus 1980 across the U.S. Even so, homes here are older than in North Carolina as a whole, where the median home dates to 1990. The median year built has moved up from 1979 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the north, the oldest in the southwest.
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 | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $666 | $789 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $771 | $868 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $853 | $981 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,310 | $1,317 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$644 | +$528 | +$606 |
The median renter in Polk County pays $1,310 a month for rent and utilities, below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $644 a month since 2006–10, up 97%, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 32.3% of household income on rent, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the northeast; the highest are in the center.
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 | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 26.5% | 27.8% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 29.8% | 29.0% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 28.3% | 32.0% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 34.3% | 36.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +7.8 pts | +8.4 pts | +7.2 pts |
About a third of adults 25 and older in Polk County (34.3%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, close to the national share of 35.6%. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 7.8 points, as it has nationally. College graduates are most concentrated in the west and least in the northeast.
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 | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 85.9% | 84.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 88.7% | 86.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 90.7% | 88.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 92.3% | 90.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +6.4 pts | +5.7 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Polk County is a bit above the national rate: 92.3% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. The share with a diploma has risen 6.4 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. Polk County has a higher share of high school graduates than at least four in five North Carolina counties.
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 | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.4% | 8.8% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 11.4% | 10.6% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.2% | 5.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.2% | 4.8% | 5.4% |
| Change | −5.2 pts | −4.0 pts | −2.7 pts |
At 5.2%, unemployment in Polk County is close to the national rate of 5.4%. Unemployment has fallen 5.2 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current 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 | 2.22 | 52.9 | 7.8% | 23.1% | 17.9% | 1984 | $1,310 | 34.3% | 92.3% | 5.2% |
| Rutherford County | 2.44 | 44.9 | 12.5% | 26.1% | 15.9% | 1981 | $815 | 21.2% | 87.4% | 6.0% |
| Henderson County | 2.37 | 47.1 | 10.5% | 25.0% | 11.9% | 1989 | $1,256 | 35.6% | 90.9% | 3.5% |
| Transylvania County | 2.27 | 49.5 | 8.8% | 25.3% | 20.7% | 1982 | $1,225 | 38.9% | 93.7% | 2.8% |
| Cleveland County | 2.62 | 41.4 | 13.9% | 29.1% | 12.7% | 1980 | $966 | 21.7% | 88.2% | 5.1% |
| Jackson County | 2.18 | 40.8 | 11.4% | 39.2% | 23.3% | 1991 | $960 | 32.3% | 91.7% | 5.5% |
| Gaston County | 2.52 | 40.2 | 13.9% | 33.2% | 8.7% | 1984 | $1,249 | 26.9% | 88.5% | 4.9% |
| Macon County | 2.10 | 49.6 | 6.2% | 22.4% | 26.9% | 1987 | $822 | 27.3% | 89.9% | 2.9% |
| Mecklenburg County | 2.53 | 36.5 | 11.5% | 44.9% | 8.1% | 1995 | $1,767 | 49.0% | 90.4% | 4.2% |
| Cabarrus County | 2.85 | 38.2 | 11.3% | 28.8% | 10.6% | 1993 | $1,628 | 38.9% | 92.0% | 4.6% |
| Graham County | 2.33 | 45.1 | 9.3% | 19.3% | 27.4% | 1988 | $660 | 17.0% | 87.8% | 6.8% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Douglas County, IL · Elbert County, GA · Elbert County, CO · Edgefield County, SC · Edgar County, IL · Eastland County, TX · East Feliciana Parish, LA · Early County, GA · Duval County, TX · Dunklin County, MO
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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