Polk County, NC

County

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2021 Population

19,413

6.14% 1-year decline

US Senator

Thom Tillis

Republican Party

US Senator

Ted Budd

Republican Party

2021 Median Age

0.559% 1-year increase

2021 Poverty Rate

9.52%

5.12% 1-year decrease

2021 Median Household Income

$55,058

5.63% 1-year growth

2021 Median Property Value

$228,000

2.38% 1-year growth

About

In 2021, Polk County, NC had a population of 19.4k people with a median age of 54 and a median household income of $55,058. Between 2020 and 2021 the population of Polk County, NC declined from 20,682 to 19,413, a −6.14% decrease and its median household income grew from $52,125 to $55,058, a 5.63% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Polk County, NC are White (Non-Hispanic) (86.1%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (4.76%), White (Hispanic) (4.52%), Two+ (Hispanic) (1.27%), and Other (Non-Hispanic) (1.24%).

None of the households in Polk County, NC 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.

97.9% of the residents in Polk County, NC are U.S. citizens.

In 2021, the median property value in Polk County, NC was $228,000, and the homeownership rate was 76.6%.

Most people in Polk County, NC drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 26 minutes. The average car ownership in Polk County, NC was 2 cars per household.

Polk County, NC borders Henderson County, NC, Rutherford County, NC, Greenville County, SC, and Spartanburg County, SC.

United States North Carolina

Population & Diversity

Polk County, NC is home to a population of 19.4k people, from which 97.9% are citizens. As of 2021, 4.44% of Polk County, NC residents were born outside of the country (861 people).

In 2021, there were 18.1 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (16.7k people) in Polk County, NC than any other race or ethnicity. There were 925 Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 877 White (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Citizenship

97.9%

2021 Citizenship

97.7%

2020 Citizenship

As of 2021, 97.9% of Polk County, NC residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2020, the percentage of US citizens in Polk County, NC was 97.7%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

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

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Polk County, NC

White (Non-Hispanic)
16.7k ± 282
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
925 ± 48
White (Hispanic)
877 ± 141

6.03%

Hispanic Population

1.17k people

6.03% of the people in Polk County, NC are hispanic (1.17k people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Polk County, NC as a share of the total population.

Foreign-Born Population

4.44%

2021 Foreign-Born Population

861 people

4.47%

2020 Foreign-Born Population

924 people

As of 2021, 4.44% of Polk County, NC residents (861 people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.6%. In 2020, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Polk County, NC was 4.47%, meaning that the rate has been decreasing.

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

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
660 ± 120
Gulf War (2001-)
162 ± 81
Gulf War (1990s)
107 ± 63

Polk County, NC has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 4.07 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Polk County, NC employs 8.61k people. The largest industries in Polk County, NC are Health Care & Social Assistance (1,469 people), Manufacturing (1,059 people), and Retail Trade (1,014 people), and the highest paying industries are Public Administration ($63,810), Finance & Insurance ($62,917), and Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($58,021).

Employment

Occupations

8.61k

2021 Value

± 624

−5.3%

1 Year decline

± 10.6%

From 2020 to 2021, employment in Polk County, NC declined at a rate of −5.3%, from 9.09k employees to 8.61k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Polk County, NC, are Sales & Related Occupations (907 people), Office & Administrative Support Occupations (863 people), and Management Occupations (847 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Polk County, NC.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

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

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in North Carolina (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

8.61k

2021 Value

± 624

−5.3%

1 Year decline

± 10.6%

From 2020 to 2021, employment in Polk County, NC declined at a rate of −5.3%, from 9.09k employees to 8.61k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Polk County, NC, are Health Care & Social Assistance (1,469 people), Manufacturing (1,059 people), and Retail Trade (1,014 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Polk County, NC, though some of these residents may live in Polk County, NC and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$39,241

Median earning men ± $2,878

$25,966

Median earning women ± $2,636

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2021 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($96,121), Wholesale Trade ($63,750), and Public Administration ($62,917).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2021 are Construction ($135,417), Public Administration ($65,408), and Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($55,750).

Employment by Industry Sector

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

Y-Axis

2.75%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 155M people employed in North Carolina. This represents a 2.75% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

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

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Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

174
Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance
110
Professional, Scientific & Management, and Administrative & Waste Management Services
103
Finance & Insurance, and Real Estate, Rental & Leasing

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

Domestic Trade

Domestic Production & Consumption

Domestic production and consumption consists of products and services shipped from North Carolina to other states, or from other states to North Carolina.

Top Domestic Production in Dollars

In 2020, the top outbound North Carolina product (by dollars) was Mixed freight with $53.7B, followed by Pharmaceuticals ($49.7B) and Machinery ($44.5B).

The following chart shows the share of these products in relation to all outbound North Carolina products.

Domestic Trade Growth

Showing data for North Carolina.

$462B

2020 Value in North Carolina

$926B

Projected 2050 Value in North Carolina

100% growth

In 2020, total outbound North Carolina trade was $462B. This is expected to increase 100% to $926B by 2050.

The following chart shows how the domestic outbound North Carolina trade is projected to change in comparison to its neighboring states.

Interstate Trade

Interstate trade consists of products and services shipped from North Carolina to other states, or from other states to North Carolina.

Most Common Trade Partners

South Carolina
$32.8B
Virginia
$26.1B
Georgia
$18.1B

In 2020, the top outbound North Carolina domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was South Carolina with $32.8B, followed by Virginia with $26.1B and Georgia and $18.1B.

The following map shows the amount of trade that North Carolina shares with each state (excluding itself).

Civics

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Polk County, NC went to Donald J. Trump with 62.2% of the vote. The runner-up was Joseph R Biden Jr. (36.6%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (0.696%).

Thom Tillis and Ted Budd are the senators currently representing the state of North Carolina. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

North Carolina is currently represented by 14 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

2020 Election Results

Donald J. Trump (62.2%)
Republican Party
Joseph R Biden Jr. (36.6%)
Democratic Party
Jo Jorgensen (0.696%)
Libertarian Party

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Polk County, NC went to Donald J. Trump with 62.2% of the vote. The runner-up was Joseph R Biden Jr. (36.6%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (0.696%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Polk County, NC for each registered party from 1976 to 2020.

Senator Elections

US Senators from North Carolina

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

Thom Tillis

Senator from North Carolina

Assumed office on January 3, 2015

Ted Budd

Senator from North Carolina

Assumed office on January 3, 2023

Thom Tillis and Ted Budd are the senators currently representing North Carolina.

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

US Representative Elections

US Representatives from North Carolina

North Carolina is currently represented by 14 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 North Carolina have changed over time starting in 2008.

Education

Completions

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

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

Measure

In 2021, 0.886% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.756% of women were in the same situation.

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

Educational Attainment

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

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2021 were High School or Equivalent (2.13M), Some college (1.85M), and Bachelors Degree (1.58M).

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, NC was $228,000 in 2021, which is 0.931 times smaller than the national average of $244,900. Between 2020 and 2021 the median property value increased from $222,700 to $228,000, a 2.38% increase. The homeownership rate in Polk County, NC is 76.6%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 64.6%.

People in Polk County, NC have an average commute time of 26 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Polk County, NC is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Polk County, NC is $55,058. In 2021, the tract with the highest Median Household Income in Polk County, NC was Census Tract 9201.03 with a value of $62,938, followed by Census Tract 9201.04 and Census Tract 9203.03, with respective values of $57,651 and $56,591.

Property

$228,000

Median Property Value 2021

±$15,954

$6,582

Median Property Taxes

±$484

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, NC the largest share of households pay taxes in the $800 - $1,499 range.

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

Rent vs Own

76.6%

Homeownership

2021

63%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2021

In 2021, 76.6% of the housing units in Polk County, NC were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 75.6%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Polk County, NC 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)

Census Tract 9201.03
Census Tract 9201.04
Census Tract 9203.03

In 2021, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Polk County, NC was Census Tract 9201.03 with a value of $62,938, followed by Census Tract 9201.04 and Census Tract 9203.03, with respective values of $57,651 and $56,591.

The following map shows all of the tracts in Polk County, NC 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.

$55,058

Median Household Income

± $5,531

8.6k

Number of Households

± 594

In 2021, the median household income of the 8.6k households in Polk County, NC grew to $55,058 from the previous year's value of $52,125.

The following chart displays the households in Polk County, NC 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, NC is from North Carolina.

0.47

2021 Wage GINI in North Carolina

0.47

2020 Wage GINI in North Carolina

In 2021, the income inequality in North Carolina was 0.47 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.00774% growth from 2020 to 2021, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat less even. The GINI for North Carolina was lower than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in North Carolina in comparison to the national average.

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

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2021

Drove Alone (77.5%)
Worked At Home (10.9%)
Carpooled (9.31%)

In 2021, 77.5% of workers in Polk County, NC drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (10.9%) and those who carpooled to work (9.31%).

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

26 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Polk County, NC have a shorter commute time (26 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.8 minutes). Additionally, 2.92% of the workforce in Polk County, NC have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

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

Poverty

Poverty & Diversity

9.52% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Polk County, NC (1.82k out of 19.2k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is lower than the national average of 12.6%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 55 - 64, followed by Females 75+ and then Females 25 - 34.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Polk County, NC is White, followed by Hispanic and Two Or More.

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

89.6% of the population of Polk County, NC has health coverage, with 34.3% on employee plans, 12.3% on Medicaid, 24.1% on Medicare, 16.7% on non-group plans, and 2.27% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Polk County, NC see 1594 patients per year on average, which represents a 7.22% decrease from the previous year (1718 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 3004 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 568 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 46.3% were men and 53.7% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

1,594 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Polk County, NC

Primary care physicians in Polk County, NC see an average of 1,594 patients per year. This represents a 7.22% decrease from the previous year (1,718 patients).

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

Health Care Diversity

In 2021, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 17.6% under 18 years, 13.2% between 18 and 34 years, 39.2% between 35 and 64 years, and 30% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 46.3% were men and 53.7% were women.

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

Uninsured People

10.4%

Uninsured

34.3%

Employer Coverage

12.3%

Medicaid

24.1%

Medicare

16.7%

Non-Group

2.27%

Military or VA

Between 2020 and 2021, the percent of uninsured citizens in Polk County, NC declined by 1.15% from 10.6% to 10.4%.

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

Health Indicators

Health Outcomes

Indicator

In 2022, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was N/A in Polk County, NC.

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

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Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2022, 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 32.6% in Polk County, NC.

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

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