Polk County vs Woodbury County
A side-by-side comparison of Polk County and Woodbury County: population, income, housing, and more.
Polk County and Woodbury County are counties in Iowa. This page compares them across population, income, housing, education, commuting, and how each has changed since 2019.
Polk County has the higher population (497,441 vs 105,760 in Woodbury County). Polk County has the higher median household income ($81,621 vs $70,147 in Woodbury County). Polk County has the higher median home value ($248,400 vs $172,000 in Woodbury County).
Population, income & housing
| Polk County | Woodbury County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 497,441 | 105,760 |
| Median age | 36.2 yrs | 36.2 yrs |
| Median household income | $81,621 | $70,147 |
| Median home value | $248,400 | $172,000 |
| Median gross rent | $1,113 | $946 |
| Housing units | 215,016 | 43,121 |
| Homeownership rate | 67.1% | 68.4% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 39.5% | 23.4% |
| Unemployment rate | 4.4% | 4.3% |
Trends (ACS 5-year, 2019–2023)
| Polk County | Woodbury County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 479,612 → 497,441 (+3.7%) | 102,586 → 105,760 (+3.1%) |
| Median household income | $67,637 → $81,621 (+20.7%) | $59,224 → $70,147 (+18.4%) |
| Median home value | $179,900 → $248,400 (+38.1%) | $123,300 → $172,000 (+39.5%) |
| Median gross rent | $910 → $1,113 (+22.3%) | $787 → $946 (+20.2%) |
Polk County
479,612497,441
$67,637$81,621
$179,900$248,400
$910$1,113
Woodbury County
102,586105,760
$59,224$70,147
$123,300$172,000
$787$946
Age & race/ethnicity
Age distribution (share)
| Polk County | Woodbury County | |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | 6.6% | 6.8% |
| 5 to 17 | 18.0% | 19.2% |
| 18 to 24 | 8.7% | 10.2% |
| 25 to 34 | 15.1% | 12.2% |
| 35 to 44 | 14.2% | 12.3% |
| 45 to 54 | 12.1% | 11.9% |
| 55 to 64 | 11.6% | 11.8% |
| 65 to 74 | 8.4% | 9.6% |
| 75 and over | 5.3% | 6.0% |
Race & ethnicity (share)
| Polk County | Woodbury County | |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 74.1% | 68.4% |
| Black or African American | 7.4% | 4.5% |
| American Indian & Alaska Native | 0.1% | 1.3% |
| Asian | 4.9% | 2.5% |
| Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander | 0.0% | 0.4% |
| Some other race | 0.2% | 0.2% |
| Two or more races | 3.3% | 4.3% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 10.0% | 18.4% |
Educational attainment (age 25+)
Share of adults 25+
| Polk County | Woodbury County | |
|---|---|---|
| No high school diploma | 7.5% | 12.9% |
| High school graduate | 24.3% | 32.6% |
| Some college or associate's | 28.7% | 31.1% |
| Bachelor's degree | 26.7% | 15.6% |
| Graduate or professional degree | 12.8% | 7.8% |
Commute to work
How workers get to work (share)
| Polk County | Woodbury County | |
|---|---|---|
| Drove alone | 74.1% | 80.0% |
| Carpooled | 8.6% | 10.8% |
| Public transit | 0.6% | 1.1% |
| Walked | 1.4% | 2.1% |
| Bicycle | 0.2% | 0.1% |
| Worked from home | 13.9% | 5.3% |
| Other means | 1.2% | 0.5% |
Housing
Units in structure (share)
| Polk County | Woodbury County | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-unit, detached | 62.4% | 73.4% |
| 1-unit, attached | 7.6% | 3.6% |
| 2 to 4 units | 3.6% | 5.4% |
| 5 to 19 units | 9.5% | 6.4% |
| 20 or more units | 14.8% | 7.6% |
| Mobile home & other | 2.1% | 3.7% |
Poverty & households
| Polk County | Woodbury County | |
|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 10.1% | 13.3% |
| Average household size | 2.41 | 2.54 |
| Mean commute (minutes) | 20 | 18 |
| Median year structure built | 1981 | 1958 |
Full profiles
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