Lafayette County vs Polk County
A side-by-side comparison of Lafayette County and Polk County: population, income, housing, and more.
Lafayette County and Polk County are counties in Missouri. This page compares them across population, income, housing, education, commuting, and how each has changed since 2019.
Lafayette County has the higher population (32,974 vs 32,109 in Polk County). Lafayette County has the higher median household income ($79,091 vs $56,686 in Polk County). Lafayette County has the higher median home value ($200,300 vs $189,600 in Polk County).
Population, income & housing
| Lafayette County | Polk County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 32,974 | 32,109 |
| Median age | 40.9 yrs | 38.9 yrs |
| Median household income | $79,091 | $56,686 |
| Median home value | $200,300 | $189,600 |
| Median gross rent | $848 | $792 |
| Housing units | 14,183 | 13,434 |
| Homeownership rate | 76.5% | 71.3% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 24.4% | 21.0% |
| Unemployment rate | 2.2% | 3.5% |
Trends (ACS 5-year, 2019–2023)
| Lafayette County | Polk County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 32,597 → 32,974 (+1.2%) | 31,748 → 32,109 (+1.1%) |
| Median household income | $58,766 → $79,091 (+34.6%) | $45,660 → $56,686 (+24.1%) |
| Median home value | $143,500 → $200,300 (+39.6%) | $132,300 → $189,600 (+43.3%) |
| Median gross rent | $686 → $848 (+23.6%) | $701 → $792 (+13.0%) |
Lafayette County
32,59732,974
$58,766$79,091
$143,500$200,300
$686$848
Polk County
31,74832,109
$45,660$56,686
$132,300$189,600
$701$792
Age & race/ethnicity
Age distribution (share)
| Lafayette County | Polk County | |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | 5.5% | 6.2% |
| 5 to 17 | 17.6% | 17.2% |
| 18 to 24 | 7.3% | 11.0% |
| 25 to 34 | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| 35 to 44 | 12.6% | 11.4% |
| 45 to 54 | 12.0% | 11.0% |
| 55 to 64 | 14.5% | 13.4% |
| 65 to 74 | 10.7% | 10.1% |
| 75 and over | 8.2% | 8.0% |
Race & ethnicity (share)
| Lafayette County | Polk County | |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 90.8% | 92.2% |
| Black or African American | 1.7% | 0.8% |
| American Indian & Alaska Native | 0.2% | 0.3% |
| Asian | 0.6% | 0.7% |
| Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Some other race | 0.2% | 0.2% |
| Two or more races | 3.0% | 2.9% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 3.3% | 2.8% |
Educational attainment (age 25+)
Share of adults 25+
| Lafayette County | Polk County | |
|---|---|---|
| No high school diploma | 9.2% | 11.2% |
| High school graduate | 38.2% | 36.6% |
| Some college or associate's | 28.1% | 31.2% |
| Bachelor's degree | 16.5% | 12.5% |
| Graduate or professional degree | 7.9% | 8.5% |
Commute to work
How workers get to work (share)
| Lafayette County | Polk County | |
|---|---|---|
| Drove alone | 81.5% | 78.8% |
| Carpooled | 7.7% | 8.9% |
| Public transit | 0.0% | 0.1% |
| Walked | 2.0% | 2.3% |
| Bicycle | 0.1% | 0.5% |
| Worked from home | 8.1% | 8.7% |
| Other means | 0.6% | 0.7% |
Housing
Units in structure (share)
| Lafayette County | Polk County | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-unit, detached | 83.0% | 76.5% |
| 1-unit, attached | 1.3% | 1.5% |
| 2 to 4 units | 6.5% | 8.0% |
| 5 to 19 units | 1.4% | 2.2% |
| 20 or more units | 2.1% | 1.4% |
| Mobile home & other | 5.7% | 10.3% |
Poverty & households
| Lafayette County | Polk County | |
|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 9.7% | 17.9% |
| Average household size | 2.60 | 2.56 |
| Mean commute (minutes) | 26 | 28 |
| Median year structure built | 1974 | 1987 |
Full profiles
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