Pierce County vs Polk County
A side-by-side comparison of Pierce County and Polk County: population, income, housing, and more.
Pierce County and Polk County are counties in Wisconsin. This page compares them across population, income, housing, education, commuting, and how each has changed since 2019.
Polk County has the higher population (45,327 vs 42,351 in Pierce County). Pierce County has the higher median household income ($88,802 vs $76,208 in Polk County). Pierce County has the higher median home value ($308,600 vs $241,200 in Polk County).
Population, income & housing
| Pierce County | Polk County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 42,351 | 45,327 |
| Median age | 38.4 yrs | 46.5 yrs |
| Median household income | $88,802 | $76,208 |
| Median home value | $308,600 | $241,200 |
| Median gross rent | $1,025 | $958 |
| Housing units | 17,052 | 24,377 |
| Homeownership rate | 75.8% | 81.1% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 32.0% | 23.7% |
| Unemployment rate | 3.0% | 3.5% |
Trends (ACS 5-year, 2019–2023)
| Pierce County | Polk County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 41,977 → 42,351 (+0.9%) | 43,438 → 45,327 (+4.3%) |
| Median household income | $72,323 → $88,802 (+22.8%) | $59,994 → $76,208 (+27.0%) |
| Median home value | $208,700 → $308,600 (+47.9%) | $169,700 → $241,200 (+42.1%) |
| Median gross rent | $874 → $1,025 (+17.3%) | $756 → $958 (+26.7%) |
Pierce County
41,97742,351
$72,323$88,802
$208,700$308,600
$874$1,025
Polk County
43,43845,327
$59,994$76,208
$169,700$241,200
$756$958
Age & race/ethnicity
Age distribution (share)
| Pierce County | Polk County | |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | 5.0% | 4.6% |
| 5 to 17 | 15.5% | 15.6% |
| 18 to 24 | 15.2% | 6.5% |
| 25 to 34 | 10.7% | 10.0% |
| 35 to 44 | 11.8% | 11.8% |
| 45 to 54 | 11.9% | 12.6% |
| 55 to 64 | 13.9% | 17.0% |
| 65 to 74 | 10.0% | 13.5% |
| 75 and over | 6.1% | 8.4% |
Race & ethnicity (share)
| Pierce County | Polk County | |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 91.5% | 93.5% |
| Black or African American | 0.4% | 0.3% |
| American Indian & Alaska Native | 0.2% | 0.4% |
| Asian | 1.2% | 0.4% |
| Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander | 0.1% | 0.0% |
| Some other race | 0.3% | 0.2% |
| Two or more races | 3.4% | 3.0% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 2.9% | 2.2% |
Educational attainment (age 25+)
Share of adults 25+
| Pierce County | Polk County | |
|---|---|---|
| No high school diploma | 4.3% | 6.4% |
| High school graduate | 30.8% | 34.0% |
| Some college or associate's | 32.9% | 35.9% |
| Bachelor's degree | 21.0% | 16.9% |
| Graduate or professional degree | 11.0% | 6.8% |
Commute to work
How workers get to work (share)
| Pierce County | Polk County | |
|---|---|---|
| Drove alone | 74.8% | 79.0% |
| Carpooled | 7.7% | 7.4% |
| Public transit | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| Walked | 4.8% | 2.2% |
| Bicycle | 0.1% | 0.2% |
| Worked from home | 11.7% | 10.4% |
| Other means | 0.8% | 0.7% |
Housing
Units in structure (share)
| Pierce County | Polk County | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-unit, detached | 74.4% | 81.7% |
| 1-unit, attached | 4.3% | 2.3% |
| 2 to 4 units | 7.5% | 4.0% |
| 5 to 19 units | 6.0% | 3.2% |
| 20 or more units | 4.0% | 2.2% |
| Mobile home & other | 3.8% | 6.6% |
Poverty & households
| Pierce County | Polk County | |
|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 9.5% | 8.3% |
| Average household size | 2.52 | 2.38 |
| Mean commute (minutes) | 27 | 30 |
| Median year structure built | 1980 | 1980 |
Full profiles
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