Polk County, North Carolina

3 cities & places have their primary county here.

Population: 19,689
Median household income: $61,005
Median home value: $281,100

Polk County is a county in North Carolina with a population of 19,689. 3 cities and places have their primary county here. The median household income of $61,005 is below the North Carolina median ($69,904).

Between 2019 and 2023, Polk County's population declined 4.2% from 20,557 to 19,689, while its median household income rose 25.0% from $48,787 to $61,005.

32.9% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Owners occupy 76.6% of the area's occupied homes.

Demographics

ACS 2019–2023

Population: 19,689
Median age: 54.4 yrs
Median household income: $61,005
Median home value: $281,100
Median gross rent: $1,089
Housing units: 10,949
Homeownership rate: 76.6%
Bachelor's degree or higher: 32.9%
Unemployment rate: 4.3%

Trends

ACS 5-year · 2019–2023

Population

20,55719,689

Median household income

$48,787$61,005

Median home value

$225,700$281,100

Median gross rent

$851$1,089

Year	Population	Median household income	Median home value	Median gross rent
2019	20,557	$48,787	$225,700	$851
2020	20,682	$52,125	$222,700	$855
2021	19,413	$55,058	$228,000	$870
2022	19,538	$60,465	$255,000	$984
2023	19,689	$61,005	$281,100	$1,089

Each year is a US Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimate ending that year.

Age distribution

Under 53.6%

5 to 1712.0%

18 to 245.4%

25 to 348.6%

35 to 4410.1%

45 to 5411.9%

55 to 6416.5%

65 to 7416.8%

75 and over15.2%

	Count	Share
Under 5	700	3.6%
5 to 17	2,366	12.0%
18 to 24	1,057	5.4%
25 to 34	1,684	8.6%
35 to 44	1,985	10.1%
45 to 54	2,340	11.9%
55 to 64	3,245	16.5%
65 to 74	3,315	16.8%
75 and over	2,997	15.2%

Race & ethnicity

	Count	Share
White (non-Hispanic)	17,159	87.2%
Black or African American	1,002	5.1%
American Indian & Alaska Native	34	0.2%
Asian	20	0.1%
Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander	0	0.0%
Some other race	48	0.2%
Two or more races	351	1.8%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	1,075	5.5%

Educational attainment (age 25+)

No high school diploma8.1%

High school graduate27.2%

Some college or associate's31.8%

Bachelor's degree20.3%

Graduate or professional degree12.6%

	Count	Share
No high school diploma	1,265	8.1%
High school graduate	4,229	27.2%
Some college or associate's	4,950	31.8%
Bachelor's degree	3,163	20.3%
Graduate or professional degree	1,959	12.6%

Commute to work

Mean travel time to work: 28 min

Drove alone74.6%

Carpooled11.0%

Public transit0.0%

Walked1.9%

Bicycle0.0%

Worked from home12.1%

Other means0.3%

How workers get to work

	Count	Share
Drove alone	6,346	74.6%
Carpooled	939	11.0%
Public transit	0	0.0%
Walked	165	1.9%
Bicycle	4	0.0%
Worked from home	1,034	12.1%
Other means	24	0.3%

Travel time

	Count	Share
Under 15 min	1,998	26.7%
15 to 29 min	2,257	30.2%
30 to 44 min	1,758	23.5%
45 to 59 min	969	13.0%
60+ min	496	6.6%

Households

Average household size: 2.22
Poverty rate: 13.7% (2,643 of 19,354)

	Count	Share
Family households	5,442	62.4%
Nonfamily households	3,285	37.6%

Housing

Median year structure built: 1982

Occupancy

	Count	Share
Occupied	8,727	79.7%
Vacant	2,222	20.3%

Tenure (of occupied units)

	Count	Share
Owner-occupied	6,689	76.6%
Renter-occupied	2,038	23.4%

1-unit, detached78.8%

1-unit, attached1.5%

2 to 4 units2.6%

5 to 19 units2.5%

20 or more units3.0%

Mobile home & other11.6%

Units in structure

	Count	Share
1-unit, detached	8,631	78.8%
1-unit, attached	166	1.5%
2 to 4 units	285	2.6%
5 to 19 units	272	2.5%
20 or more units	327	3.0%
Mobile home & other	1,268	11.6%

Geography

County GEOID: 37149
State: North Carolina
Land area: 238 sq mi
Water area: 0.76 sq mi
Center point: 35.2779, -82.1676