Polk County, MO

County

Add Comparison

2023 Population

32,109

0.728% 1-year growth

US Senator

Josh Hawley

Republican Party

US Senator

Eric Schmitt

Republican Party

2023 Median Age

38.9

0% 1-year change

2023 Poverty Rate

17.9%

4.21% 1-year increase

2023 Median Household Income

$56,686

4.04% 1-year growth

2023 Median Property Value

$189,600

10.4% 1-year growth

2023 Employed Population

13,728

1.82% 1-year decline

About

In 2023, Polk County, MO had a population of 32.1k people with a median age of 38.9 and a median household income of $56,686. Between 2022 and 2023 the population of Polk County, MO grew from 31,877 to 32,109, a 0.728% increase and its median household income grew from $54,487 to $56,686, a 4.04% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Polk County, MO are White (Non-Hispanic) (92.2%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (2.92%), Two+ (Hispanic) (1.66%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (0.816%), and White (Hispanic) (0.807%).

None of the households in Polk County, MO 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.

99.4% of the residents in Polk County, MO are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Polk County, MO are Southwest Baptist University (794 degrees awarded in 2022) and Bolivar Technical College (52 degrees).

In 2023, the median property value in Polk County, MO was $189,600, and the homeownership rate was 71.3%.

Most people in Polk County, MO drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 27.8 minutes. The average car ownership in Polk County, MO was 2 cars per household.

Polk County, MO borders Cedar County, MO, Dade County, MO, Dallas County, MO, Greene County, MO, Hickory County, MO, and St. Clair County, MO.

United States Missouri Springfield, MO

Population & Diversity

Polk County, MO is home to a population of 32.1k people, from which 99.4% are citizens. As of 2023, 1.62% of Polk County, MO residents were born outside of the country (519 people).

In 2023, there were 31.5 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (29.6k people) in Polk County, MO than any other race or ethnicity. There were 939 Two+ (Non-Hispanic) and 532 Two+ (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

99.4%

2023 Citizenship

99.4%

2022 Citizenship

As of 2023, 99.4% of Polk County, MO residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2022, the percentage of US citizens in Polk County, MO was 99.4%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

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

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Polk County, MO

White (Non-Hispanic)
29.6k ± 122
Two+ (Non-Hispanic)
939 ± 191
Two+ (Hispanic)
532 ± 173

2.8%

Hispanic Population

898 people

2.8% of the people in Polk County, MO are hispanic (898 people).

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

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for Missouri.

Most Common Origin

Mexico
37,430 ± 4,735 people
India
22,246 ± 3,655 people
China
18,085 ± 3,297 people

In 2022, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Missouri was Mexico, the natal country of 37,430 Missouri residents, followed by India with 22,246 and China with 18,085.

Foreign-Born Population

1.62%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

519 people

1.41%

2022 Foreign-Born Population

449 people

As of 2023, 1.62% of Polk County, MO residents (519 people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.8%. In 2022, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Polk County, MO was 1.41%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

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

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
683 ± 159
Gulf War (2001-)
398 ± 160
Gulf War (1990s)
320 ± 124

Polk County, MO has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.72 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Polk County, MO employs 13.7k people. The largest industries in Polk County, MO are Health Care & Social Assistance (2,327 people), Retail Trade (1,712 people), and Educational Services (1,475 people), and the highest paying industries are Utilities ($93,438), Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($80,329), and Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($61,250).

Males in Missouri have an average income that is 1.33 times higher than the average income of females, which is $55,490. The income inequality in Missouri (measured using the Gini index) is 0.455, which is lower than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

13.7k

2023 Value

± 872

−1.82%

1 Year decline

± 9.09%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Polk County, MO declined at a rate of −1.82%, from 14k employees to 13.7k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Polk County, MO, are Sales & Related Occupations (1,651 people), Management Occupations (1,581 people), and Office & Administrative Support Occupations (1,459 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Polk County, MO.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

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

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in Missouri (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.

View Full Dashboard

Industries

Employment by Industries

13.7k

2023 Value

± 872

−1.82%

1 Year decline

± 9.09%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Polk County, MO declined at a rate of −1.82%, from 14k employees to 13.7k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Polk County, MO, are Health Care & Social Assistance (2,327 people), Retail Trade (1,712 people), and Educational Services (1,475 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Polk County, MO, though some of these residents may live in Polk County, MO and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$42,473

Median earning men ± $4,250

$30,675

Median earning women ± $1,777

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2023 are Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($63,929), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($60,250), and Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($56,574).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2023 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($62,375), Educational Services, & Health Care & Social Assistance ($35,836), and Public Administration ($33,409).

Employment by Industry Sector

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

Y-Axis

2.17%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 2.94M people employed in Missouri. This represents a 2.17% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 11.8%.

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

Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

52
Construction
48
Other Services (except Public Administration)
41
Retail Trade

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

Depending on the option selected, the visualization shows the number of employees or number of establishments and its share across establishment sizes.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$133k
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
$121k
Health Care and Social Assistance
$35.4k
Retail Trade

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

Civics

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Polk County, MO went to Donald J. Trump with 78.7% of the vote. The runner-up was Joseph R Biden Jr. (19.2%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (1.85%).

Josh Hawley and Eric Schmitt are the senators currently representing the state of Missouri. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

Missouri is currently represented by 8 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 (78.7%)
Republican Party
Joseph R Biden Jr. (19.2%)
Democratic Party
Jo Jorgensen (1.85%)
Libertarian Party

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Polk County, MO went to Donald J. Trump with 78.7% of the vote. The runner-up was Joseph R Biden Jr. (19.2%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (1.85%).

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

Senator Elections

US Senators from Missouri

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

Josh Hawley

Senator from Missouri

Assumed office on January 3, 2019

Eric Schmitt

Senator from Missouri

Assumed office on January 3, 2023

Josh Hawley and Eric Schmitt are the senators currently representing Missouri.

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

US Representative Elections

US Representatives from Missouri

Missouri is currently represented by 8 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 Missouri have changed over time starting in 2008.

Education

In 2022, universities in Polk County, MO awarded 846 degrees. The student population of Polk County, MO in 2022 is skewed towards women, with 893 male students and 1,623 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Polk County, MO are White (705 and 84.2%), followed by Unknown (57 and 6.81%), Hispanic or Latino (28 and 3.35%), and Black or African American (21 and 2.51%).

The largest universities in Polk County, MO by number of degrees awarded are Southwest Baptist University (794 and 93.9%) and Bolivar Technical College (52 and 6.15%).

The most popular majors in Polk County, MO are Registered Nursing (225 and 26.6%), General Education (99 and 11.7%), and Physical Therapy (77 and 9.1%).

The median tuition cost in Polk County, MO for private four year colleges is $22,870.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2022 in Polk County, MO, the percentage of applicants admitted was 99.6%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 33.2%. The number of students enrolled in 2022 was 2,516 (35.5% men and 64.5% women).

The line chart shows the evolution of the percentage of applicants admitted, admitted who enrolled or the number of students enrolled according to the option selected in the upper button.

Enrollments by Gender and Races

Universities

In 2022 there were 2,516 students enrolled in Polk County, MO, 35.5% men and 64.5% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 1,788 records, of which 67.2% were women and 32.8% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

General Business Administration & Management
25 degrees awarded
Registered Nursing
63 degrees awarded
General Psychology
26 degrees awarded

In 2022, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Polk County, MO was General Business Administration & Management with 25 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Bachelors Degree from schools in Polk County, MO according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

Southwest Baptist University
794 degrees awarded
Bolivar Technical College
52 degrees awarded

In 2022, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Southwest Baptist University with 794 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2022, 271 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Polk County, MO, which is 0.471 times less than the 575 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2022 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 705 degrees mean that there were 12.4 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Unknown, with 57 degrees awarded.

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.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Universities

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($22,870) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2022.

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($2,920) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2022.

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($2,125) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

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

Measure

In 2022, 0.699% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.592% 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 Missouri.

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2022 were High School or Equivalent (1.48M), Some college (1.12M), and Bachelors Degree (864k).

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, MO was $189,600 in 2023, which is 0.625 times smaller than the national average of $303,400. Between 2022 and 2023 the median property value increased from $171,700 to $189,600, a 10.4% increase. The homeownership rate in Polk County, MO is 71.3%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 65%.

People in Polk County, MO have an average commute time of 27.8 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Polk County, MO is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

In 2023, 14.2% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Polk County, MO. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 0.781%.

Housing

Property

$189,600

Median Property Value 2023

±$11,132

$8,523

Median Property Taxes

±$634

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, MO the largest share of households pay taxes in the < $800 range.

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

Rent vs Own

71.3%

Homeownership

2023

68.8%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2023

In 2023, 71.3% of the housing units in Polk County, MO were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 71.7%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Polk County, MO compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

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

$56,686

Median Household Income

± $3,583

12k

Number of Households

± 777

In 2023, the median household income of the 12k households in Polk County, MO grew to $56,686 from the previous year's value of $54,487.

The following chart displays the households in Polk County, MO 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 $60k - $75k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Polk County, MO is from Missouri.

0.455

2022 Wage GINI in Missouri

0.457

2021 Wage GINI in Missouri

In 2022, the income inequality in Missouri was 0.455 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.432% decline from 2021 to 2022, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for Missouri was lower than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in Missouri in comparison to the national average.

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

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2023

Drove Alone (78.8%)
Carpooled (8.94%)
Worked At Home (8.75%)

In 2023, 78.8% of workers in Polk County, MO drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (8.94%) and those who worked at home (8.75%).

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

27.8 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Polk County, MO have a longer commute time (27.8 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.6 minutes). Additionally, 3.13% of the workforce in Polk County, MO have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

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

Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2023, 14.2% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Polk County, MO. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 0.781%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the population living with severe housing problems.

Poverty & Diversity

17.9% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Polk County, MO (5.49k out of 30.7k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.4%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 35 - 44, followed by Males 6 - 11 and then Females 25 - 34.

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

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.

Children in Poverty

In 2023, 19.9% of the children was living in poverty in Polk County, MO. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 10.6%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the children 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

85.5% of the population of Polk County, MO has health coverage, with 40.9% on employee plans, 15.9% on Medicaid, 13.8% on Medicare, 12.5% on non-group plans, and 2.46% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Polk County, MO see 1477 patients per year on average, which represents a 5.65% increase from the previous year (1398 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 2913 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 464 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48.3% were men and 51.7% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

1,477 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Polk County, MO

Primary care physicians in Polk County, MO see an average of 1,477 patients per year. This represents a 5.65% increase from the previous year (1,398 patients).

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

Health Care Diversity

In 2023, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 25.3% under 18 years, 21.1% between 18 and 34 years, 35.9% between 35 and 64 years, and 17.6% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48.3% were men and 51.7% were women.

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

Uninsured People

14.5%

Uninsured

40.9%

Employer Coverage

15.9%

Medicaid

13.8%

Medicare

12.5%

Non-Group

2.46%

Military or VA

Between 2022 and 2023, the percent of uninsured citizens in Polk County, MO grew by 0.364% from 14.4% to 14.5%.

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

Health Indicators

Health Outcomes

Indicator

In 2023, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was N/A in Polk County, MO.

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

Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2023, 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 36.5% in Polk County, MO.

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