Polk County, MO

County

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2020 Population

32,031

0.891% 1-year growth

US Senator

Roy Blunt

Republican Party

US Senator

Josh Hawley

Republican Party

2020 Median Age

38.1

1.33% 1-year increase

2020 Poverty Rate

15.7%

4.42% 1-year decrease

2020 Median Household Income

$47,614

4.28% 1-year growth

2020 Median Property Value

$141,600

7.03% 1-year growth

2020 Employed Population

14,403

0.404% 1-year growth

About

In 2020, Polk County, MO had a population of 32k people with a median age of 38.1 and a median household income of $47,614. Between 2019 and 2020 the population of Polk County, MO grew from 31,748 to 32,031, a 0.891% increase and its median household income grew from $45,660 to $47,614, a 4.28% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Polk County, MO are White (Non-Hispanic) (93.2%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (1.57%), Two+ (Hispanic) (1.36%), American Indian & Alaska Native (Non-Hispanic) (1.24%), and Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (0.93%).

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.

99.6% of the residents in Polk County, MO are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Polk County, MO are Southwest Baptist University (756 degrees awarded in 2020) and Bolivar Technical College (81 degrees).

In 2020, the median property value in Polk County, MO was $141,600, and the homeownership rate was 68.9%.

Most people in Polk County, MO drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 24.8 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.

Population & Diversity

Polk County, MO is home to a population of 32k people, from which 99.6% are citizens. As of 2020, 1.11% of Polk County, MO residents were born outside of the country (354 people).

In 2020, there were 59.3 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (29.9k people) in Polk County, MO than any other race or ethnicity. There were 504 Two+ (Non-Hispanic) and 437 Two+ (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

99.6%

2020 Citizenship

99.7%

2019 Citizenship

As of 2020, 99.6% of Polk County, MO residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2019, the percentage of US citizens in Polk County, MO was 99.7%, 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)
29.9k ± 100
Two+ (Non-Hispanic)
504 ± 149
Two+ (Hispanic)
437 ± 253

2.54%

Hispanic Population

813 people

2.54% of the people in Polk County, MO are hispanic (813 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
39,519 ± 4,865 people
India
21,572 ± 3,600 people
China
19,039 ± 3,382 people

In 2020, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Missouri was Mexico, the natal country of 39,519 Missouri residents, followed by India with 21,572 and China with 19,039.

Foreign-Born Population

1.11%

2020 Foreign-Born Population

354 people

1.06%

2019 Foreign-Born Population

335 people

As of 2020, 1.11% of Polk County, MO residents (354 people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.5%. In 2019, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Polk County, MO was 1.06%, 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
754 ± 158
Gulf War (2001-)
395 ± 159
Gulf War (1990s)
209 ± 91

Polk County, MO has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.91 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Polk County, MO employs 14.4k people. The largest industries in Polk County, MO are Health Care & Social Assistance (2,270 people), Retail Trade (1,790 people), and Educational Services (1,610 people), and the highest paying industries are Utilities ($85,455), Finance & Insurance ($60,625), and Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($51,733).

Males in Missouri have an average income that is 1.36 times higher than the average income of females, which is $47,900. The income inequality in Missouri (measured using the Gini index) is 0.457, which is lower than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

14.4k

2020 Value

± 888

0.404%

1 Year growth

± 8.47%

From 2019 to 2020, employment in Polk County, MO grew at a rate of 0.404%, from 14.3k employees to 14.4k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Polk County, MO, are Management Occupations (1,847 people), Sales & Related Occupations (1,524 people), and Office & Administrative Support Occupations (1,518 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 Missouri.

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.

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Industries

Employment by Industries

14.4k

2020 Value

± 888

0.404%

1 Year growth

± 8.47%

From 2019 to 2020, employment in Polk County, MO grew at a rate of 0.404%, from 14.3k employees to 14.4k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Polk County, MO, are Health Care & Social Assistance (2,270 people), Retail Trade (1,790 people), and Educational Services (1,610 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

$33,656

Median earning men ± $2,813

$23,141

Median earning women ± $2,625

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2020 are Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($51,543), Wholesale Trade ($44,816), and Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($43,333).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2020 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($100,085), Wholesale Trade ($40,556), and Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting, & Mining ($40,428).

Employment by Industry Sector

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

Y-Axis

8.45%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between May 2020 and May 2021

As of May 2021, there are 145M people employed in Missouri. This represents a 8.45% increase in employment when compared to May 2020.

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

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Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

243
Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance
126
Finance & Insurance, and Real Estate, Rental & Leasing
123
Retail Trade

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

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$69k
Wholesale Trade
$58.1k
Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance
$40.8k
Retail Trade

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

Domestic Trade

Domestic Production & Consumption

Domestic production and consumption consists of products and services shipped from Missouri to other states, or from other states to Missouri.

Top Domestic Production in Dollars

In 2020, the top outbound Missouri product (by dollars) was Motorized vehicles with $30.9B, followed by Mixed freight ($30.9B) and Pharmaceuticals ($29.3B).

The following chart shows the share of these products in relation to all outbound Missouri products.

Domestic Trade Growth

Showing data for Missouri.

$312B

2020 Value in Missouri

$614B

Projected 2050 Value in Missouri

97.1% growth

In 2020, total outbound Missouri trade was $312B. This is expected to increase 97.1% to $614B by 2050.

The following chart shows how the domestic outbound Missouri trade is projected to change in comparison to its neighboring states.

Interstate Trade

Interstate trade consists of products and services shipped from Missouri to other states, or from other states to Missouri.

Most Common Trade Partners

Illinois
$26.1B
Texas
$15.4B
Kansas
$15.2B

In 2020, the top outbound Missouri domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was Illinois with $26.1B, followed by Texas with $15.4B and Kansas and $15.2B.

The following map shows the amount of trade that Missouri shares with each state (excluding itself).

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%).

Roy Blunt and Josh Hawley 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.

Senators Elections

US Senators from Missouri

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

Roy Blunt

Senator from Missouri

Assumed office on January 3, 2011

Josh Hawley

Senator from Missouri

Assumed office on January 3, 2019

Roy Blunt and Josh Hawley 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 Representatives 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 2020, universities in Polk County, MO awarded 837 degrees. The student population of Polk County, MO in 2020 is skewed towards women, with 1,128 male students and 2,040 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Polk County, MO are White (711 and 86.1%), followed by Unknown (40 and 4.84%), Black or African American (30 and 3.63%), and Hispanic or Latino (25 and 3.03%).

The largest universities in Polk County, MO by number of degrees awarded are Southwest Baptist University (756 and 90.3%) and Bolivar Technical College (81 and 9.68%).

The most popular majors in Polk County, MO are Registered Nursing (230 and 27.5%), General Education (89 and 10.6%), and Physical Therapy (75 and 8.96%).

The median tuition cost in Polk County, MO for private four year colleges is $24,500.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2020 in Polk County, MO, the percentage of applicants admitted was 73.7%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 32.6%. The number of students enrolled in 2020 was 3,168 (35.6% men and 64.4% 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 2020 there were 3,168 students enrolled in Polk County, MO, 35.6% men and 64.4% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 2,145 records, of which 68.1% were women and 31.9% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

Elementary Education & Teaching
31 degree-majors awarded
Kinesiology & Exercise Science
27 degree-majors awarded
Registered Nursing
56 degree-majors awarded

In 2020, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Polk County, MO was Elementary Education & Teaching with 31 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
756 degrees awarded
Bolivar Technical College
81 degrees awarded

In 2020, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Southwest Baptist University with 756 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2020, 263 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Polk County, MO, which is 0.458 times less than the 574 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2020 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 711 degrees mean that there were 17.8 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Unknown, with 40 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 ($24,500) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2020.

Private not-for-profit, 2-year ($4,160) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2020.

Private not-for-profit, 2-year ($3,280) 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 2020, 0.599% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.508% 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 2020 were High School or Equivalent (1.47M), Some college (1.14M), and Bachelors Degree (823k).

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 $141,600 in 2020, which is 0.616 times smaller than the national average of $229,800. Between 2019 and 2020 the median property value increased from $132,300 to $141,600, a 7.03% increase. The homeownership rate in Polk County, MO is 68.9%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 64.4%.

People in Polk County, MO have an average commute time of 24.8 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 2021, 14% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Polk County, MO. From 2014 to 2021, the indicator declined 1.04%.

Housing

Property

$141,600

Median Property Value 2020

±$7,010

$8,158

Median Property Taxes

±$596

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

68.9%

Homeownership

2020

68.6%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2020

In 2020, 68.9% of the housing units in Polk County, MO were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 69%.

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.

$47,614

Median Household Income

± $4,042

11.8k

Number of Households

± 768

In 2020, the median household income of the 11.8k households in Polk County, MO grew to $47,614 from the previous year's value of $45,660.

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.

0.457

2020 Wage GINI in Missouri

0.461

2019 Wage GINI in Missouri

In 2020, the income inequality in Missouri was 0.457 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 1.04% decline from 2019 to 2020, 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 2020

Drove Alone (79.8%)
Carpooled (8.57%)
Worked At Home (7.52%)

In 2020, 79.8% of workers in Polk County, MO drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (8.57%) and those who worked at home (7.52%).

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

24.8 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Polk County, MO have a shorter commute time (24.8 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.9 minutes). Additionally, 1.56% 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 2021, 14% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Polk County, MO. From 2014 to 2021, the indicator declined 1.04%.

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

Poverty & Diversity

15.7% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Polk County, MO (4.78k out of 30.4k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.8%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 18 - 24, followed by Males 45 - 54 and then Females 45 - 54.

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

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 2021, 24.4% of the children was living in poverty in Polk County, MO. From 2014 to 2021, the indicator declined 6.1%.

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.

Security

Crimes & Accidents

Indicator

In 2021, the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population was 393 in Polk County, MO. From 2014 to 2021, the indicator declined 27 per 100,000 population.

The graph shows the trend in the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population.

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Health

86% of the population of Polk County, MO has health coverage, with 40.3% on employee plans, 16.7% on Medicaid, 13.3% on Medicare, 13.4% on non-group plans, and 2.31% on military or VA plans.

Per capita personal health care spending in Missouri was $8,107 in 2014. This is a 3.14% increase from the previous year ($7,860).

Primary care physicians in Polk County, MO see 1342 patients per year on average, which represents a 5.5% increase from the previous year (1272 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 3572 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 527 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 47.9% were men and 52.1% were women.

COVID-19

Daily New Cases by Date

Showing data at the state level for Missouri. Hospitalization data for some states may be delayed or not reported.

Y-Axis

This chart shows the number of COVID-19 daily new cases by date in Missouri, as a 7-day rolling average, compared with the four states with the most similar number of confirmed cases.

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Patient to Clinician Ratios

1,342 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Polk County, MO

Primary care physicians in Polk County, MO see an average of 1,342 patients per year. This represents a 5.5% increase from the previous year (1,272 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.

Community Mobility

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

This chart presents movement trends over time in the state of Missouri across different categories of places such as retail and recreation, groceries and pharmacies, parks, transit stations, workplaces, and residential.

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Coverage

Health Care Diversity

In 2020, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 24.9% under 18 years, 21.8% between 18 and 34 years, 36.1% between 35 and 64 years, and 17.2% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 47.9% were men and 52.1% were women.

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

Uninsured People

14%

Uninsured

40.3%

Employer Coverage

16.7%

Medicaid

13.3%

Medicare

13.4%

Non-Group

2.31%

Military or VA

Between 2019 and 2020, the percent of uninsured citizens in Polk County, MO grew by 5.23% from 13.3% to 14%.

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 2021, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was 34.3 in Polk County, MO.

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

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Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2021, 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.

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