Polk County, Georgia Income Statistics
Polk County Wealth Score
The wealth index reflects the overall economic prosperity and financial well-being of a county's residents based on income levels, employment rates, and income inequality metrics.
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D
Polk County Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Polk County | Georgia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $58,171 | $77,523 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $44,228 | $55,999 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 5.0% | 5.3% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 5.5% | 12.4% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 5.1% | 11.9% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Polk County is about 25% lower than in Georgia. Income has been growing slower in Polk County (5.0%/yr) than in Georgia (5.3%/yr).
About 6% of adults in Polk County earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, lower than the Georgia average of 12%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Polk County, Georgia grew by 45.6% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $58,171 in 2024. That's an average of about 5.0% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Polk County
| Metric | Polk County | Georgia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.545 | 0.561 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $52,457 | $65,087 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $40,925 | $53,213 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 22.0% | 18.2% | 18.4% |
The Gini coefficient measures how evenly income is shared between richer and poorer households, from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns nearly everything). The lower the number, the more equally income is distributed. In Polk County, it is 0.545, lower than Georgia's 0.561, so income is more evenly distributed here than there, and lower than the US's 0.552, so income is more evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 28% more than women's income in Polk County, Georgia. Over a 35-year career, a 28% wage gap accumulates to roughly $403,620 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Polk County, Georgia has narrowed from about 25% to 22% in 2024. Over that period the gap was narrowest at 12% in 2017. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $1,882 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Polk County | Georgia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 5.9% | 5.1% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 4.4% | 15.9% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 26 | 23 | 22 |
Approximately 1,173 people are unemployed in Polk County, Georgia.
The average commute time in Polk County is 26 minutes, longer than the 23 minutes in Georgia.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Polk County, Georgia has fallen from 11.4% to 5.9% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 14.3% in 2013 and fell as low as 4.8% in 2022.
Polk County, GA Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Polk County, GA is the 5th largest of the 6 counties compared here, 43,785 residents against a local median of 113,109. Where Polk County, GA breaks from the counties next to it is unemployment, sitting 31% above the local median of 4.5% at 5.9%. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
Median household income tells the same story from another angle: $58,171 against a local median of $73,417, 21% below it. Every measure here with a clear better direction points the same way, and it is the wrong way: Polk County, GA reads weaker than its neighbours on all of them. The counties themselves spread 1.6% on unemployment, so Polk County, GA sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Polk County, GA has the 5th lowest unemployment of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Income growthAverage yearly change in median household income since 2016. Each year is measured in its own dollars, so this is growth before inflation. | Unemployment | Income inequalityGini coefficient: 0 would mean every household earns the same, 1 that a single household earns everything. The lower the number, the more equally income is shared here. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Polk County, GA | 43,785 | $58,171 #6/6 | 5.0%/yr #6/6 | 5.9% #5/6 | 0.545 #3/6 |
| Haralson County, GA | 31,285 | $73,174 | 7.0%/yr | 4.4% | 0.547 |
| Floyd County, GA | 99,681 | $65,737 | 5.3%/yr | 4.2% | 0.560 |
| Paulding County, GA | 178,866 | $98,875 | 6.2%/yr | 4.5% | 0.537 |
| Bartow County, GA | 113,109 | $82,781 | 6.4%/yr | 4.7% | 0.537 |
| Carroll County, GA | 124,574 | $73,417 | 6.2%/yr | 5.9% | 0.550 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Polk County, Georgia has an overall wealth index grade of D, making it somewhat worse than Georgia, and somewhat worse than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Polk County, Georgia.
How Rich Is Polk County, Georgia?
Polk County has a wealth index grade of D. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; a D grade means residents are somewhat worse off than the U.S. average. The median household income is $58,171, about 25% lower than the Georgia average of $77,523.
How fast is household income rising in Polk County, Georgia?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Polk County, Georgia rose 46%, from $39,961 to $58,171. Over the same years, income here lagged behind Georgia as a whole: +46% against +57%.
What was the median household income in Polk County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Polk County, Georgia was $55,353, up 6% from $52,211 in 2022. The Georgia median that year was $74,682.
What was the median household income in Polk County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Polk County, Georgia was $47,108. By 2024 it had risen 23% to $58,171.
What is the Gini coefficient in Polk County, Georgia?
The Gini coefficient in Polk County is 0.545. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is lower than the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed more equally than in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in Polk County, Georgia?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Polk County, Georgia has narrowed from about 25% to 22% in 2024. Over that period the gap was narrowest at 12% in 2017. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $1,882 since 2009.
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