Polk County, Missouri Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Polk County, MO Population Density Map and Area Scores
Area Score
Health, income and education, each graded from F to A+. Explore interactive maps for deeper analysis.
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C
Health Below average
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D
Income Well below average
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D
Education Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | Polk County | Missouri Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 32,444 | 6,186,340 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 50.5 | 88.8 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | 0.53% | 0.28% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 36.1 | 37.5 | 37.3 |
| Households | 12,059 | 2,507,647 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Polk County grew by 8.2% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 32,444 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Polk County is Gen Z, aged 13–28, at 22.9% of residents. That is 1.7 points above Missouri as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 7,419 22.9% +1.7 pts
- Millennials 29–44 6,015 18.5% -2.7 pts
- Gen X 45–60 6,135 18.9% -0.7 pts
- Boomers 61–79 5,864 18.1% +0.2 pts
Residents by birth cohort, from the 2025 age distribution. The right-hand figure is how far each cohort's share sits above or below Missouri, in percentage points. Children younger than Gen Z and the generations before the Boomers are counted in the population but not shown here, so these shares do not add up to 100%.
Male and female share
Women are 50.5% of the people living in Polk County and men 49.5%.
- Women 50.5% Missouri 50.7%
- Men 49.5% Missouri 49.3%
How many residents match a customer profile?
Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in Polk County
Pick an age range and a women/men split and the figure above answers with how many residents that profile reaches.
Economy
Polk County has a the economy index of D, which means it is barely prosperous.
| Metric | Polk County | Missouri Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $59,586 | $70,801 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 4.35% | 4.56% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 4.0% | 4.0% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Polk County is about 16% lower than in Missouri.
Housing
| Metric | Polk County | Missouri Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $512,500 | $145,462 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $813 | $1,033 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 71.6% | 68.1% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Polk County is about 52.5 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $813 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Polk County spend about 47 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 196 hours, about 8.2 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Polk County | Missouri Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 23.5 | 21.0 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 47.0 | 41.9 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 196 | 175 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $6,068 | $5,415 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 9.3% | 13.0% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 3,794 | 7,545 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 578 | 923 | 1,355 |
Fastest commutes among counties in
Missouri:
Saline County (11.9 min), Adair County (12.0 min), Nodaway County (12.1 min).
Slowest:
Bollinger County (33.1 min), Ray County (32.2 min), Maries County (31.9 min).
The average commute time in Polk County is 23 minutes, longer than the 21 minutes in Missouri.
Estimated yearly cost applies a single national wage rule of thumb (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics average hourly earnings), not a measurement of wages in this area. Traffic volume figures come from proprietary Ticon and TrafficZoom data.
Education & Households
Polk County has a education index of D, which means it is barely educated.
| Metric | Polk County | Missouri Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 18.1% | 28.8% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.58 | 2.40 | 2.53 |
Highest education index among counties in
Missouri:
St. Louis County (0.4), Platte County (0.4), Boone County (0.4).
Lowest:
Bollinger County (0.2), Wayne County (0.2), Ripley County (0.2).
Health
Polk County has a health index of C, which means it is somewhat healthy.
| Metric | Polk County | Missouri Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 77.8 | 76.9 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 18.6% | 19.0% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 22.4% | 22.8% | 19.0% |
Highest health index among counties in
Missouri:
St. Charles County (0.8), Platte County (0.8), Boone County (0.8).
Lowest:
Scotland County (0.7), Ripley County (0.7), Pemiscot County (0.8).
Polk County, MO Compared With Nearby Counties
How Polk County, MO compares with the 1 counties closest to it.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Polk County, MO | 32,444 | $59,586 #2/2 | $512,500 #1/2 | 23.5 min #2/2 |
| Greene County, MO | 303,351 | $61,985 | $152,557 | 18.1 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Polk County, Missouri.
What is the population of Polk County, Missouri?
About 32,444 people live in Polk County, Missouri, in 12,059 households of 2.6 people on average. The median age is 36.1, close to the U.S. median of 37.3.
Is Polk County, Missouri urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, Polk County, Missouri has 51 people per square mile, a density typical of rural areas. That is about 58% of the U.S. average of 86.
Can a typical household afford a home in Polk County, Missouri?
The median home costs 8.6 times the median household income ($512,500 against $59,586), compared with 3.1 times nationally. A ratio of about 3 is traditionally considered affordable. Median rent of $813 a month takes about 16% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
Is unemployment high in Polk County, Missouri?
Unemployment in Polk County, Missouri is only 4.0%, well below the U.S. rate of 5.2%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
What share of adults in Polk County, Missouri have a college degree?
18.1% of adults in Polk County, Missouri hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 1 in 6), well below the U.S. share of 31.6%.
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