Polk County, MO

County

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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 Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic) (2.43%), Two Races Including Other (Hispanic) (1.45%), 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 (648 degrees awarded in 2023) and Bolivar Technical College (46 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.

United StatesMissouriSpringfield, 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 37.9 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (29.6k people) in Polk County, MO than any other race or ethnicity. There were 780 Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic) and 464 Two Races Including Other (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.

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Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Polk County, MO
  1. White (Non-Hispanic)
    29.6k ± 122
  2. Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic)
    780 ± 167
  3. Two Races Including Other (Hispanic)
    464 ± 149
2.8%
Hispanic Population
898 people

In 2023, there were 37.9 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (29.6k people) in Polk County, MO than any other race or ethnicity. There were 780 Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic) and 464 Two Races Including Other (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

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

The following chart shows the 8 races represented in Polk County, MO as a share of the total population.

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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 approximately the same as 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.

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Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period
  1. Vietnam
    683 ± 159
  2. Gulf War (2001-)
    398 ± 160
  3. 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.

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Economy

The economy of Polk County, MO employs 13.7k people. In 2023, the largest industries in Polk County, MO were Health Care & Social Assistance (2,327 people), Retail Trade (1,712 people), and Educational Services (1,475 people), and the highest paying industries were Utilities ($93,438), Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($80,329), and Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($61,250).

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.

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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

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.

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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).

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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.

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Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments
  1. 52
    Construction
  2. 48
    Other Services (except Public Administration)
  3. 41
    Retail Trade

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

The visualization shows the number of establishments and its share across establishment sizes.

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Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll
  1. $133k
    Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
  2. $121k
    Health Care and Social Assistance
  3. $35.4k
    Retail Trade

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

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Civics

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Missouri went to Donald J. Trump with 58.5% of the vote. The runner-up was Kamala Harris (40.1%), followed by Chase Oliver (0.797%).

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

Voting results are not available for Polk County, MO. Showing the available data for Missouri.
2024 Election Results
  1. Donald J. Trump (58.5%)
    Republican Party
  2. Kamala Harris (40.1%)
    Democratic Party
  3. Chase Oliver (0.797%)
    Libertarian Party

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Missouri went to Donald J. Trump with 58.5% of the vote. The runner-up was Kamala Harris (40.1%), followed by Chase Oliver (0.797%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Missouri for each registered party from 1976 to 2024.

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Senator Elections

US Senators from Missouri

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for Missouri.
Josh Hawley
Senator from Missouri1
Assumed office on January 3, 2019
Eric Schmitt
Senator from Missouri3
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.

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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.

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Education

In 2023, universities in Polk County, MO awarded 694 degrees. The student population of Polk County, MO in 2023 is skewed towards women, with 822 male students and 1,477 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Polk County, MO are White (545 and 80.3%), followed by Unknown (74 and 10.9%), Black or African American (20 and 2.95%), and Hispanic or Latino (19 and 2.8%).

The largest universities in Polk County, MO by number of degrees awarded are Southwest Baptist University (648 and 93.4%) and Bolivar Technical College (46 and 6.63%).

The most popular majors in Polk County, MO are Registered Nursing (195 and 28.1%), Physical Therapy (71 and 10.2%), and General Education (57 and 8.21%).

The median tuition cost in Polk County, MO for private four year colleges is $24,660.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University
Measure

In 2023 in Polk County, MO, the percentage of applicants admitted was 99.5%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 26.2%. The number of students enrolled in 2023 was 2,299 (35.8% men and 64.2% 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.

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Enrollments by Gender and Races

Universities

In 2023 there were 2,299 students enrolled in Polk County, MO, 35.8% men and 64.2% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 1,720 records, of which 68.2% were women and 31.8% men.

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Completions

Concentrations

Most Common
  1. Elementary Education & Teaching
    34 degrees awarded
  2. Registered Nursing
    57 degrees awarded
  3. Kinesiology & Exercise Science
    40 degrees awarded

In 2023, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Polk County, MO was Elementary Education & Teaching with 34 degrees awarded.

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

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Universities

Gender
Race
Largest Universities by degrees awarded
  1. Southwest Baptist University
    648 degrees awarded
  2. Bolivar Technical College
    46 degrees awarded

In 2023, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Southwest Baptist University with 648 degrees awarded.

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Student Diversity

University

In 2023, 220 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Polk County, MO, which is 0.464 times less than the 474 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2023, the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 545 degrees mean that there were 7.36 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Unknown, with 74 degrees awarded.

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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.

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Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Universities

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($24,660) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2023.

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($3,063) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2023.

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.

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Working Population

Educational Pyramid

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

In 2023, 0.755% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.664% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

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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 2023 were High School or Equivalent (1.48M), Some college (1.09M), and Bachelors Degree (886k).

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.

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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 higher than 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.

Median household income in Polk County, MO is $56,686. In 2019, the tract with the highest Median Household Income in Polk County, MO was Census Tract 9604, Polk County, MO with a value of $47,849, followed by Census Tract 9602, Polk County, MO and Census Tract 9603, Polk County, MO, with respective values of $45,982 and $45,679.

In 2024, 14.9% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Polk County, MO. From 2014 to 2024, the indicator declined 0.0866%.

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 - $1,499 range.

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

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Rent vs Own

71.3%
Homeownership
2023
68.7%
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.

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Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.
Race/Ethnicity
Highest Median Household Income (Total)
  1. Census Tract 9604, Polk County, MO
  2. Census Tract 9602, Polk County, MO
  3. Census Tract 9603, Polk County, MO

In 2019, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Polk County, MO was Census Tract 9604, Polk County, MO with a value of $47,849, followed by Census Tract 9602, Polk County, MO and Census Tract 9603, Polk County, MO, with respective values of $45,982 and $45,679.

The following map shows all of the tracts in Polk County, MO colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

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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.

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Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Polk County, MO is from Polk County, MO.
N/A Wage GINI in N/A
  1. N/A
  2. N/A

In N/A, the income inequality in N/A was N/A according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a N/A N/A from N/A to N/A, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat N/A even. The GINI for N/A was N/A than the national average of 0.476. In other words, wages are distributed N/A evenly in N/A in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in Polk County, MO across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

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Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2023
  1. Drove Alone (78.8%)
  2. Carpooled (8.94%)
  3. 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.

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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.

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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.

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Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2024, 14.9% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Polk County, MO. From 2014 to 2024, the indicator declined 0.0866%.

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

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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.

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Children in Poverty

In 2024, 22.3% of the children was living in poverty in Polk County, MO. From 2014 to 2024, the indicator declined 8.2%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the children living in poverty.

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Security

Crimes & Accidents

Indicator

In 2022, the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population was 393 in Polk County, MO. From 2014 to 2022, 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

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 1,232 patients per year on average, which represents a 16.6% decrease from the previous year (1,477 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 2335 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 430 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48.9% were men and 51.1% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

1,232 to 1
Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Polk County, MO

Primary care physicians in Polk County, MO see an average of 1,232 patients per year. This represents a 16.6% decrease from the previous year (1,477 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.

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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, 48.9% were men and 51.1% were women.

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

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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.

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Health Indicators

Health Outcomes

Indicator

In 2024, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was 61.1 in Polk County, MO.

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

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Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2024, 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 38.7% in Polk County, MO.

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

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Clinical Care

Indicator

In 2024, the percentage of population under age 65 without health insurance was 13.3% in Polk County, MO.

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

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