Polk County, TX

County

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2020 Population

50,155

2.54% 1-year growth

US Senator

John Cornyn

Republican Party

US Senator

Ted Cruz

Republican Party

2020 Median Age

43.9

0.458% 1-year increase

2020 Poverty Rate

16.7%

7.9% 1-year decrease

2020 Median Household Income

$50,351

2.18% 1-year growth

2020 Median Property Value

$125,500

13.9% 1-year growth

2020 Employed Population

18,855

0.0742% 1-year decline

About

In 2020, Polk County, TX had a population of 50.2k people with a median age of 43.9 and a median household income of $50,351. Between 2019 and 2020 the population of Polk County, TX grew from 48,913 to 50,155, a 2.54% increase and its median household income grew from $49,279 to $50,351, a 2.18% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Polk County, TX are White (Non-Hispanic) (71.1%), White (Hispanic) (11.1%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (9.42%), Other (Hispanic) (2.12%), and Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (1.9%).

None of the households in Polk County, TX 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.

96.1% of the residents in Polk County, TX are U.S. citizens.

In 2020, the median property value in Polk County, TX was $125,500, and the homeownership rate was 77.2%. Most people in Polk County, TX drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 29.1 minutes. The average car ownership in Polk County, TX was 2 cars per household.

Polk County, TX borders Angelina County, TX, Hardin County, TX, Liberty County, TX, San Jacinto County, TX, Trinity County, TX, and Tyler County, TX.

United States Texas

Diversity

Polk County, TX is home to a population of 50.2k people, from which 96.1% are citizens. As of 2020, 6.01% of Polk County, TX residents were born outside of the country (3.01k people).

In 2020, there were 6.39 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (35.7k people) in Polk County, TX than any other race or ethnicity. There were 5.58k White (Hispanic) and 4.73k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Polk County, TX

White (Non-Hispanic)
35.7k ± 33
White (Hispanic)
5.58k ± 412
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
4.73k ± 236

15.3%

Hispanic Population

7.7k people

15.3% of the people in Polk County, TX are hispanic (7.7k people).

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

Heritage

Foreign-Born Population

6.01%

2020 Foreign-Born Population

3.01k people

6.41%

2019 Foreign-Born Population

3.13k people

As of 2020, 6.01% of Polk County, TX residents (3.01k 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, TX was 6.41%, meaning that the rate has been decreasing.

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

Age by Nativity

Median Native-Born Age

± 0.6

Median Foreign-Born Age

± 3.2

In 2020, the median age of all people in Polk County, TX was 43.9. Native-born citizens, with a median age of 44, were generally older than foreign-born citizens, with a median age of 42. But people in Polk County, TX are getting getting older. In 2019, the average age of all Polk County, TX residents was 44.

Global Diversity

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

Most Common Origin

Mexico
2,484,512 ± 36,982 people
India
279,123 ± 12,908 people
El Salvador
219,615 ± 11,461 people

In 2020, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Texas was Mexico, the natal country of 2,484,512 Texas residents, followed by India with 279,123 and El Salvador with 219,615.

Citizenship

96.1%

2020 Citizenship

95.8%

2019 Citizenship

As of 2020, 96.1% of Polk County, TX residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2019, the percentage of US citizens in Polk County, TX was 95.8%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

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

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
1,869 ± 257
Gulf War (2001-)
768 ± 284
Gulf War (1990s)
420 ± 144

Polk County, TX has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 2.43 times greater than any other conflict.

COVID-19

Daily New Cases by Date

Showing data at the state level for Texas. 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 Texas, as a 7-day rolling average, compared with the four states with the most similar number of confirmed cases.

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Unemployment Insurance Claims

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

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in Texas (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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Employment by Industry Sector

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

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 Texas. 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 Texas.

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Community Mobility

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

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

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Economy

Median household income in Polk County, TX is $50,351. In 2020, the tract with the highest Median Household Income in Polk County, TX was Census Tract 2102.06 with a value of $56,649, followed by Census Tract 2103.01 and Census Tract 2103.02, with respective values of $48,908 and $48,250.

Males in Texas have an average income that is 1.39 times higher than the average income of females, which is $50,589. The income inequality in Texas (measured using the Gini index) is 0.478, which is higher than than the national average.

The economy of Polk County, TX employs 18.9k people. The largest industries in Polk County, TX are Construction (2,524 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (2,310 people), and Retail Trade (1,943 people), and the highest paying industries are Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($81,899), Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting, & Mining ($74,456), and Information ($72,083).

Wages

Median Household Income

$50,351

2020 value

± $2,402

2.18%

1 Year Growth

± 7.86%

Households in Polk County, TX have a median annual income of $50,351, which is less than the median annual income of $64,994 across the entire United States. This is in comparison to a median income of $49,279 in 2019, which represents a 2.18% annual growth.

The following chart shows how the median household income in Polk County, TX compares to that of its neighboring and parent geographies.

Wage by Sex in Common Jobs

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

$70,236

Average Male Salary in Texas

± $745

$50,589

Average Female Salary in Texas

± $558

In 2020, full-time male employees in Texas made 1.39 times more than female employees.

This chart shows the sex-based wage disparity in the 5 most common occupations in Texas by number of full-time employees.

Wage by Race and Ethnicity in Common Jobs

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

Highest Average Salaries by Race & Ethnicity in Texas

Asian
$71,020 ± $2,237
White
$57,454 ± $557
American Indian
$48,111 ± $6,839

In 2020 the highest paid race/ethnicity of Texas workers was Asian. These workers were paid 1.24 times more than White workers, who made the second highest salary of any race/ethnicity in Texas.

This chart shows the race- and ethnicity-based wage disparities in the 5 most common occupations in Texas by number of full-time employees.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Polk County, TX is from Texas.

0.478

2020 Wage GINI in Texas

0.48

2019 Wage GINI in Texas

In 2020, the income inequality in Texas was 0.478 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.474% decline from 2019 to 2020, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for Texas was higher than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed less evenly in Texas in comparison to the national average.

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

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

Census Tract 2102.06
Census Tract 2103.01
Census Tract 2103.02

In 2020, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Polk County, TX was Census Tract 2102.06 with a value of $56,649, followed by Census Tract 2103.01 and Census Tract 2103.02, with respective values of $48,908 and $48,250.

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

Poverty by Age and Sex

Females 55 - 64

Largest Demographic Living in Poverty

16.7% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Polk County, TX (7.78k out of 46.4k 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 55 - 64, followed by Females 6 - 11 and then Males 6 - 11.

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.

Poverty by Race and Ethnicity

Largest Race or Ethnicity Living in Poverty

White
6,510 ± 599
Hispanic
1,081 ± 233
Black
804 ± 218

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Polk County, TX is White, followed by Hispanic and Black.

Occupations

Employment by Occupations

18.9k

2020 Value

± 1,086

−0.0742%

1 Year decline

± 7.97%

From 2019 to 2020, employment in Polk County, TX declined at a rate of −0.0742%, from 18.9k employees to 18.9k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Polk County, TX, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (2,670 people), Construction & Extraction Occupations (2,212 people), and Sales & Related Occupations (1,912 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Polk County, TX.

Most Common

The most common jobs held by residents of Polk County, TX, by number of employees, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (2,670 people), Construction & Extraction Occupations (2,212 people), and Sales & Related Occupations (1,912 people).

Most Specialized

Compared to other counties, Polk County, TX has an unusually high number of residents working as Law Enforcement Workers Including Supervisors (3.29 times higher than expected), Construction & Extraction Occupations (2.33 times), and Health Technologists & Technicians (1.5 times).

Highest Paid

The highest paid jobs held by residents of Polk County, TX, by median earnings, are Life, Physical, & Social Science Occupations ($167,891), Health Diagnosing & Treating Practitioners & Other Technical Occupations ($62,616), and Computer & Mathematical Occupations ($56,116).

Industries

Employment by Industries

18.9k

2020 Value

± 1,086

−0.0742%

1 Year decline

± 7.97%

From 2019 to 2020, employment in Polk County, TX declined at a rate of −0.0742%, from 18.9k employees to 18.9k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Polk County, TX, are Construction (2,524 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (2,310 people), and Retail Trade (1,943 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Polk County, TX, though some of these residents may live in Polk County, TX and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Most Common

The most common industries in Polk County, TX, by number of employees, are Construction (2,524 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (2,310 people), and Retail Trade (1,943 people).

Most Specialized

Compared to other counties, Polk County, TX has an unusually high number of Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction (6.88 times higher than expected), Utilities (2.13 times), and Construction (2 times) industries.

Highest Paying

The highest paying industries in Polk County, TX, by median earnings, are Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($81,899), Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting, & Mining ($74,456), and Information ($72,083).

Domestic Trade

Domestic Production & Consumption

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

Top Domestic Production in Dollars

Electronics
$292B
Gasoline
$210B
Fuel oils
$178B

In 2020, the top outbound Texas product (by dollars) was Electronics with $292B, followed by Gasoline ($210B) and Fuel oils ($178B).

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

Domestic Trade Growth

Showing data for Texas.

$2.36T

2020 Value in Texas

$4.5T

Projected 2050 Value in Texas

90.9% growth

In 2020, total outbound Texas trade was $2.36T. This is expected to increase 90.9% to $4.5T by 2050.

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

Interstate Trade

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

Most Common Trade Partners

Louisiana
$78.1B
California
$76.4B
Michigan
$74.9B

In 2020, the top outbound Texas domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was Louisiana with $78.1B, followed by California with $76.4B and Michigan and $74.9B.

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

Civics

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Polk County, TX went to Donald J. Trump with 76.8% of the vote. The runner-up was Joseph R Biden Jr. (22.3%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (0.707%). The most partisan county was Roberts County, TX with 96.2% of the vote going to Donald J. Trump running for the Republican Party.

John Cornyn and Ted Cruz are the senators currently representing the state of Texas. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

Texas is currently represented by 36 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

2020 Election Results

Donald J. Trump (76.8%)
Republican Party
Joseph R Biden Jr. (22.3%)
Democratic Party
Jo Jorgensen (0.707%)
Libertarian Party

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Polk County, TX went to Donald J. Trump with 76.8% of the vote. The runner-up was Joseph R Biden Jr. (22.3%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (0.707%).

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

Presidential Popular Vote by County

Presidential voting results are only available at the county level. Showing data for the counties inside of Texas.

Donald J. Trump

Popular Vote for Polk County, TX

76.8% for the Republican Party

Most Partisan Counties in Texas

Roberts County, TX
96.2% for Donald J. Trump (Republican Party)
Borden County, TX
95.4% for Donald J. Trump (Republican Party)
King County, TX
95% for Donald J. Trump (Republican Party)

In the 2020 presidential election, the most partisan county in Texas was Roberts County, TX with 96.2% of the vote going to Donald J. Trump running for the Republican Party.

The following map shows the counties in Texas colored by their party leaning.

US Senators from Texas

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

John Cornyn

Senator from Texas

Assumed office on December 2, 2002
Phil Gramm resigned (effective November 30, 2002) a few weeks before the expiration of his term in hopes that his successor, fellow Republican John Cornyn, could gain seniority over other newly elected senators. However, Cornyn did not gain additional seniority due to a 1980 Rules Committee policy.

Ted Cruz

Senator from Texas

Assumed office on January 3, 2013

John Cornyn and Ted Cruz are the senators currently representing Texas.

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

US Representatives from Texas

Texas is currently represented by 36 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 Texas have changed over time starting in 2008.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Polk County, TX was $125,500 in 2020, which is 0.546 times smaller than the national average of $229,800. Between 2019 and 2020 the median property value increased from $110,200 to $125,500, a 13.9% increase. The homeownership rate in Polk County, TX is 77.2%, which is higher than the national average of 64.4%. People in Polk County, TX have an average commute time of 29.1 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Polk County, TX is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Housing

Property Value

$125,500

2020 Median

± $8,151

$110,200

2019 Median

± $7,488

In 2020, the median property value in Polk County, TX grew to to $125,500 from the previous year's value of $110,200.

The following charts display, first, the property values in Polk County, TX compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies and, second, owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property value buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Polk County, TX the largest share of households have a property value in the $125k - $150k range.

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$50,351

Median Household Income

± $2,402

17.9k

Number of Households

± 1,057

In 2020, the median household income of the 17.9k households in Polk County, TX grew to $50,351 from the previous year's value of $49,279.

The following chart displays the households in Polk County, TX 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 $50k - $60k range.

Property Taxes

< $800

Average Range

This chart shows the households in Polk County, TX distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Polk County, TX the largest share of households pay taxes in the < $800 range.

Rent vs Own

77.2%

2020 Homeownership

76%

2019 Homeownership

In 2020, 77.2% of the housing units in Polk County, TX were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 76%.

This percentage of owner-occupation is higher than the national average of 64.4%. This chart shows the ownership percentage in Polk County, TX compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Commute Time

29.1 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Polk County, TX have a longer commute time (29.1 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.9 minutes). Additionally, 7.44% of the workforce in Polk County, TX have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Polk County, TX compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2020

Drove Alone (82.2%)
Carpooled (9.11%)
Worked At Home (3.62%)

In 2020, 82.2% of workers in Polk County, TX drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (9.11%) and those who worked at home (3.62%).

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.

Transportation

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Polk County, TX distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Polk County, TX have 2 cars, followed by false.

Health

82.2% of the population of Polk County, TX has health coverage, with 32.9% on employee plans, 16.2% on Medicaid, 16.4% on Medicare, 14.4% on non-group plans, and 2.41% on military or VA plans.

Per capita personal health care spending in Texas was $6,998 in 2014. This is a 5.06% increase from the previous year ($6,661).

Primary care physicians in Polk County, TX see 1725 patients per year on average, which represents a 1.77% increase from the previous year (1695 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 2853 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 2334 patients per year.

Comparing across all counties in the state, Trinity County has the highest prevalence of diabetes (23.2%). Additionally, Burleson County has the highest prevalence of adult obesity (46.6%)

Patient to Clinician Ratios

1,725 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Polk County, TX

Primary care physicians in Polk County, TX see an average of 1,725 patients per year. This represents a 1.77% increase from the previous year (1,695 patients).

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

Behavioral Health Conditions

Data only available at the state level.

State with the Highest Prevalence

West Virginia
8.26% of the population affected
Arkansas
8.13% of the population affected
New Hampshire
7.98% of the population affected

In 2016, West Virginia had the highest prevalence of adults with major depressive episode, with 8.26% of the population affected. The second highest is Arkansas (8.13%), followed by New Hampshire (7.98%).

The following map shows the percent of individuals with major depressive episode by state over multiple years.

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.

Access and Quality

Data only available at state level.

Most prevalent states

Mississippi
19.2% of adults
Texas
17.9% of adults
Louisiana
17.6% of adults

In 2016, Mississippi had the highest prevalence of adults who haven't seen a doctor in the past 12 months due to cost, at 19.2%. It is followed by Texas (17.9%) and Louisiana (17.6%).

The following map shows the prevalence of adults who haven't seen a doctor in the past 12 months due to cost by state over multiple years.

Health Care Spending

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

$6,998

Total Per Capita Spending on Personal Health Care in Texas

$4,696

Per Enrollee Private Health Insurance Spending on Personal Health Care

$7,273

Per Enrollee Medicaid Spending on Personal Health Care

$11,895

Per Enrollee Medicare Spending on Personal Health Care

Between 2013 and 2014, all personal health care spending per capita in Texas (including private, Medicare, and Medicaid) grew 5.06%, from $6,661 to $6,998.

The following chart shows how this spending changed over time in comparison to Medicaid, Medicare, and private insurance spending, per enrollee.

Health Care Coverage

17.8%

Uninsured

32.9%

Employer Coverage

16.2%

Medicaid

16.4%

Medicare

14.4%

Non-Group

2.41%

Military or VA

Between 2019 and 2020, the percent of uninsured citizens in Polk County, TX declined by 2.53% from 18.2% to 17.8%.

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