Polk County, Tennessee Demographics 2026

Demographic data: ACS 2020–2024 five-year estimates. Sources and methodology

Polk County, Tennessee has a population of 17,898, the 71st most populous county in Tennessee. The median household income is $62,522 and the median home value is $169,900. The poverty rate is 14.0%.

Polk County Quick Facts

Population 17,898

Median Household Income $62,52290% MOE ±$6,119

Median Home Value $169,90090% MOE ±$13,999

Poverty Rate 14.0%90% MOE ±2.1 pts

Unemployment Rate 5.3%90% MOE ±1.7 pts

Median Age 46.9 years90% MOE ±0.6 years

Homeownership Rate 83.6%90% MOE ±2.4 pts

Affordability Ratio 2.7x

Bachelor's Degree+ 16.6%90% MOE ±2.4 pts

Adults 25+ with high school education or higher 86.5%

Cities/Places 6

Population 17,898 71st of 95

Median Income $62,522 10% lower than state

Poverty Rate 14.0%

Unemployment 5.3%

How Polk County Changed

Change from the non-overlapping 2015–2019 ACS period to 2020–2024. Earlier dollar figures are adjusted to 2024 dollars; changes marked “no clear change” are within the combined 90% margins of error.

Metric	2015–2019	2020–2024	Change
Population	16,814	17,898	+6.4%
Median household income	$53,297	$62,522	+17.3%
Median home value¹	$138,701	$169,900	+22.5%
Median gross rent	$847	$676	-20.2%

¹ The Census Bureau changed its home-value inflation adjustment beginning with the 2022 ACS; interpret that comparison with additional caution.

Median Household Income

Polk

$62,522

$69,595

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Polk

$169,900

$286,700

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 21.9%

$25K-$50K 19.1%

$50K-$100K 30.8%

$100K+ 28.1%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

6.3%

$10K-$15K

7.0%

$15K-$20K

3.9%

$20K-$25K

4.8%

$25K-$30K

5.7%

$30K-$35K

4.1%

$35K-$40K

3.7%

$40K-$45K

3.6%

$45K-$50K

2.1%

$50K-$60K

7.3%

$60K-$75K

10.4%

$75K-$100K

13.1%

$100K-$125K

10.1%

$125K-$150K

6.3%

$150K-$200K

4.6%

$200K+

7.2%

Employment

5.3% Unemployment Rate State: 4.7%|National: 5.2%

53.5% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 83.6%

Renter 16.4%

Affordability Index Very Affordable

2.7x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $676/mo 13.0% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

18.8%

18-34

18.1%

35-54

26.0%

55-74

28.6%

75+

8.6%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

Very Low Diversity

A less diverse community where one racial or ethnic group represents a large majority.

State average: 46 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Cities & Places in Polk County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Benton	1,560	$29,414	22.7%	$184,200
Copperhill	493	$45,417	20.9%	$99,000
Ducktown	456	N/A	36.9%	$172,100
Ocoee	208	$181,250	10.6%	$119,800
Farner	197	$29,464	31.0%	$117,200
Conasauga	128	N/A	28.1%	N/A

Explore Tennessee Rankings

Cities by Population All cities ranked by size Richest Cities Ranked by median income Most Educated By bachelor's degree rate Most Affordable By housing affordability

Population Overview

Polk County is located in Tennessee with a total population of 17,898. It is the 71st most populous county out of 95 in Tennessee. The county encompasses 6 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Polk County is 46.9 years. This is 21% higher than the state median of 38.9 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Polk County is $62,522. This is 10% lower than the state median of $69,595. It is also 23% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 14.0%. This is 1% higher than the state poverty rate of 13.8%. The unemployment rate is 5.3%. This is 13% higher than the state rate of 4.7%. The median home value is $169,900. Housing costs are 41% lower than the state median of $286,700. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.7x, Polk County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 83.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 25% higher than the state average of 66.9%.

Race & Ethnicity

Polk County has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 89.1% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 2.2%. The Black or African American population (0.8%) is well below the state average of 15.4%. The Hispanic or Latino population (2.2%) is well below the state average of 7.4%. The Asian population (0.3%) is well below the state average of 1.9%.

Education

16.6% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 47% lower than the state rate of 31.1%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 86.5%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Polk County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against Tennessee and national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of Polk County, Tennessee?

Polk County has a population of 17,898, making it the 71st most populous county in Tennessee.

What is the median income in Polk County?

The median household income in Polk County is $62,522 with a poverty rate of 14.0%.

How many cities are in Polk County, Tennessee?

Polk County contains 6 Census-designated places.