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Polk County, Texas Demographics 2026

Polk County, Texas has a population of 51,780, the 66th most populous county in Texas. The median household income is $59,066 and the median home value is $154,000. The poverty rate is 18.1%.

Polk County Quick Facts

Population 51,780
Median Household Income $59,066
Median Home Value $154,000
Poverty Rate 18.1%
Unemployment Rate 9.0%
Median Age 43.9 years
Homeownership Rate 77.5%
Affordability Ratio 2.6x
Bachelor's Degree+ 13.4%
High School Graduation 81.8%
Cities/Places 9
Population 51,780 66th of 254
Median Income $59,066 23% lower than state
Poverty Rate 18.1%
Unemployment 9.0%

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 20.1%
$25K-$50K 23.3%
$50K-$100K 31.9%
$100K+ 24.6%
Detailed income brackets
Under $10K
6.3%
$10K-$15K
4.6%
$15K-$20K
4.3%
$20K-$25K
4.9%
$25K-$30K
2.6%
$30K-$35K
5.8%
$35K-$40K
4.6%
$40K-$45K
5.4%
$45K-$50K
4.9%
$50K-$60K
7.4%
$60K-$75K
11.9%
$75K-$100K
12.7%
$100K-$125K
8.1%
$125K-$150K
6.3%
$150K-$200K
5.4%
$200K+
4.8%

Employment

9.0% Unemployment Rate State: 5.1%|National: 5.2%
48.3% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 77.5%
Renter 22.5%
Affordability Index Very Affordable
2.6x home value to income ratio

People & Demographics

Diversity Index

46out of 100
Moderate Diversity

Moderate diversity with one or two groups making up the majority.

State average: 67 | National average: 61

Education

Cities & Places in Polk County

CityPopulationMedian IncomePovertyHome Value
West Livingston7,888$57,60029.3%$111,400
Livingston5,728$52,38521.6%$158,100
Onalaska3,133$44,21624.1%$121,900
Corrigan2,218$43,35225.1%$107,400
Indian Springs1,008$63,5003.7%$87,100
Pleasant Hill744$51,3314.3%$73,900
Goodrich326$37,33031.9%$88,400
Cedar Point319N/A2.8%$139,000
Seven Oaks131$58,22113.7%$117,200

Population Overview

Polk County is located in Texas with a total population of 51,780. It is the 66th most populous county out of 254 in Texas. The county encompasses 9 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Polk County is 43.9 years. This is 24% higher than the state median of 35.5 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Polk County is $59,066. This is 23% lower than the state median of $76,292. It is also 25% lower than the national median of $78,538. The poverty rate stands at 18.1%. This is 31% higher than the state poverty rate of 13.8%. The unemployment rate is 9.0%. This is 75% higher than the state rate of 5.1%. The median home value is $154,000. Housing costs are 41% lower than the state median of $260,400. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.6x, Polk County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 77.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 24% higher than the state average of 62.6%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Polk County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 71.4% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 15.1%. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (71.4% vs 39.9%). The Hispanic or Latino population (15.1%) is well below the state average of 39.5%. The Asian population (0.6%) is well below the state average of 5.3%.

Education

13.4% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 59% lower than the state rate of 33.1%. Nationally, 35.0% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 81.8%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Polk County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023), with comparisons drawn against Texas 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, Texas?

Polk County has a population of 51,780, making it the 66th most populous county in Texas.

What is the median income in Polk County?

The median household income in Polk County is $59,066 with a poverty rate of 18.1%.

How many cities are in Polk County, Texas?

Polk County contains 9 Census-designated places.