Polk County, OR

County

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2022 Population
87,600
1.45% 1-year growth
US Senator
Ron Wyden
Democratic Party
US Senator
Jeff Merkley
Democratic Party
2022 Median Age
37.1
0% 1-year change
2022 Poverty Rate
11.9%
1.27% 1-year decrease
2022 Median Household Income
$77,353
10.1% 1-year growth
2022 Median Property Value
$382,200
19.8% 1-year growth
2022 Employed Population
40,471
2.02% 1-year growth

About

In 2022, Polk County, OR had a population of 87.6k people with a median age of 37.1 and a median household income of $77,353. Between 2021 and 2022 the population of Polk County, OR grew from 86,347 to 87,600, a 1.45% increase and its median household income grew from $70,238 to $77,353, a 10.1% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Polk County, OR are White (Non-Hispanic) (75.6%), White (Hispanic) (5.49%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (4.83%), Other (Hispanic) (4.44%), and Two+ (Hispanic) (4.37%).

None of the households in Polk County, OR 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.

96.7% of the residents in Polk County, OR are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Polk County, OR are Western Oregon University (1,298 degrees awarded in 2022).

In 2022, the median property value in Polk County, OR was $382,200, and the homeownership rate was 65.1%.

Most people in Polk County, OR drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 26.8 minutes. The average car ownership in Polk County, OR was 2 cars per household.

Population & Diversity

Polk County, OR is home to a population of 87.6k people, from which 96.7% are citizens. As of 2022, 6.41% of Polk County, OR residents were born outside of the country (5.62k people).

In 2022, there were 13.8 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (66.2k people) in Polk County, OR than any other race or ethnicity. There were 4.81k White (Hispanic) and 4.23k Two+ (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Citizenship

96.7%
2022 Citizenship
96.3%
2021 Citizenship

As of 2022, 96.7% of Polk County, OR residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.5%. In 2021, the percentage of US citizens in Polk County, OR was 96.3%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

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

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Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Polk County, OR
  1. White (Non-Hispanic)
    66.2k ± 328
  2. White (Hispanic)
    4.81k ± 893
  3. Two+ (Non-Hispanic)
    4.23k ± 471
15.1%
Hispanic Population
13.2k people

In 2022, there were 13.8 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (66.2k people) in Polk County, OR than any other race or ethnicity. There were 4.81k White (Hispanic) and 4.23k Two+ (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

15.1% of the people in Polk County, OR are hispanic (13.2k people).

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

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Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for Oregon.
Most Common Origin
  1. Mexico
    143,534 ± 9,142 people
  2. Vietnam
    22,912 ± 3,706 people
  3. China
    22,028 ± 3,634 people

In 2022, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Oregon was Mexico, the natal country of 143,534 Oregon residents, followed by Vietnam with 22,912 and China with 22,028.

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Foreign-Born Population

6.41%
2022 Foreign-Born Population
5.62k people
6.62%
2021 Foreign-Born Population
5.71k people

As of 2022, 6.41% of Polk County, OR residents (5.62k people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.6%. In 2021, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Polk County, OR was 6.62%, meaning that the rate has been decreasing.

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

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Veterans

Most Common Service Period
  1. Vietnam
    2,033 ± 293
  2. Gulf War (2001-)
    1,273 ± 291
  3. Gulf War (1990s)
    844 ± 207

Polk County, OR has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.6 times greater than any other conflict.

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Economy

The economy of Polk County, OR employs 40.5k people. The largest industries in Polk County, OR are Health Care & Social Assistance (6,974 people), Retail Trade (4,932 people), and Educational Services (3,992 people), and the highest paying industries are Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($70,705), Finance & Insurance ($69,909), and Public Administration ($66,922).

Males in Oregon have an average income that is 1.28 times higher than the average income of females, which is $64,064. The income inequality in Oregon (measured using the Gini index) is 0.463, which is lower than than the national average.

Occupations

40.5k
2022 Value
± 1,731
2.02%
1 Year growth
± 5.98%

From 2021 to 2022, employment in Polk County, OR grew at a rate of 2.02%, from 39.7k employees to 40.5k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Polk County, OR, are Management Occupations (4,232 people), Office & Administrative Support Occupations (4,040 people), and Sales & Related Occupations (3,742 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Polk County, OR.

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Unemployment Insurance Claims

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

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in Oregon (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 Industries

40.5k
2022 Value
± 1,731
2.02%
1 Year growth
± 5.98%

From 2021 to 2022, employment in Polk County, OR grew at a rate of 2.02%, from 39.7k employees to 40.5k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Polk County, OR, are Health Care & Social Assistance (6,974 people), Retail Trade (4,932 people), and Educational Services (3,992 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Polk County, OR, though some of these residents may live in Polk County, OR and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

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Median Earnings by Industry

$49,733
Median earning men ± $3,665
$37,879
Median earning women ± $1,524

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2022 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($80,655), Public Administration ($75,893), and Information ($68,726).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2022 are Public Administration ($57,583), Construction ($54,286), and Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($52,833).

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Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Oregon.
Y-Axis
2.87%
Year-over-year growth
Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 1.97M people employed in Oregon. This represents a 2.87% 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 13.1%.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in Oregon.

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Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments
  1. 559
    Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance
  2. 309
    Professional, Scientific & Management, and Administrative & Waste Management Services
  3. 297
    Manufacturing

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

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Civics

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Polk County, OR went to Donald J. Trump with 49.1% of the vote. The runner-up was Joseph R Biden Jr. (47.5%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (2.03%).

Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley are the senators currently representing the state of Oregon. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

Oregon is currently represented by 6 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

US Senators from Oregon

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for Oregon.
Ron Wyden
Senator from Oregon3
Assumed office on February 5, 1996
Elected to the seat following the resignation of Bob Packwood.
Jeff Merkley
Senator from Oregon2
Assumed office on January 3, 2009

Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley are the senators currently representing Oregon.

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

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US Representatives from Oregon

Oregon is currently represented by 6 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 Oregon have changed over time starting in 2008.

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Education

In 2022, universities in Polk County, OR awarded 1,298 degrees. The student population of Polk County, OR in 2022 is skewed towards women, with 1,289 male students and 2,462 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Polk County, OR are White (843 and 67.8%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (222 and 17.9%), Asian (47 and 3.78%), and Two or More Races (40 and 3.22%).

The largest universities in Polk County, OR by number of degrees awarded are Western Oregon University (1,298 and 100%).

The most popular majors in Polk County, OR are General Education (184 and 14.2%), General Psychology (131 and 10.1%), and Other Multidisciplinary Studies (106 and 8.17%).

The median tuition cost in Polk County, OR for a public four year colleges is $8,730 for in-state students and $28,710 for out-of-state students.

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University
Measure

In 2022 in Polk County, OR, the percentage of applicants admitted was 83.4%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 20.7%. The number of students enrolled in 2022 was 3,751 (34.4% men and 65.6% 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 2022 there were 3,751 students enrolled in Polk County, OR, 34.4% men and 65.6% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 2,253 records, of which 68.4% were women and 31.6% men.

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Concentrations

Most Common
  1. 183 degrees awarded
  2. 131 degrees awarded
  3. 101 degrees awarded

In 2022, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Polk County, OR was General Education with 183 degrees awarded.

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

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Universities

Gender
Race
Largest Universities by degrees awarded
1,298 degrees awarded

In 2022, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Western Oregon University with 1,298 degrees awarded.

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Student Diversity

University

In 2022, 398 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Polk County, OR, which is 0.442 times less than the 900 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2022 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 843 degrees mean that there were 3.8 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Hispanic or Latino, with 222 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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Average Net Price by Sector

Universities

Public, 4-year or above ($8,730) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2022.

Public, 4-year or above ($1,872) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2022.

Public, 4-year or above ($1,200) 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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Educational Pyramid

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

In 2022, 0.928% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.891% 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 Oregon.
Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2022 were Some college (868k), High School or Equivalent (807k), and Bachelors Degree (693k).

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, OR was $382,200 in 2022, which is 1.36 times larger than the national average of $281,900. Between 2021 and 2022 the median property value increased from $319,000 to $382,200, a 19.8% increase. The homeownership rate in Polk County, OR is 65.1%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 64.8%.

People in Polk County, OR have an average commute time of 26.8 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Polk County, OR is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Polk County, OR is $77,353. In 2022, the tract with the highest Median Household Income in Polk County, OR was Census Tract 205 with a value of $94,191, followed by Census Tract 202.04 and Census Tract 202.02, with respective values of $81,944 and $68,474.

In 2023, 16.6% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Polk County, OR. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 1.7%.

Property

$382,200
Median Property Value 2022
±$8,507
$20,961
Median Property Taxes
±$1,029

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, OR the largest share of households pay taxes in the $3k+ range.

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

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Rent vs Own

65.1%
Homeownership
2022
70.6%
Homeowners with Mortgage
2022

In 2022, 65.1% of the housing units in Polk County, OR were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 65.3%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Polk County, OR compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

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Income by Location

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Race/Ethnicity
Highest Median Household Income (Total)
  1. Census Tract 205
  2. Census Tract 202.04
  3. Census Tract 202.02

In 2022, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Polk County, OR was Census Tract 205 with a value of $94,191, followed by Census Tract 202.04 and Census Tract 202.02, with respective values of $81,944 and $68,474.

The following map shows all of the tracts in Polk County, OR 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.
$77,353
Median Household Income
± $3,027
32.2k
Number of Households
± 1,424

In 2022, the median household income of the 32.2k households in Polk County, OR grew to $77,353 from the previous year's value of $70,238.

The following chart displays the households in Polk County, OR 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 $75k - $100k range.

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Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Polk County, OR is from Oregon.
0.463
2022 Wage GINI in Oregon
0.462
2021 Wage GINI in Oregon

In 2022, the income inequality in Oregon was 0.463 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.21% growth from 2021 to 2022, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat less even. The GINI for Oregon was lower than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in Oregon in comparison to the national average.

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

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Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2022
  1. Drove Alone (71.2%)
  2. Worked At Home (14.3%)
  3. Carpooled (9.24%)

In 2022, 71.2% of workers in Polk County, OR drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (14.3%) and those who carpooled to work (9.24%).

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

26.8 minutes
Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Polk County, OR have a longer commute time (26.8 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.7 minutes). Additionally, 3.4% of the workforce in Polk County, OR have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Polk County, OR 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, OR distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Polk County, OR have 2 cars.

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Severe Housing Problems

In 2023, 16.6% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Polk County, OR. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 1.7%.

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

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Poverty & Diversity

11.9% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Polk County, OR (10.1k out of 85.5k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is lower than the national average of 12.5%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 18 - 24, followed by Males 18 - 24 and then Females 65 - 74.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Polk County, OR is White, followed by Hispanic and Two Or More.

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 2023, 12.6% of the children was living in poverty in Polk County, OR. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 7.6%.

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

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Health

94.8% of the population of Polk County, OR has health coverage, with 48.1% on employee plans, 19% on Medicaid, 13.4% on Medicare, 13% on non-group plans, and 1.35% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Polk County, OR see 1656 patients per year on average, which represents a 0.0604% increase from the previous year (1655 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 2346 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 338 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48.7% were men and 51.3% were women.

Patient to Clinician Ratios

1,656 to 1
Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Polk County, OR

Primary care physicians in Polk County, OR see an average of 1,656 patients per year. This represents a 0.0604% increase from the previous year (1,655 patients).

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

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Health Care Diversity

In 2022, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 24.2% under 18 years, 22.9% between 18 and 34 years, 34.6% between 35 and 64 years, and 18.3% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48.7% were men and 51.3% were women.

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

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Uninsured People

5.22%
Uninsured
48.1%
Employer Coverage
19%
Medicaid
13.4%
Medicare
13%
Non-Group
1.35%
Military or VA

Between 2021 and 2022, the percent of uninsured citizens in Polk County, OR grew by 0.00487% from 5.22% to 5.22%.

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

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Health Outcomes

Indicator

In 2023, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was 45.2 in Polk County, OR.

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

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Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2023, 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 35.5% in Polk County, OR.

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

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Clinical Care

Indicator

In 2023, the percentage of population under age 65 without health insurance was 8.69% in Polk County, OR.

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

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