Polk County, MN

County

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    2024 Population
    30,705
    US Senator
    Amy Klobuchar
    Democratic(DFL) Party
    US Senator
    Tina Smith
    Democratic(DFL) Party
    2024 Median Age
    39.8
    0.759% 1-year increase
    2024 Poverty Rate
    11.9%
    1.89% 1-year increase
    2024 Median Household Income
    $73,107
    5.74% 1-year growth
    2024 Median Property Value
    $222,800
    5.54% 1-year growth
    2024 Employed Population
    15,401
    0.136% 1-year decline

    About

    None of the households in Polk County, MN 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% of the residents in Polk County, MN are U.S. citizens.

    The largest universities in Polk County, MN are University of Minnesota-Crookston (381 degrees awarded in 2024).

    In 2024, the median property value in Polk County, MN was $222,800, and the homeownership rate was 71.3%.

    Most people in Polk County, MN drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 18.6 minutes. The average car ownership in Polk County, MN was 2 cars per household.

    United StatesMinnesotaGrand Forks, ND-MN

    Population & Diversity

    Polk County, MN is home to a population of 30.7k people, from which 99% are citizens. As of 2024, 2.09% of Polk County, MN residents were born outside of the country (642 people).

    In 2024, there were 22.4 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (25.8k people) in Polk County, MN than any other race or ethnicity. There were 1.15k Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic) and 1.03k Two Races Including Other (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

    Population & Diversity

    Citizenship

    99%
    2024 Citizenship
    98.8%
    2023 Citizenship

    As of 2024, 99% of Polk County, MN residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.2%. In 2023, the percentage of US citizens in Polk County, MN was 98.8%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

    The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Polk County, MN 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, MN
    1. White (Non-Hispanic)
      25.8k ± 184
    2. Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic)
      1.15k ± 227
    3. Two Races Including Other (Hispanic)
      1.03k ± 207
    6.91%
    Hispanic Population
    2.12k people

    In 2024, there were 22.4 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (25.8k people) in Polk County, MN than any other race or ethnicity. There were 1.15k Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic) and 1.03k Two Races Including Other (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

    6.91% of the people in Polk County, MN are hispanic (2.12k people).

    The following chart shows the 8 races represented in Polk County, MN 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 Minnesota.
    Most Common Origin
    1. Mexico
      61,898 ± 6,075 people
    2. Somalia
      36,765 ± 4,692 people
    3. India
      31,170 ± 4,323 people

    In 2024, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Minnesota was Mexico, the natal country of 61,898 Minnesota residents, followed by Somalia with 36,765 and India with 31,170.

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    Foreign-Born Population

    2.09%
    2024 Foreign-Born Population
    642 people
    2.49%
    2023 Foreign-Born Population
    770 people

    As of 2024, 2.09% of Polk County, MN residents (642 people) were born outside of the United States, which is approximately the same as the national average of 14%. In 2023, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Polk County, MN was 2.49%, meaning that the rate has been decreasing.

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

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    Military

    Veterans

    Most Common Service Period
    1. Vietnam
      570 ± 99
    2. Gulf War (2001-)
      235 ± 60
    3. Gulf War (1990s)
      180 ± 53

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

    The chart shows the distribution of veterans by conflict in Polk County, MN.

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    Health

    94.2% of the population of Polk County, MN has health coverage, with 47.9% on employee plans, 18.4% on Medicaid, 14.1% on Medicare, 12% on non-group plans, and 1.83% on military or VA plans.

    Primary care physicians in Polk County, MN see 1,809 patients per year on average, which represents a 0% change from the previous year (1,809 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 2195 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 371 patients per year.

    By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 51.6% were men and 48.4% were women.

    Coverage

    Patient to Clinician Ratios

    1,809 to 1
    Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Polk County, MN

    Primary care physicians in Polk County, MN see an average of 1,809 patients per year. This represents a 0% change from the previous year (1,809 patients).

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

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    Health Care Diversity

    In 2024, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 26.6% under 18 years, 17.7% between 18 and 34 years, 37.7% between 35 and 64 years, and 18% over 64 years.

    By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 51.6% were men and 48.4% were women.

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

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    Uninsured People

    5.83%
    Uninsured
    47.9%
    Employer Coverage
    18.4%
    Medicaid
    14.1%
    Medicare
    12%
    Non-Group
    1.83%
    Military or VA

    Between 2023 and 2024, the percent of uninsured citizens in Polk County, MN grew by 17.8% from 4.94% to 5.83%.

    The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Polk County, MN 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 2025, the average number of mentally unhealthy days reported in past 30 days (age-adjusted) was 4.91 in Polk County, MN.

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

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    Health Behaviors

    Indicator

    In 2025, 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 38.8% in Polk County, MN.

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

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    Clinical Care

    Indicator

    In 2025, the percentage of population under age 65 without health insurance was 5.62% in Polk County, MN.

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

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    Economy

    The economy of Polk County, MN employs 15.4k people. In 2024, the largest industries in Polk County, MN were Health Care & Social Assistance (2,710 people), Educational Services (1,904 people), and Retail Trade (1,778 people), and the highest paying industries were Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($127,500), Utilities ($94,583), and Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($73,000).

    Employment

    Occupations

    15.4k
    2024 Value
    ± 708
    −0.136%
    1 Year decline
    ± 6.54%

    From 2023 to 2024, employment in Polk County, MN declined at a rate of −0.136%, from 15.4k employees to 15.4k employees.

    The most common job groups, by number of people living in Polk County, MN, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (1,709 people), Management Occupations (1,622 people), and Sales & Related Occupations (1,337 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Polk County, MN.

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    Unemployment Insurance Claims

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

    This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in Minnesota (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

    15.4k
    2024 Value
    ± 708
    −0.136%
    1 Year decline
    ± 6.54%

    From 2023 to 2024, employment in Polk County, MN declined at a rate of −0.136%, from 15.4k employees to 15.4k employees.

    The most common employment sectors for those who live in Polk County, MN, are Health Care & Social Assistance (2,710 people), Educational Services (1,904 people), and Retail Trade (1,778 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Polk County, MN, though some of these residents may live in Polk County, MN and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

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    Median Earnings by Industry

    $56,710
    Median earning men ± $2,371
    $39,719
    Median earning women ± $3,230

    The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2024 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($126,250), Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($74,792), and Construction ($69,583).

    The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2024 are Public Administration ($57,358), Wholesale Trade ($56,667), and Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($52,788).

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    Employment by Industry Sector

    Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Minnesota.
    Y-Axis
    2.26%
    Year-over-year growth
    Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

    As of February 2023, there are 2.93M people employed in Minnesota. This represents a 2.26% 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 13.4%.

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

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    Establishments by Size

    The industries with the most establishments
    1. 68
      Construction
    2. 60
      Other Services (except Public Administration)
    3. 36
      Finance and Insurance

    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. $100k
      Health Care and Social Assistance
    2. $96.4k
      Manufacturing
    3. $40.2k
      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 Minnesota went to Kamala Harris with 50.9% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (46.7%), followed by Robert Kennedy (0.738%).

    Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith are the senators currently representing the state of Minnesota. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

    Minnesota 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, MN. Showing the available data for Minnesota.
    2024 Election Results
    1. Kamala Harris (50.9%)
      Democratic Party
    2. Donald J. Trump (46.7%)
      Republican Party
    3. Robert Kennedy (0.738%)
      Independent Party

    In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Minnesota went to Kamala Harris with 50.9% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (46.7%), followed by Robert Kennedy (0.738%).

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

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    Senator Elections

    US Senators from Minnesota

    Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for Minnesota.
    Amy Klobuchar
    Senator from Minnesota1
    Assumed office on January 3, 2007
    The Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party (DFL) is the Minnesota affiliate of the U.S. Democratic Party and its members are counted as Democrats.
    Tina Smith
    Senator from Minnesota2
    Assumed office on January 3, 2018
    Appointed to the seat following the resignation of Al Franken.{{Cite news |url=http://abc7chicago.com/news/franken-to-make-announcement-thursday-as-chorus-grows-for-his-resignation/2747124/ |title=Franken to make announcement Thursday as chorus grows for his resignation |date=December 6, 2017 |work=ABC7 Chicago |access-date=December 9, 2017 }}

    Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith are the senators currently representing Minnesota.

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

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    Education

    In 2024, universities in Polk County, MN awarded 381 degrees. The student population of Polk County, MN in 2024 is skewed towards women, with 1,097 male students and 1,515 female students.

    Most students graduating from Universities in Polk County, MN are White (294 and 81%), Black or African American (14 and 3.86%), Hispanic or Latino (14 and 3.86%), and Unknown (12 and 3.31%).

    The largest universities in Polk County, MN by number of degrees awarded are University of Minnesota-Crookston (381 and 100%).

    The most popular majors in Polk County, MN are Accounting (31 and 8.14%), General Finance (31 and 8.14%), and Health Care Administration & Management (27 and 7.09%).

    The median tuition cost for a public four year colleges is $11,648 for in-state students and $11,648 for out-of-state students.

    Admissions & Enrollments

    Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

    University
    Measure

    In 2024 in Polk County, MN, the percentage of applicants admitted was 87.9%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 17.6%. The number of students enrolled in 2024 was 2,612 (42% men and 58% 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 2024 there were 2,612 students enrolled in Polk County, MN, 42% men and 58% women.

    By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 1,911 records, of which 58.9% were women and 41.1% men.

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    Completions

    Concentrations

    Most Common
    1. Accounting
      31 degrees awarded
    2. General Finance
      30 degrees awarded
    3. General Business Administration & Management
      27 degrees awarded

    In 2024, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Polk County, MN was Accounting with 31 degrees awarded.

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

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    Universities

    Gender
    Race
    University of Minnesota-Crookston
    Largest Universities by degrees awarded
    381 degrees awarded

    In 2024, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was University of Minnesota-Crookston with 381 degrees awarded.

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    Student Diversity

    University

    In 2024, 142 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Polk County, MN, which is 0.594 times less than the 239 female students who received degrees in the same year.

    In 2024, the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 294 degrees mean that there were 21 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Black or African American, with 14 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

    Public, 4-year or above ($11,648) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2024.

    Public, 4-year or above ($1,640) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2024.

    Public, 4-year or above ($1,000) 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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    Housing & Living

    The median property value in Polk County, MN was $222,800 in 2024, which is 0.67 times smaller than the national average of $332,700. Between 2023 and 2024 the median property value increased from $211,100 to $222,800, a 5.54% increase. The homeownership rate in Polk County, MN is 71.3%, which is higher than the national average of 65.2%.

    People in Polk County, MN have an average commute time of 18.6 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Polk County, MN is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

    In 2025, 12.4% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Polk County, MN. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 0.826%.

    Housing

    Property

    $222,800
    Median Property Value 2024
    ±$6,841
    $8,809
    Median Property Taxes
    ±$418

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

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

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    Rent vs Own

    71.3%
    Homeownership
    2024
    64.4%
    Homeowners with Mortgage
    2024

    In 2024, 71.3% of the housing units in Polk County, MN were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 72.1%.

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

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    Equity

    Household Income

    Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.
    $73,107
    Median Household Income
    ± $4,402
    12.4k
    Number of Households
    ± 581

    In 2024, the median household income of the 12.4k households in Polk County, MN grew to $73,107 from the previous year's value of $69,136.

    The following chart displays the households in Polk County, MN 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, MN is from Minnesota.
    0.452
    2024 Wage GINI in Minnesota
    0.454
    2023 Wage GINI in Minnesota

    In 2024, the income inequality in Minnesota was 0.452 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.568% decline from 2023 to 2024, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for Minnesota was lower than than the national average of 0.474. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in Minnesota in comparison to the national average.

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

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    Transportation

    Commuter Transportation

    Most Common Commute in 2024
    1. Drove Alone (78.3%)
    2. Carpooled (6.67%)
    3. Walked (6.23%)

    In 2024, 78.3% of workers in Polk County, MN drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (6.67%) and those who walked to work (6.23%).

    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

    18.6 minutes
    Average Travel Time

    Using averages, employees in Polk County, MN have a shorter commute time (18.6 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.4 minutes). Additionally, 1.33% of the workforce in Polk County, MN have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

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

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    Poverty

    Severe Housing Problems

    In 2025, 12.4% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Polk County, MN. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 0.826%.

    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, MN (3.51k out of 29.6k 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 35 - 44, followed by Males 25 - 34 and then Females 25 - 34.

    The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Polk County, MN 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 2025, 11.9% of the children was living in poverty in Polk County, MN. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 5.7%.

    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 193 in Polk County, MN. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator grew 11.7% 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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