Polk County
Community
Profile
96th in order of
county creation
Dec. 20, 1851
Prepared for Polk County Cooperative Extension
by the Center for Agribusiness and Economic Development
The University of Georgia • Athens, GA
Total Population
Polk County
43,007
43,643
40,267
38,127
33,815
32,386
29,656
28,015
30,976
28,467
25,141
2010 Trend CAED
2010 Proj. OPB
2004 Est.
2000
1990
1980
1970
1960
1950
1940
1930
0
5,000 10,000 15,000 20,000 25,000 30,000 35,000 40,000 45,000
Primary data sources: U.S. Census Bureau, decennial censuses & estimate; CAED (Center for
Agribusiness & Economic Development); OPB (State Office of Planning & Budget).
Population Composition by Age
Polk County
100%
4.1
13.5
65 +
45-64
20-44
5-19
<5
38.3
8.3
9.9
21.1
22.2
13.1
14.2
13.2
+1.0
15.1
20.9
20.4
32.9
36.0
26.1
22.4
22.3
+1.9
36.7
30.6
33.2
0%
5.7
Change in
proportion
1990-2000
30.1
29.2
29.8
28.7
35.6
21.8
10.9
12.5
10.9
9.4
7.0
7.1
7.2
1940
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
2000
2004 Estimated Median Age
Primary data source: U.S. Census Bureau
Polk Co. = 34.4 yrs.
-0.4
-0.6
+0.1
GA = 33.8 yrs.
2004 County Population Comparisons
County
Total
Density
Total
% Chg.
per sq.mi. land
Rank
2000-04
area
Rank of
% Chg.
POLK
40,267
47
129.4
5.6
65
BARTOW
86,972
26
189.3
14.4
22
FLOYD
94,009
24
183.2
3.8
83
HARALSON
28,069
58
99.5
9.3
41
PAULDING
105,936
16
338.0
29.7
4
Primary data source: U. S. Census Bureau
Population Change: 1930-2000
30
25
Percentage Change
20
15
10
5
0
-5
-10
-15
1930-40
1940-50
1950-60
U.S.
Primary data source: U.S. Census Bureau
1960-70
Georgia
1970-80
1980-90
1990-2000
Polk Co.
Components of Population Change: 2000-2004
Natural Increase & Net Migration*
Numerical
Change
# Natural
Increase
(BirthsDeaths)
Rate of
Natural
Increase
# Net
Migration
Rate of
Net Migration
POLK
2,140
1,152
6.9
1,000
6.0
BARTOW
10,953
3,183
9.2
7,804
22.5
FLOYD
3,444
1,539
3.9
1,947
5.0
HARALSON
2,379
419
3.7
1,969
17.2
PAULDING
24,289
4,939
12.4
19,394
48.7
Avg. GA Co.
4,041
1,878
4.8
2,156
8.4
GEORGIA
642,567
298,562
8.3
342,818
9.5
Primary data source:
U. S. Census Bureau
* Numerical change includes “residual” not represented in either NI or NM.
Average annual estimates of annual rates per 1,000 population
Area
Population Change: 2000-2004
LOSS
0 – 4.3%
4.3 – 7.8%
7.8 – 15.7%
15.7 – 34%
GA = 7.8%
US = 4.3%
Primary data source: U.S. Census Bureau
Selected Vital Statistics
2004 Rates
16.5
Total births per 1,000 pop
15.7
42.3
Unwed per 100 total births
39.2
47.8
Teen pregnancy per 1,000
females age 10-19
Deaths per 1,000 pop
34.7
12.4
7.4
9.9
Induced terminations per
1,000 females age 15-44
Low birth weight per 100
births
Infant deaths per 1,000 births
10-yr. rates 1995-2004
16.2
9.2
8.8
7.4
Polk Co.
Georgia
8.7
2004 Polk Co. Natality Data
666 total births, 282 unwed births
75 induced terminations
125 teen pregnancies
64 low birth weight babies
2004 Polk Co. Mortality Data
499 total deaths
5 infant deaths
Primary data source: GA Dept. Public Health
Highest Level of Educational Attainment: 2000
3.9
Grad or Prof Degree
8.3
4.1
Bachelor's degree
16.0
3.3
Associate degree
5.2
16.9
Some college, no degree
20.4
HS Grad
35.1
28.7
22.0
9th-12th no diploma
13.8
Polk Co.
Georgia
14.8
< 9th grade
7.6
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
Percent of Persons Age 25+
Polk Co.
Not completing HS = 36.7%
With a bachelor’s + degree = 8%
Primary data source: U.S. Census Bureau
Selected Public School Statistics
School Year 2003-04
54.4
51.8
Teachers w/adv degrees
46.9
College prep certif
73.4
56.2
Class '04 Grad Rate
4.5
Gifted
65.4
8.2
16.3
12.1
Special Ed
44.2
46.4
Free/Reduc lunch
3.8
3.9
Retained in grade
Absent >15 days
9.5
8.0
5.1
HS Dropout rate
0
10
Primary data source:
Governor’s Office of Student Achievement
Polk Co.
Georgia
14.5
20
30
40
50
Percentage
60
70
80
Polk Co.
K12 enrollment = 6,849
HS dropouts = 165
General Fund expenditures per pupil = $6,114
Per Capita Income: 1998-2003
$35,000
$30,000
$25,000
$20,000
$15,000
$10,000
$5,000
$0
1998
1999
2000
Polk Co.
2003 PCI
Polk Co. = $20,102
Primary data source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis
2001
Georgia
2002
2003
U.S.
Georgia = $29,000
U.S. = $31,472
Per Capita Income: 1998-2003
Percentage Change
8
Percentage
6
4
2
0
1998-99
1999-2000
Polk Co.
Primary data source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis
2000-01
Georgia
2001-02
2002-03
U.S.
Per Capita Income: 2003
PCI
Rank of
PCI
% PCI of
GA Total
% Change
in PCI
1998-2003
POLK
$20,102
122
69.3
18.1
BARTOW
$26,265
25
90.6
16.9
FLOYD
$25,337
27
87.4
17.8
HARALSON $21,742
90
75.0
12.8
PAULDING
$23,191
61
80.0
14.3
GA Avg. Co. $22,879
--
78.9
15.5
County
Primary data source: U. S. Bureau of Economic Analysis
Median Household Income
2003 Model-Based Estimates
$43,318
US
$42,421
GEORGIA
$34,859
GA Avg. Co.
$33,296
POLK
$46,051
BARTOW
$34,783
FLOYD
$33,135
HARALSON
$56,998
PAULDING
$0
$9,000 $18,000 $27,000 $36,000 $45,000 $54,000 $63,000
Primary data source: U. S. Census Bureau
Transfer Receipts: 2003
Polk Co. Total = $205,736,000
37.2
35.8
Retirement/Disab
21.3
19.2
Medicare
2.7
2.7
Supp Sec Inc
0.3
0.6
1.5
Food Stamps
2.5
Polk Co.
17.0
18.9
Pub Med Assist
Georgia
Family Assist
Other Inc Maint
4.5
5.6
2.1
3.2
Unemp
Veteran Benefit
Polk Co.
$5,158 per capita
transfer receipts
3.4
All Other
25.7% of total personal income
0.1% change in total 2002-2003
8.5
4.9
8.2
0
5
10
15
20
25
Percentage
Primary data source: Bureau of Economic Analysis
30
35
40
45
50
Persons Living Below Poverty Level
2003 Model-Based Estimates
# of
Persons
% of all
Persons
Rank
of %
POLK
5,761
14.6
59
BARTOW
9,380
10.9
24
FLOYD
13,495
15.0
66
HARALSON
4,069
14.6
59
PAULDING
7,156
6.8
5
GA Avg. Co.
7,246
16.0
--
County
Primary data source: U. S. Census Bureau
Persons Living Below the Poverty Level
2003 Model-Based Estimates
5.2 – 9.4%
9.4 – 13.4%
13.4 – 17.0%
17.0 – 20.1%
20.1 – 24.7%
Weighted
average poverty
threshold for a
family of 4
persons in 2003
= $18,810
Primary data source: U.S. Census Bureau
Georgia
1,152,089
persons
13.3%
------------US = 12.5%
Unemployment Rates
Rate per 100 in Labor Forc
10
Polk Co.
Georgia
U. S.
8
6
4
2
0
1995
1996
1997
2004 Rates
Primary data source: GA Dept. of Labor
1998
1999
2000
Polk Co. = 4.7
2001
2002
GA = 4.6
2003
2004
US = 5.5
Business Establishments, Employment and Wages
Polk County 2004 Annual Averages, % of Total
Estab
Emp
Wages
Construction
Transp-warehous
Admin-waste svc
All other svc
Primary data source: GA Dept. of Labor
Manufacturing
Finance/Insur
Health svc
Govt
Retail trade
Prof-Sci-Tech Svc
Accom/Food Svc
All Other
Employment Comparisons by Industry: 2004
Total GOODS
Producing
Construction
Prof-Sci-Tech
Adm-Waste svc
Health-Soc Svcs
Accomo-Food svc
All other svcs
47.2
11.8
11.6
Retail trade
Information
27.9
11.7
Total SERVICE
Producing
Finance-Ins
17.7
5.3
5.2
Manufacturing
33.4
2.3
3.9
2.0
4.1
1.3
5.0
2.7
6.9
5.9
8.8
6.6
8.4
8.2
Total
GOVERNMENT
Primary data source: GA Dept. of Labor
Polk Co.
14.4
19.3
16.5
Georgia
65.4
Farm Gate Value by Commodity Group: 2004
Polk Co. Total Value = $28,187,238
Poultry-Egg
59.8%
Other
3.4%
Forestry
7.4%
Livestock
20.3%
Row-Forage crops
9.2%
Primary data source: Center for Agribusiness & Economic Development, UGA
Components of Gross Property Tax Digest: 2004
Polk Co. Gross Digest (40% Value) = $904,651,449
40.6
Residential
13.2
Ag/Pref/Environ
6.3
12.4
13.1
Commercial
Industrial
Utility
Motor Vehicle
8.4
7.7
7.1
10.2
5.7
3.9
9.8
8.9
7.4
0.5
1.5
Mobile Home
0.5
0.2
Timber
1.1
0.2
Primary data source: GA Dept. of Revenue
45.3
52
20.7
22.6
Polk Co.
GA Avg. Co.
GA Total
County Property Tax Digest Comparisons: 2004
County
% Resi- % Agri- % Com- % In- % Motor
%
dential cultural mercial dustrial Vehicle Other
POLK
45.3
13.2
12.4
8.4
9.8
10.9
BARTOW
41.7
8.8
15.3
16.9
9.0
8.3
FLOYD
42.3
6.3
17.3
11.9
8.0
14.3
HARALSON
41.7
23.7
11.7
6.2
10.0
6.7
PAULDING
71.9
5.2
10.3
1.3
9.1
2.2
Avg. GA Co.
40.6
20.8
13.2
7.9
9.0
8.4
Primary data source: GA Dept. of Revenue
Millage Rates, Taxes Levied, & Sales Tax
’05 Countywide
Millage*
’05
School
Millage*
’04 Taxes
Levied*
($000)
Sales
Tax Rate
as of 1/06
as of 1/06
POLK
25.29
15.28
$23,581
7
LSE
BARTOW
27.69
19.19
$65,343
7
LSE
FLOYD
29.51
19.00
$77,582
6
LE
HARALSON
24.80
13.33
$15,426
7
LSE
PAULDING
24.53
16.41
$65,403
7
LSE
County
LOST
Type*
*All tax districts are assessed an additional .250 state millage. Taxes Levied, but not
necessarily collected. L=Local Option Sales Tax, S=Special Purpose, E=Educational.
Primary data source: GA Dept. of Revenue
Retail Sales Analysis: 2004
Polk Co. Total Retail Sales = $305,811,000
0.86
Total Retail Sales
2.89
Health-Personal Care
0.90
Bldg Mat-garden equip-supplies
Gas stations
1.38
0.28
Motor Vehicle-parts
Furniture-Home Furn-Appliance
0.57
0.83
Clothing & Accessories
0.76
General Merchandise
0.67
Food Services-Drinking Places
1.53
Food-Beverage Stores
0
1
2
3
Sales Activity Index-Wealth Factor
A “pull factor” of 1.0 means that the county’s sales are what would be expected
based upon the number of residents and their relative wealth.
Primary data sources: “2005 Georgia Outshopping Report,” SBDC, Applied Research, The University of Georgia.
Commuting to Work: 2000
Percentage of:
Residents working in
county
55.2
Residents working
out of county
44.8
Workers coming into
county
26.3
Residents driving to
work alone
75.2
Residents carpooling
Residents working at
home
20.7
1.9
Polk County
Mean travel time to work = 30 min.
Ratio of IN to OUT = 0.44
Resident workers 16+ = 15,552
Residents working in county = 8,582
Residents working out of county = 6,970
Total working in county = 11,637
Workers commuting into county = 3,055
Primary data source: U.S. Census Bureau
This study was developed
to assist community leadership
with their future planning
and decision making.
Special County Area Report
# 06 -11
February, 2006
Prepared for Polk County Cooperative Extension
by Susan R. Boatright and Emily Olliff
Center for Agribusiness and Economic Development
College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
The University of Georgia • Athens, GA
Georgia Cooperative Extension
706-542-0760 • 706-542-8938
www.caed.uga.edu AND www.georgiastats.uga.edu