Georgia · GEOID 13233

Polk County

2024 ACS 5-year estimates · population 43,785 · 17,368 housing units

Median household income

$58,515

State $79,556

Median home value

$187,600

State $310,585

Median gross rent

$918

State $1,398

Homeownership rate

66.0%

State 65.7%

Renter cost-burden rate

54.0%

≥30% of income

Owner cost-burden rate

15.4%

≥30% of income

Homeowner vacancy

0.0%

Of owner-occupied + for-sale units

Rental vacancy

5.7%

Of renter-occupied + for-rent units

Overall vacancy

8.4%

All housing units

Price-to-income ratio

3.21

Affordable: 2.0–3.0

Section 1

Community Profile

Population, demographics, household composition, and income.

Community Data Summary

	Polk County	Georgia
Population	43,785	10,940,407
Population density (per sq. mi.)	141.09	—
Median household income	$58,515	$79,556
HUD Area Median Income (4-person, 100%)	$72,500	—
Households	15,901	—
Average household size	2.72 people	—
Owner-occupied	66.0%	65.7%
Renter-occupied	34.0%	34.3%
Race	72.6% White · 11.9% Black	0.0% White · 0.0% Black

Source: ACS 5-year 2024 (Tables DP05, S1101, DP04, S1901) and Census Gazetteer (land area); HUD FY2026 Income Limits.

Racial composition

Polk County compared with Georgia.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table DP05.

Educational attainment (population 25+)

15.4% hold a bachelor's degree or higher (state: 34.9%).

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table S1501.

Median Household Income by Tenure

Owner-occupied vs. renter-occupied household income, county and state.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25119.

Median Household Income by Age of Householder

Median household income by age group of householder.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B19049.

Median Household Income by Number of Earners

Median household income for families with each earner count.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table S1903.

Household Size

Distribution of households by number of people.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table S2501.

Income by Number of Earners

Earners	Share	Median income	Attainable monthly housing cost	Attainable home
0 earners	17.0%	$33,274	$832	$92,838
1 earner	35.5%	$55,907	$1,398	$177,085
2 earners	40.0%	$99,452	$2,486	$339,175
3+ earners	7.6%	$130,221	$3,256	$453,707

Attainable monthly housing cost = 30% of gross income ÷ 12. Attainable home price assumes 30% housing budget, 30-yr mortgage at 7%, 5% down.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table S1903; affordability formula derived.

Households

15,901

Average size: 2.72 people

Households with children

5,001

31.5% of households

Per-capita income

$28,773

Poverty rate: 14.7%

Section 2

Residential Market Analysis

Housing stock characteristics — tenure, type, age, size, vacancy, rents.

Tenure

66.0% owner-occupied vs. state average 65.7%.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table DP04.

Structure type

Single-family share 80.7% · Missing middle (2–19 units) 8.6%.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25024.

Housing stock by decade

43.8% built before 1980 · Median structure age 1,983.00 yrs.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table S2504.

Housing size mismatch

Compares the share of housing units by bedroom count against the share of households by size — a common diagnostic of housing supply/demand alignment.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Tables B25041 (bedrooms) and S2501 (household size).

Home value distribution

Owner-occupied homes by value bracket. Median: $187,600.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table DP04.

Monthly Housing Costs

Distribution of monthly housing costs across all occupied units.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25104.

Number of Bedrooms

Housing units by number of bedrooms.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25041.

Median rent by bedroom

Overall median gross rent: $918.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25031.

Renters by age

Number of renter householders by age bracket.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table S2502.

Owners by age

Number of owner householders by age bracket.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table S2502.

Vacancy composition

All 1,467 vacant units split into Census's seven categories. Frictional vacancy (units actively on the market) reflects healthy churn. Structural vacancy (seasonal, migrant, other) sits outside the market for year-round residents — high values change how the headline vacancy rate should be read.

Vacant units by type

For sale 0.0% · For rent 22.4% · Seasonal 4.5% · Other 73.1%.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25004.

Frictional vs structural

22.4% of vacancy is frictional (for sale + for rent + rented/sold not yet occupied); 77.6% is structural (seasonal + migrant + other).

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25004.

Seasonal / recreational share of all housing

0.4%

66 units of 17,368 total

Housing units held for seasonal or recreational use.

"Other vacant" share of all housing

6.2%

1,073 units of 17,368 total

⚑ Above the 5% threshold — possible indicator of disinvestment, abandonment, or condemned stock.

Section 3

Workforce Housing Needs Assessment

Affordability, cost burden, and the housing options for households in the workforce income range.

Workforce range — ACS median household income

80% MHI$46,812

100% MHI$58,515

120% MHI$70,218

County-wide median from ACS 5-year estimates. A household at 100% MHI in Polk County should be able to afford a home up to roughly — (30% housing budget, default mortgage terms).

Workforce range — HUD Area Median Income

	1-person	2-person	4-person
80% AMI	$43,150	$49,300	$61,600
100% AMI	$50,750	$58,000	$72,500
120% AMI	$60,900	$69,600	$87,000

HUD FMR Area: Polk County, GA. 80% AMI uses HUD's published Section 8 Low Income Limits; 100% is HUD MFI; 120% is the standard workforce convention.

Affordability calculator

Follows the standard 30%-of-gross-income affordability rule.

Income basis Household income Interest rate % Down payment % Taxes & insurance / yr

Affordable monthly—

Affordable home price—

Renter cost burden

54.0% of renter households spend ≥30% of income on rent (28.0% spend ≥50%).

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25070.

Owner cost burden by income

15.4% of homeowners spend ≥30% of income on housing. Bars show counts of cost-burdened owners by income bracket.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25106.

Household income — owners vs renters

Distribution of household income for owner-occupied (navy) and renter-occupied (gold) households.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25118.

Section 4

Industry & Workforce Wages

Employment, average wages, and the housing each industry's typical earner can afford in Polk County.

Covered employment

10,412

Across 15 sectors

Establishments

739

QCEW 2024

Avg annual pay (workforce)

$47,882

Employment-weighted across sectors

Top 10 sectors by employment

Annual average employment by NAICS 2-digit sector. Counties with fewer than five covered establishments in a sector may show suppressed totals.

Source: BLS QCEW Annual Averages, 2024.

Attainable housing by industry

Industry	Employment	Avg annual wage	Affordable home price	vs. median value	Affordable monthly rent
NAICS 31-33 Manufacturing NAICS 31-33	2,765	$60,251	$193,255	+$5,655	$1,506
NAICS 44-45 Retail trade NAICS 44-45	1,960	$34,866	$98,764	−$88,836	$872
NAICS 72 Accommodation and food services NAICS 72	1,234	$20,179	$44,094	−$143,506	$504
NAICS 61 Educational services NAICS 61	1,125	$55,126	$174,178	−$13,422	$1,378
NAICS 62 Health care and social assistance NAICS 62	1,099	$54,178	$170,649	−$16,951	$1,354
NAICS 92 Public administration NAICS 92	666	$44,147	$133,311	−$54,289	$1,104
NAICS 23 Construction NAICS 23	468	$73,176	$241,366	+$53,766	$1,829
NAICS 81 Other services (except public administration) NAICS 81	335	$39,434	$115,767	−$71,833	$986
NAICS 56 Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services NAICS 56	297	$57,411	$182,684	−$4,916	$1,435
NAICS 52 Finance and insurance NAICS 52	165	$59,286	$189,663	+$2,063	$1,482
NAICS 71 Arts, entertainment, and recreation NAICS 71	95	$15,347	$26,107	−$161,493	$384
NAICS 51 Information NAICS 51	79	$68,722	$224,787	+$37,187	$1,718
NAICS 48-49 Transportation and warehousing NAICS 48-49	70	$61,944	$199,557	+$11,957	$1,549
NAICS 53 Real estate and rental and leasing NAICS 53	38	$42,434	$126,934	−$60,666	$1,061
NAICS 99 Unclassified NAICS 99	16	$39,149	$114,706	−$72,894	$979

Subsector	Employment	Avg annual wage	Affordable home price	vs. median value	Affordable monthly rent
NAICS 722 Food services and drinking places NAICS 722	1,199	$20,261	$44,399	−$143,201	$507
NAICS 611 Educational services NAICS 611	1,125	$55,126	$174,178	−$13,422	$1,378
NAICS 921 Executive, legislative, and other general government support NAICS 921	607	$41,757	$124,414	−$63,186	$1,044
NAICS 623 Nursing and residential care facilities NAICS 623	396	$42,079	$125,613	−$61,987	$1,052
NAICS 238 Specialty trade contractors NAICS 238	349	$72,153	$237,558	+$49,958	$1,804
NAICS 445 Food and beverage retailers NAICS 445	299	$27,822	$72,543	−$115,057	$696
NAICS 621 Ambulatory health care services NAICS 621	295	$54,480	$171,774	−$15,826	$1,362
NAICS 561 Administrative and support services NAICS 561	230	$50,949	$158,630	−$28,970	$1,274
NAICS 444 Building material and garden equipment and supplies dealers NAICS 444	220	$33,028	$91,922	−$95,678	$826
NAICS 812 Personal and laundry services NAICS 812	204	$40,196	$118,604	−$68,996	$1,005
NAICS 456 Health and personal care retailers NAICS 456	181	$44,988	$136,441	−$51,159	$1,125
NAICS 333 Machinery manufacturing NAICS 333	161	$62,481	$201,556	+$13,956	$1,562
NAICS 449 Furniture, home furnishings, electronics, and appliance retailers NAICS 449	158	$51,083	$159,129	−$28,471	$1,277
NAICS 457 Gasoline stations and fuel dealers NAICS 457	143	$25,608	$64,302	−$123,298	$640
NAICS 441 Motor vehicle and parts dealers NAICS 441	140	$42,072	$125,587	−$62,013	$1,052
NAICS 423 Merchant wholesalers, durable goods NAICS 423	137	$55,924	$177,149	−$10,451	$1,398
NAICS 484 Truck transportation NAICS 484	127	$64,579	$209,365	+$21,765	$1,614
NAICS 459 Sporting goods, hobby, musical instrument, book, and miscellaneous retailers NAICS 459	112	$33,540	$93,828	−$93,772	$839
NAICS 811 Repair and maintenance NAICS 811	108	$40,171	$118,511	−$69,089	$1,004
NAICS 713 Amusement, gambling, and recreation industries NAICS 713	95	$15,347	$26,107	−$161,493	$384
NAICS 236 Construction of buildings NAICS 236	90	$83,798	$280,905	+$93,305	$2,095
NAICS 524 Insurance carriers and related activities NAICS 524	89	$58,237	$185,758	−$1,842	$1,456
NAICS 562 Waste management and remediation services NAICS 562	66	$80,802	$269,753	+$82,153	$2,020
NAICS 491 Postal service NAICS 491	65	$63,673	$205,993	+$18,393	$1,592
NAICS 517 Telecommunications NAICS 517	62	$78,495	$261,166	+$73,566	$1,962
NAICS 332 Fabricated metal product manufacturing NAICS 332	49	$60,851	$195,489	+$7,889	$1,521
NAICS 922 Justice, public order, and safety activities NAICS 922	41	$68,546	$224,132	+$36,532	$1,714
NAICS 721 Accommodation NAICS 721	34	$17,871	$35,502	−$152,098	$447
NAICS 237 Heavy and civil engineering construction NAICS 237	29	$52,523	$164,489	−$23,111	$1,313
NAICS 322 Paper manufacturing NAICS 322	22	$57,596	$183,372	−$4,228	$1,440
NAICS 531 Real estate NAICS 531	20	$37,379	$108,118	−$79,482	$934
NAICS 532 Rental and leasing services NAICS 532	18	$48,051	$147,843	−$39,757	$1,201
NAICS 321 Wood product manufacturing NAICS 321	17	$42,790	$128,259	−$59,341	$1,070
NAICS 999 Unclassified NAICS 999	16	$39,149	$114,706	−$72,894	$979
NAICS 926 Administration of economic programs NAICS 926	11	$80,924	$270,207	+$82,607	$2,023
NAICS 488 Support activities for transportation NAICS 488	5	$39,467	$115,890	−$71,710	$987
NAICS 924 Administration of environmental quality programs NAICS 924	4	$47,755	$146,741	−$40,859	$1,194
NAICS 813 Religious, grantmaking, civic, professional, and similar organizations NAICS 813	2	$51,307	$159,963	−$27,637	$1,283
NAICS 925 Administration of housing programs, urban planning, and community development NAICS 925	2	$70,679	$232,072	+$44,472	$1,767
NAICS 923 Administration of human resource programs NAICS 923	1	$22,485	$52,677	−$134,923	$562

Affordable home price assumes the industry's average earner uses 30% of gross income for housing, with a 30-year mortgage at 7%, 5% down, $2,500/yr taxes & insurance, and 0.5% PMI. Adjust the Section 3 calculator for other terms. Affordable rent is 30% of monthly gross pay.

Source: BLS QCEW Annual Averages, 2024; ACS 5-year 2024 (median home value).

Section 5

Wages by Occupation

Selected essential-worker occupations for the MSA or nonmetropolitan area containing this county — jobs, the 10-year change, wages, and the housing each typical earner can afford. Both jobs counts and wages are reported at the MSA / nonmetropolitan-area level (BLS does not publish OEWS at the county level), so every county inside the same area shows the same numbers. For county-accurate employment totals, see Section 4 above.

Occupational wages and affordable housing

Occupation	2025 jobs	2015–2025 change	% change	Hourly wage	Annual wage	Affordable home price	Affordable monthly rent
Fast Food and Counter Workers SOC 35-3023 · prior-year code differs	7,370	1,530	26%	$12.36	$25,710	$64,682	$643
Waiters and Waitresses SOC 35-3031	3,050	280	10%	$12.82	$26,660	$68,218	$667
Childcare Workers SOC 39-9011	630	140	29%	$12.96	$26,950	$69,298	$674
Cashiers SOC 41-2011	5,260	(150)	(3%)	$13.28	$27,620	$71,792	$691
Retail Salespersons SOC 41-2031	5,570	(10)	(0%)	$15.52	$32,280	$89,138	$807
Janitors and Cleaners SOC 37-2011	2,230	420	23%	$16.18	$33,660	$94,274	$842
Home Health and Personal Care Aides SOC 31-1131 · prior-year code differs	1,420	(10)	(1%)	$17.54	$36,490	$104,809	$912
Office Clerks, General SOC 43-9061	3,290	50	2%	$19.06	$39,630	$116,497	$991
Tellers SOC 43-3071	460	(110)	(19%)	$19.29	$40,130	$118,358	$1,003
Firefighters SOC 33-2011	730	320	78%	$19.31	$40,150	$118,432	$1,004
Construction Laborers SOC 47-2061	1,190	(550)	(32%)	$19.62	$40,810	$120,889	$1,020
Carpenters SOC 47-2031	230	(180)	(44%)	$23.46	$48,790	$150,593	$1,220
Maintenance and Repair Workers, General SOC 49-9071	2,860	800	39%	$23.96	$49,840	$154,502	$1,246
Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers SOC 33-3051	1,050	(210)	(17%)	$24.14	$50,220	$155,916	$1,256
Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters SOC 47-2152	330	20	6%	$24.44	$50,840	$158,224	$1,271
Paramedics SOC 29-2043 · prior-year code differs	260	(270)	(51%)	$24.70	$51,370	$160,197	$1,284
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers SOC 53-3032	3,470	1,300	60%	$28.12	$58,480	$186,663	$1,462
Electricians SOC 47-2111	790	310	65%	$28.64	$59,560	$190,683	$1,489
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education SOC 25-2021	2,740	120	5%	—	$68,220	$222,918	$1,706
Registered Nurses SOC 29-1141	1,980	70	4%	$41.33	$85,960	$288,953	$2,149

Affordable home price uses the same Section 3 formula (30% housing budget, 30-year mortgage at 7%, 5% down, $2,500/yr T&I, 0.5% PMI). Affordable rent is 30% of monthly wages. Negative job-change values are shown in red parentheses. A "prior-year code differs" note flags occupations whose SOC code changed between the two vintages (2010 SOC → 2018 SOC) — the change estimate is best-effort.

Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 (10-year change vs. May 2015). Jobs counts and wages reflect the MSA or nonmetropolitan area containing this county, not the county alone — OEWS is not published at the county level.

Methodology & sources

All figures derive from the 2024 American Community Survey 5-year estimates. State and national comparisons are population-weighted aggregates of county-level estimates (an approximation; ACS publishes its own state and national medians which can differ slightly).

The affordability calculator uses a 30% housing-budget rule with a 30-year mortgage. Defaults are 7% interest, 5% down, $2,500/year taxes and insurance, and 0.5% PMI — adjustable above.

Variables: 13233 · pulled from Full Housing Data Table.xlsx.