HomeNorth CarolinaPolk County
Polk County, North Carolina: commercial real estate data.
Polk County, North Carolina had an estimated 20,320 residents on July 1, 2024, up 5.2 percent since the 2020 census base of 19,324, across 238 square miles. County output reached $734.5 m in 2024, 504 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 15 7(a) approvals worth $9.5 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Polk County
How many people live in Polk County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202419,891
- Households8,976
- Average household size2.22
- Median household income$67,758
- Median age54.9
- Median gross rent$1,178 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$315,000
- Home value to household income4.6 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income20.9 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher36.2 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree13.8 percent
- Adults 25 and over15,827
- Population under 183,047
- Share under 1815.3 percent
- Population 65 and over6,487
- Share 65 and over32.6 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6410,357
- Civilian labor force9,291
- Unemployment rate5.1 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over55.2 percent
- Rank by population among North Carolina counties81st of 100
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included1888th of 3,222
Polk County is the 81st largest of 100 North Carolina counties by population. A median home costs 4.6 times median household income, which is seriously unaffordable by national standards. Residents 65 and over outnumber those under 18, at 32.6 percent against 15.3 percent, which points demand at health care, services and single story product rather than schools.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Polk County
Is Polk County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202420,320
- Census 2020 base population19,324
- Population change since the 2020 census base5.15 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024290
- Births, 2024112
- Deaths, 2024328
- Natural change, 2024-216
- Net domestic migration, 2024513
- Net international migration, 2024-8
- Total net migration, 2024505
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 20241,803
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents510th of 3,144
The county has grown 5.15 percent since the 2020 census base. Deaths exceeded births in 2024 and the population still grew, so all of the growth came from people moving in. A market held up by migration is more sensitive to a change in relative cost than one growing from household formation.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Polk County
Where are people moving to Polk County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving782
- People arriving, from those returns1,453
- Tax returns filed by households leaving580
- Net household movement202
- Adjusted gross income arriving$81.5 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$39.5 m
- Average income of an arriving household$104,261
- Average income of a leaving household$72,395
- Largest single originHenderson County (121 households)
- Largest single destinationSpartanburg County (100 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Henderson County | 121 | 226 | $8.0 m |
| Spartanburg County | 65 | 124 | $6.3 m |
| Rutherford County | 53 | 117 | $3.5 m |
| Buncombe County | 48 | 83 | $2.8 m |
| Greenville County | 38 | 52 | $2.7 m |
Households arriving report $31,866 more average income than households leaving, so the migration is raising local spending power rather than just moving it around. The largest single source of arrivals is Henderson County, which is the catchment a retail or multifamily study should look at first.
US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Polk County
What is the Polk County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$734.5 m
- County GDP, 2023$695.2 m
- GDP change, 2023 to 20245.7 percent
- GDP change over five years41.9 percent
- Rank by GDP among the North Carolina areas BEA publishes82nd of 100
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes2097th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$36,926
Output grew 5.7 percent in the latest year and 41.9 percent over five, which is the trend line a lender will read behind any single year figure.
US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional, table CAGDP2, CAGDP2, through 2024.
Polk County
Employment by industry in Polk County
- Covered employment, annual average5,441
- Establishments reporting707
- Average annual pay$46,331
- Average weekly wage$891
- Health care and social assistance, employment1,433
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$48,715
- Accommodation and food services, employment491
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$22,151
- Retail trade, employment420
- Retail trade, average annual pay$30,939
- Manufacturing, employment364
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$46,078
- Arts, entertainment and recreation, employment358
- Construction, employment299
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 1,433 | 90 | $48,715 |
| Accommodation and food services | 491 | 58 | $22,151 |
| Retail trade | 420 | 53 | $30,939 |
| Manufacturing | 364 | 27 | $46,078 |
| Arts, entertainment and recreation | 358 | 19 | $31,785 |
| Construction | 299 | 79 | $66,195 |
| Other services, except public administration | 142 | 64 | $35,167 |
| Wholesale trade | 118 | 25 | $55,619 |
Health care and social assistance is the largest private sector at 1,433 jobs, 26.3 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Polk County
How many businesses are in Polk County?
- Establishments, all industries504
- Employment at those establishments4,151
- Annual payroll$166.5 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents25.3
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against. County Business Patterns counts private establishments with paid employees in March 2023, while the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages above counts every unemployment-insured employer, public ones included, as a 2024 annual average, so the two establishment and employment counts differ.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Polk County
Building permits in Polk County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 2024143
- Declared construction value permitted$59.7 m
- Single family units authorized143
- Multifamily units authorized0
- Multifamily share of units0.0 percent
- Average declared value per unit$417,222
- Units authorized per 1,000 households15.9
Single-family homes are 100.0 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Polk County
SBA loans in Polk County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded15
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$9.5 m
- Average 7(a) approval$630,933
- Median 7(a) approval$328,000
- Largest single approval$3,133,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)144
- Jobs per approval9.6
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active9
- Distinct industries receiving approvals12
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer26.7 percent
- Loans on real estate terms4
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter11
- Franchise loans0
- Franchise share of approvals0.0 percent
- Leading industry by approval countPharmacies and Drug Retailers (3)
- Most active lenderTD Bank, National Association (3)
- 504 approvals recorded5
- 504 gross approval dollars$4.1 m
- Average 504 approval$820,400
- Median 504 approval$740,000
- Distinct CDCs active1
- 504 jobs per approval9.8
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved11.9
- Most active CDCBusiness Expansion Funding Corporation (5)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$13.6 m
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30. US Small Business Administration, 504 FOIA release, FY2010 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Polk County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Polk County
Do SBA loans in Polk County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded3
- Paid in full3
- Charged off0
- Status: Exempt from disclosure11
- Status: Paid in full3
- Status: Cancelled1
Only 3 loans have reached a final outcome, fewer than the 30 a charge-off rate needs, so no rate is published.
Compare against the national and state SBA charge-off rates, computed the same way over resolved loans only.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Polk County
SBA lending by place in Polk County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending3
- Columbus, approvals12
- Saluda, approvals2
- Tryon, approvals1
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Columbus | 12 | $8,789,000 |
| Saluda | 2 | $215,000 |
| Tryon | 1 | $460,000 |
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Polk County
How large is Polk County?
- Land area238 sq mi
- Rank by land area among North Carolina counties94th of 100
- Width, east to west21.7 mi
- Height, north to south14.2 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary4
- Residents per square mile of land84
- Establishments per square mile2.12
US Census Bureau county boundary geometry, TIGER, adjacency computed from shared boundary vertices, TIGER county boundaries. US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year. US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Polk County
Flood risk in Polk County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Polk County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 370194
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book4
- Of those, participating in the NFIP4
- NFIP participation rate100.0 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Polk County, EPA zone predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/LZone 2
The county's own community in the status book, unincorporated Polk County (community 370194), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Polk County in radon zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/L. The zone is a screening prediction for the county and does not substitute for a test at an address. 100.0 percent of the county's listed communities participate in the National Flood Insurance Program, per Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26.
Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26. US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Traffic counts, zoning and the flood zone at an address are not on this page; they resolve at the address in the platform. How this page was built →
Feasibility studies
When a Polk County site needs a document a lender will accept.
The same data layer behind this page is the one the studies are written from. A study for a Polk County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202419,891
- Households8,976
- Average household size2.22
- Median household income$67,758
- Median age54.9
Common questions
Polk County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Polk County, North Carolina?
The Census Bureau estimates 20,320 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 19,891, in 8,976 households, ranking 81st of 100 North Carolina counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Polk County's population growing?
The population has grown 5.15 percent since the 2020 census base of 19,324, to 20,320 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 112 births against 328 deaths, with net migration of 505. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Polk County?
$67,758. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $315,000, which is 4.6 times income, and median gross rent is $1,178 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Polk County?
504 establishments, employing 4,151 people with an annual payroll of $166.5 m. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is employment by industry in Polk County?
Health care and social assistance is the largest private sector at 1,433 jobs, 26.3 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 5,441 jobs at an average annual pay of $46,331, or $891 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Polk County?
15 7(a) approvals totaling $9.5 m since FY2020, across 9 lenders, with a median approval of $328,000, plus 5 504 approvals worth $4.1 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Polk County?
143 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $59.7 m. Multifamily was 0.0 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Polk County?
Zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/L. Source: US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Where do people moving to Polk County come from?
The largest single origin is Henderson County, with 121 households. Arriving households report an average income of $104,261 against $72,395 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Polk County on this page?
No. Annual average daily traffic resolves in the platform rather than in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here. It is a gap we know about rather than a figure we estimated.
Is zoning published for Polk County?
No. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame, to be confirmed locally.
Polk County
Cities and places in Polk.
3 Census places lie wholly or partly in Polk County. All 3 carry enough published place level data for a page of their own and are linked.
| Place | Type | Population | SBA 7(a) approvals, projects in this county | Lies in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tryon | town | 1,810 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Columbus | town | 1,071 | 12 | Wholly in this county |
| Saluda | city | 683 | 2 | 96.1 percent here, 3.9 percent Henderson County |