Polk County, Georgia

thumb|250px|The Polk County historical marker

Polk County is a county in the Northwest region of the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 42,853. The county seat is Cedartown. The county was created on December 20, 1851, by an act of the Georgia General Assembly and named after James K. Polk, the eleventh President of the United States. Polk County comprises the Cedartown, GA Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (0.6%) is water. Much of the county is also covered in rolling hills and small mountains, most of which are part of the Piedmont Plateau and the Ridge-and-Valley mountains, which are both smaller sections of the larger Appalachian Mountains. The highest of these small mountains is Shorty Mountain near the unincorporated community of Etna with an elevation of above sea level. The most prominent mountain in the county (as well as the fifth-highest) is Signal Mountain in Rockmart with a prominence of and an elevation of above sea level.

Most of eastern Polk County, centered on Rockmart, is located in the Etowah River sub-basin of the ACT River Basin (Alabama-Coosa-Tallapoosa River Basin), while most of western Polk County, centered on Cedartown, is located in the Upper Coosa River sub-basin of the same ACT River Basin. Small slivers of the southern edges of the county are located in the Upper Tallapoosa River sub-basin of the same larger ACT River Basin.

Major highways

20px U.S. Route 27
20px 20px U.S. Route 27 Business
23px U.S. Route 278
23px 23px U.S. Route 278 Business
20px State Route 1
20px State Route 1 Business
20px State Route 6
20px State Route 6 Business
23px State Route 100
23px State Route 101
23px State Route 113

Adjacent counties

Floyd County – north
Bartow County – northeast
Paulding County – east
Haralson County – south
Cleburne County, Alabama – southwest
Cherokee County, Alabama – west

Demographics

Racial and ethnic composition

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;"

|+Polk County, Georgia – Racial and ethnic composition

!Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)

!Pop 1980

!Pop 1990

!Pop 2000

!Pop 2010

!style="background-color: #ffffb3;" | Pop 2020

!% 1980

!% 1990

!% 2000

!% 2010

!style="background-color: #ffffb3;" |% 2020

|White alone (NH)

|27,264

|28,413

|29,684

|30,492

|style='background: #ffffe6; |30,161

|84.18%

|84.02%

|77.86%

|73.52%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |70.38%

|Black or African American alone (NH)

|4,786

|4,772

|5,073

|5,150

|style='background: #ffffe6; |5,119

|14.78%

|14.11%

|13.31%

|12.42%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |11.95%

|Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)

|13

|58

|68

|73

|style='background: #ffffe6; |101

|0.04%

|0.17%

|0.18%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.24%

|Asian alone (NH)

|38

|87

|118

|270

|style='background: #ffffe6; |239

|0.12%

|0.26%

|0.31%

|0.65%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.56%

|Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH)

|16

|style='background: #ffffe6; |21

|0.02%

|0.04%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.05%

|Other race alone (NH)

|11

|27

|53

|style='background: #ffffe6; |156

|0.03%

|0.01%

|0.07%

|0.13%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.36%

|Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)

|229

|536

|style='background: #ffffe6; |1,471

|0.60%

|1.29%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |3.43%

|Hispanic or Latino (any race)

|274

|483

|2,921

|4,885

|style='background: #ffffe6; |5,585

|0.85%

|1.43%

|7.66%

|11.78%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |13.03%

|Total

|32,386

|33,815

|38,127

|41,475

|style='background: #ffffe6; |42,853

|100.00%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |100.00%

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, there were 42,853 people, 15,999 households, and 10,151 families residing in the county. 48.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 52.0% lived in rural areas.

The median age was 39.0 years, 24.8% of residents were under the age of 18, and 16.9% were 65 years of age or older; for every 100 females there were 94.7 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 93.1 males age 18 and over.

Of the 15,999 households in the county, 33.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 28.4% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 25.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The population density was . There were 16,908 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 77.1% white, 12.5% black or African American, 0.7% Asian, 0.3% American Indian, 0.1% Pacific islander, 7.5% from other races, and 1.8% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 11.8% of the population.

Of the 15,092 households, 38.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.5% were married couples living together, 14.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 27.7% were non-families, and 23.6% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.72 and the average family size was 3.20. The median age was 36.2 years.

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 38,127 people, 14,012 households, and 10,340 families living in the county. The population density was . There were 15,059 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 80.52% White, 13.34% Black or African American, 0.22% Native American, 0.31% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 4.62% from other races, and 0.95% from two or more races. 7.66% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 14,012 households, out of which 32.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.90% were married couples living together, 13.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.20% were non-families. 22.70% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.66 and the average family size was 3.09.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 26.10% under the age of 18, 9.70% from 18 to 24, 28.80% from 25 to 44, 22.30% from 45 to 64, and 13.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.20 males. For every 100 women age 18 and over, there were 95.70 men.

The median income for a household in the county was $32,328, and the median income for a family was $37,847. Males had a median income of $29,985 versus $21,452 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,617. About 11.20% of families and 15.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.70% of those under age 18 and 12.60% of those age 65 or over.

Recreation

Silver Comet Trail

Media

Polk County Standard Journal

Communities

Cities

Aragon
Braswell
Cedartown (county seat)
Rockmart
Taylorsville (partly in Bartow County)

Politics

As of the 2020s, Polk County is a strongly Republican voting county, voting 80% for Donald Trump in 2024. For elections to the United States House of Representatives, Polk County is part of Georgia's 14th congressional district, currently represented by Marjorie Taylor Greene. For elections to the Georgia State Senate, Polk County is part of District 31. For elections to the Georgia House of Representatives, Polk County is part of District 16.

References

External links

Polk County Historical Society
Polk County Genealogy
Polk County Courthouse – Carl Vinson Institute of Government, University of Georgia
Polk County Tourism website – Polk on Purpose!