Polk County, MO

County

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2022 Population
31,877
1.07% 1-year growth
2022 Median Age
38.9
1.83% 1-year increase
2022 Poverty Rate
17.2%
8.11% 1-year increase
2022 Median Household Income
$54,487
7.07% 1-year growth
2022 Median Property Value
$171,700
17.4% 1-year growth
2022 Employed Population
13,983
0.171% 1-year decline

About

In 2022, Polk County, MO had a population of 31.9k people with a median age of 38.9 and a median household income of $54,487. Between 2021 and 2022 the population of Polk County, MO grew from 31,541 to 31,877, a 1.07% increase and its median household income grew from $50,890 to $54,487, a 7.07% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Polk County, MO are White (Non-Hispanic) (92.4%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (2.27%), Two+ (Hispanic) (1.88%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (1.16%), and Asian (Non-Hispanic) (0.759%).

None of the households in Polk County, MO 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.

99.4% of the residents in Polk County, MO are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Polk County, MO are Southwest Baptist University (794 degrees awarded in 2022) and Bolivar Technical College (52 degrees).

In 2022, the median property value in Polk County, MO was $171,700, and the homeownership rate was 71.7%.

Most people in Polk County, MO drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 26.9 minutes. The average car ownership in Polk County, MO was 2 cars per household.

Polk County, MO borders .

United States

Population & Diversity

Polk County, MO is home to a population of 31.9k people, from which 99.4% are citizens. As of 2022, 1.41% of Polk County, MO residents were born outside of the country (449 people).

In 2022, there were 40.7 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (29.4k people) in Polk County, MO than any other race or ethnicity. There were 723 Two+ (Non-Hispanic) and 600 Two+ (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

99.4%
2022 Citizenship
99.6%
2021 Citizenship

As of 2022, 99.4% of Polk County, MO residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.5%. In 2021, the percentage of US citizens in Polk County, MO was 99.6%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Polk County, MO 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, MO
  1. White (Non-Hispanic)
    29.4k ± 145
  2. Two+ (Non-Hispanic)
    723 ± 162
  3. Two+ (Hispanic)
    600 ± 128
2.82%
Hispanic Population
898 people

In 2022, there were 40.7 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (29.4k people) in Polk County, MO than any other race or ethnicity. There were 723 Two+ (Non-Hispanic) and 600 Two+ (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

2.82% of the people in Polk County, MO are hispanic (898 people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Polk County, MO 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 Missouri.
Most Common Origin
  1. Mexico
    37,430 ± 4,735 people
  2. India
    22,246 ± 3,655 people
  3. China
    18,085 ± 3,297 people

In 2022, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Missouri was Mexico, the natal country of 37,430 Missouri residents, followed by India with 22,246 and China with 18,085.

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Foreign-Born Population

1.41%
2022 Foreign-Born Population
449 people
1.07%
2021 Foreign-Born Population
339 people

As of 2022, 1.41% of Polk County, MO residents (449 people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.6%. In 2021, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Polk County, MO was 1.07%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

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

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Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period
  1. Vietnam
    667 ± 151
  2. Gulf War (2001-)
    359 ± 166
  3. Gulf War (1990s)
    284 ± 106

Polk County, MO has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.86 times greater than any other conflict.

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Economy

The economy of Polk County, MO employs 14k people. The largest industries in Polk County, MO are Health Care & Social Assistance (2,322 people), Retail Trade (1,698 people), and Manufacturing (1,658 people), and the highest paying industries are Utilities ($90,667), Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($63,750), and Finance & Insurance ($63,141).

Males in Missouri have an average income that is 1.33 times higher than the average income of females, which is $55,490. The income inequality in Missouri (measured using the Gini index) is 0.455, which is lower than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

14k
2022 Value
± 876
−0.171%
1 Year decline
± 8.84%

From 2021 to 2022, employment in Polk County, MO declined at a rate of −0.171%, from 14k employees to 14k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Polk County, MO, are Management Occupations (1,718 people), Sales & Related Occupations (1,717 people), and Office & Administrative Support Occupations (1,431 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Polk County, MO.

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Unemployment Insurance Claims

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

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in the United States (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

14k
2022 Value
± 876
−0.171%
1 Year decline
± 8.84%

From 2021 to 2022, employment in Polk County, MO declined at a rate of −0.171%, from 14k employees to 14k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Polk County, MO, are Health Care & Social Assistance (2,322 people), Retail Trade (1,698 people), and Manufacturing (1,658 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Polk County, MO, though some of these residents may live in Polk County, MO and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

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Median Earnings by Industry

$39,430
Median earning men ± $3,743
$27,692
Median earning women ± $2,033

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2022 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($61,563), Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($59,018), and Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($52,955).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2022 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($56,971), Public Administration ($40,625), and Manufacturing ($30,347).

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Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments
  1. 243
    Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance
  2. 126
    Finance & Insurance, and Real Estate, Rental & Leasing
  3. 123
    Retail Trade

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

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Civics

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Polk County, MO went to Donald J. Trump with 78.7% of the vote. The runner-up was Joseph R Biden Jr. (19.2%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (1.85%).

are the senators currently representing the state of the United States. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming is currently represented by 435 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

2020 Election Results
  1. Donald J. Trump (78.7%)
    Republican Party
  2. Joseph R Biden Jr. (19.2%)
    Democratic Party
  3. Jo Jorgensen (1.85%)
    Libertarian Party

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Polk County, MO went to Donald J. Trump with 78.7% of the vote. The runner-up was Joseph R Biden Jr. (19.2%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (1.85%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Polk County, MO for each registered party from 1976 to 2020.

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Senator Elections

US Senators from the United States

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for the United States.
Senator from N/AN/A
  1. N/AN/A
    N/A
  2. N/AN/A
    N/A

are the senators currently representing the United States.

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 the United States over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

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US Representative Elections

US Representatives from Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming

Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming is currently represented by 435 members in the U.S. house.

Members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms, and the following chart shows the how the members for Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming have changed over time starting in 2008.

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Education

In 2022, universities in Polk County, MO awarded 846 degrees. The student population of Polk County, MO in 2022 is skewed towards women, with 893 male students and 1,623 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Polk County, MO are White (705 and 84.2%), followed by Unknown (57 and 6.81%), Hispanic or Latino (28 and 3.35%), and Black or African American (21 and 2.51%).

The largest universities in Polk County, MO by number of degrees awarded are Southwest Baptist University (794 and 93.9%) and Bolivar Technical College (52 and 6.15%).

The most popular majors in Polk County, MO are Registered Nursing (225 and 26.6%), General Education (99 and 11.7%), and Physical Therapy (77 and 9.1%).

The median tuition cost in Polk County, MO for private four year colleges is $22,870.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University
Measure

In 2022 in Polk County, MO, the percentage of applicants admitted was 99.6%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 33.2%. The number of students enrolled in 2022 was 2,516 (35.5% men and 64.5% 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 2022 there were 2,516 students enrolled in Polk County, MO, 35.5% men and 64.5% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 1,788 records, of which 67.2% were women and 32.8% men.

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Completions

Concentrations

Most Common
  1. General Business Administration & Management
    25 degrees awarded
  2. Registered Nursing
    63 degrees awarded
  3. General Psychology
    26 degrees awarded

In 2022, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Polk County, MO was General Business Administration & Management with 25 degrees awarded.

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

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Universities

Gender
Race
Largest Universities by degrees awarded
  1. Southwest Baptist University
    794 degrees awarded
  2. Bolivar Technical College
    52 degrees awarded

In 2022, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Southwest Baptist University with 794 degrees awarded.

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Student Diversity

University

In 2022, 271 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Polk County, MO, which is 0.471 times less than the 575 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2022 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 705 degrees mean that there were 12.4 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Unknown, with 57 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

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($22,870) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2022.

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($2,920) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2022.

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($2,125) 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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Working Population

Educational Pyramid

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

In 2022, 0.699% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.592% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

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Educational Attainment

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

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2022 were High School or Equivalent (1.48M), Some college (1.12M), and Bachelors Degree (864k).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

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Housing & Living

The median property value in Polk County, MO was $171,700 in 2022, which is 0.609 times smaller than the national average of $281,900. Between 2021 and 2022 the median property value increased from $146,300 to $171,700, a 17.4% increase. The homeownership rate in Polk County, MO is 71.7%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 64.8%.

People in Polk County, MO have an average commute time of 26.9 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Polk County, MO is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

In 2023, 14.2% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Polk County, MO. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 0.781%.

Housing

Property

$171,700
Median Property Value 2022
±$9,102
$8,461
Median Property Taxes
±$628

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, MO the largest share of households pay taxes in the < $800 range.

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

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Rent vs Own

71.7%
Homeownership
2022
69.7%
Homeowners with Mortgage
2022

In 2022, 71.7% of the housing units in Polk County, MO were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 71.1%.

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

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Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.
Race/Ethnicity

The following map shows all of the tracts in Polk County, MO colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

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Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.
$54,487
Median Household Income
± $4,425
11.8k
Number of Households
± 773

In 2022, the median household income of the 11.8k households in Polk County, MO grew to $54,487 from the previous year's value of $50,890.

The following chart displays the households in Polk County, MO 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 $60k - $75k range.

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Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Polk County, MO is from Missouri.
0.455
2022 Wage GINI in Missouri
0.457
2021 Wage GINI in Missouri

In 2022, the income inequality in Missouri was 0.455 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.432% decline from 2021 to 2022, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for Missouri was lower than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in Missouri in comparison to the national average.

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

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Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2022
  1. Drove Alone (79.8%)
  2. Carpooled (8.39%)
  3. Worked At Home (7.12%)

In 2022, 79.8% of workers in Polk County, MO drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (8.39%) and those who worked at home (7.12%).

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

26.9 minutes
Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Polk County, MO have a longer commute time (26.9 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.7 minutes). Additionally, 2.53% of the workforce in Polk County, MO have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

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

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Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2023, 14.2% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Polk County, MO. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 0.781%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the population living with severe housing problems.

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Poverty & Diversity

17.2% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Polk County, MO (5.22k out of 30.4k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.5%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 35 - 44, followed by Females 18 - 24 and then Females 25 - 34.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Polk County, MO is White, followed by Two Or More and Hispanic.

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 2023, 19.9% of the children was living in poverty in Polk County, MO. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 10.6%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the children living in poverty.

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Health

85.6% of the population of Polk County, MO has health coverage, with 41.3% on employee plans, 14.9% on Medicaid, 13.7% on Medicare, 13.3% on non-group plans, and 2.41% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Polk County, MO see 1477 patients per year on average, which represents a 5.65% increase from the previous year (1398 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 2913 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 464 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 47.8% were men and 52.2% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

1,477 to 1
Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Polk County, MO

Primary care physicians in Polk County, MO see an average of 1,477 patients per year. This represents a 5.65% increase from the previous year (1,398 patients).

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

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Health Care Diversity

In 2022, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 24.5% under 18 years, 21.5% between 18 and 34 years, 36.4% between 35 and 64 years, and 17.7% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 47.8% were men and 52.2% were women.

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

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Uninsured People

14.4%
Uninsured
41.3%
Employer Coverage
14.9%
Medicaid
13.7%
Medicare
13.3%
Non-Group
2.41%
Military or VA

Between 2021 and 2022, the percent of uninsured citizens in Polk County, MO grew by 13.2% from 12.7% to 14.4%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Polk County, MO 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 2023, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was N/A in Polk County, MO.

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

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Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2023, 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 36.5% in Polk County, MO.

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

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Clinical Care

Indicator

In 2023, the percentage of population under age 65 without health insurance was 14.7% in Polk County, MO.

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

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