County profile · Iowa
Polk County, IA market data
Population, household spending and competition for 56 business types in Polk County, each scored against other counties.
- Population, 2025
- 516,546
- +4.8% since 2020
- Households
- 205,358
- Median household income
- $83,576
- +23.6% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Median home value
- $262,100
- Jobs located here
- 309,340
- Highest market score
- 84
- Urgent care and walk-in clinics, #4 of 325 scored counties
A site report maps the competitors on map listings around any address in Polk County by name and distance, and the households and spending within reach. Or open the report at the center of Polk County. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardSurvey estimates 2020–2024 · population estimates 2025 · official business counts 2023 · map listings September 2026 · Data credits · How we measure
What this means
An estimated 516,546 people live in Polk County, in 205,358 households. Between 2020 and 2025, the population of Polk County grew 4.8%, faster than the U.S. (+3.1%). The median household income in Polk County is $83,576 a year, 4% above the U.S. median of $80,734. That rose 23.6% from the 2015–2019 survey, before inflation.
Set against the U.S., households in Polk County spend the most on medical and dental services (an index of 117, where 100 is the U.S. average) and the least on child care and other personal services (80).
The highest Groundwork market scores in Polk County are for urgent care and walk-in clinics (84), convenience stores (84) and oil change and quick-lube shops (80). Polk County ranks #4 of 325 scored counties for urgent care and walk-in clinics.
Polk County is part of the Des Moines-West Des Moines metro area. For its number of households, Polk County has the most map listings, relative to the U.S., for chiropractors (2.2 times the U.S. rate) and the fewest for gas stations (59% below the U.S. rate).
All 56 business types in Polk County
Highest Groundwork market score first. Each score compares Polk County with other counties for that business type, from 0 to 100. Spending per listing divides a whole spending line (all vehicle repairs, all eating out) by one type’s listings: the demand for each competitor, not a business’s revenue. Compare it across markets with its index, where 100 is the U.S. figure for the same type; the real estate types, whose line is all housing costs, show the index only. How the score works.
| Business type | Score | Rank among counties | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Spending per listing vs. U.S. (100) | Official establishments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Urgent care and walk-in clinics | 84 | #4 of 325 | 6 | 0.3 | $51.5M | 210 | 11 |
| Convenience stores | 84 | #108 of 2,261 | 152 | 7.4 | $8.5M | 108 | 12 |
| Oil change and quick lube | 80 | #7 of 479 | 11 | 0.5 | $20.1M | 147 | 10 |
| Grocery and convenience stores | 77 | #252 of 2,402 | 354 | 17.2 | $3.6M | 108 | 102 |
| Collision repair and body shops | 76 | #119 of 1,327 | 51 | 2.5 | $4.3M | 141 | 47 |
| HVAC and plumbing | 73 | #158 of 1,707 | 115 | 5.6 | $5.2M | 109 | 141 |
| Gas stations | 71 | #358 of 2,358 | 92 | 4.5 | $6M | 251 | 204 |
| Auto repair shops | 70 | #347 of 2,378 | 404 | 19.7 | $549K | 123 | 197 |
| Barbershops | 69 | #271 of 1,356 | 105 | 5.1 | $2.1M | 110 | 10 |
| Auto repair and car care | 68 | #435 of 2,401 | 707 | 34.4 | $313K | 117 | 292 |
| Laundromats | 67 | #194 of 785 | 35 | 1.7 | $12.4M | 99 | 11 |
| Veterinarians | 66 | #360 of 1,485 | 71 | 3.5 | $2.6M | 97 | 62 |
| Tire shops | 66 | #378 of 1,530 | 80 | 3.9 | $2.8M | 111 | 39 |
| Fast food and sandwich shops | 66 | #523 of 2,222 | 263 | 12.8 | $3.3M | 107 | 397 |
| Grocery stores | 64 | #576 of 2,070 | 140 | 6.8 | $9.2M | 99 | 90 |
| Dry cleaners | 63 | #133 of 507 | 27 | 1.3 | $16M | 102 | 16 |
| Electricians | 63 | #295 of 1,160 | 57 | 2.8 | $10.4M | 87 | 114 |
| Funeral homes | 62 | #439 of 1,472 | 35 | 1.7 | $662K | 98 | 17 |
| Dentists and orthodontists | 62 | #514 of 1,886 | 248 | 12.1 | $1.2M | 127 | 175 |
| Pet businesses | 62 | #577 of 2,200 | 223 | 10.9 | $841K | 96 | 145 |
| Bakeries and dessert shops | 61 | #515 of 1,889 | 184 | 9.0 | $4.7M | 112 | 142 |
| Optometrists and eye care | 59 | #454 of 1,302 | 110 | 5.4 | $2.8M | 90 | 42 |
| Pizza | 59 | #695 of 2,090 | 210 | 10.2 | $4.1M | 80 | 397 |
| Primary care and pediatrics | 58 | #602 of 1,656 | 222 | 10.8 | $1.4M | 78 | 233 |
| Pet grooming and boarding | 57 | #555 of 1,461 | 85 | 4.1 | $2.2M | 87 | 59 |
| Sit-down restaurants | 56 | #917 of 2,405 | 1,205 | 58.7 | $711K | 107 | 404 |
| Pet stores | 55 | #400 of 974 | 43 | 2.1 | $4.4M | 96 | 24 |
| Nail salons | 55 | #540 of 1,328 | 121 | 5.9 | $1.8M | 107 | 64 |
| Clothing and shoe stores | 55 | #875 of 2,087 | 344 | 16.8 | $1.3M | 99 | 153 |
| Restaurants and cafes | 55 | #985 of 2,405 | 2,296 | 111.8 | $373K | 101 | 937 |
| Martial arts and dance studios | 54 | #557 of 1,334 | 111 | 5.4 | $1.9M | 93 | 71 |
| Child care and preschools | 54 | #727 of 1,611 | 114 | 5.6 | $833K | 83 | 128 |
| Clothing, shoes and laundry | 54 | #975 of 2,210 | 474 | 23.1 | $912K | 104 | 180 |
| Home repair trades | 53 | #911 of 2,057 | 320 | 15.6 | $1.9M | 77 | 318 |
| Coffee shops and cafes | 53 | #912 of 2,063 | 258 | 12.6 | $3.3M | 90 | 131 |
| Landscaping and lawn care | 52 | #662 of 1,493 | 127 | 6.2 | $2.1M | 72 | 182 |
| Yoga, Pilates and fitness studios | 50 | #386 of 777 | 54 | 2.6 | $3.8M | 95 | 89 |
| Property management | 49 | #463 of 910 | 63 | 3.1 | Index only | 87 | 90 |
| Hair salons | 49 | #1,246 of 2,339 | 522 | 25.4 | $416K | 97 | 192 |
| Pest control | 48 | #379 of 699 | 33 | 1.6 | $8.2M | 80 | 30 |
| Car washes and detailing | 48 | #785 of 1,451 | 112 | 5.5 | $2M | 79 | 44 |
| Spas and skin care | 47 | #1,000 of 1,769 | 254 | 12.4 | $854K | 98 | 66 |
| Gyms | 46 | #1,070 of 1,792 | 225 | 11.0 | $923K | 71 | 89 |
| Home inspectors | 45 | #243 of 415 | 16 | 0.8 | Index only | 72 | 15 |
| House cleaning | 45 | #514 of 847 | 47 | 2.3 | $5.7M | 90 | 152 |
| Gyms, studios and classes | 45 | #1,318 of 2,088 | 390 | 19.0 | $532K | 80 | 160 |
| Salons, barbers and spas | 45 | #1,478 of 2,385 | 1,021 | 49.7 | $213K | 100 | 342 |
| Physical therapy | 44 | #886 of 1,422 | 193 | 9.4 | $1.6M | 67 | 109 |
| Lawn, cleaning and pest control | 44 | #1,100 of 1,771 | 207 | 10.1 | $1.3M | 77 | 364 |
| Doctors, dentists and clinics | 43 | #1,558 of 2,394 | 2,661 | 129.6 | $116K | 76 | 715 |
| Chiropractors | 38 | #1,083 of 1,490 | 246 | 12.0 | $1.3M | 53 | 145 |
| Real estate agents and brokers | 37 | #1,760 of 2,176 | 623 | 30.3 | Index only | 89 | 316 |
| Real estate | 36 | #1,851 of 2,229 | 813 | 39.6 | Index only | 86 | 517 |
| Mortgage brokers and lenders | 35 | #712 of 887 | 111 | 5.4 | Index only | 70 | 48 |
| Roofing and gutters | 35 | #916 of 1,177 | 148 | 7.2 | $4M | 48 | 63 |
| Insurance agencies | 23 | #2,022 of 2,272 | 439 | 21.4 | $759K | 60 | 295 |
Household spending in Polk County
What households here spend in a year on each line, in total and per household, with the index against the U.S. average (100).
| Spending line | A year, all households | Per household | Index vs. U.S. (100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle maintenance and repairs | $221.6M | $1,079 | 113 |
| Gasoline and other fuels | $551.3M | $2,684 | 103 |
| Food away from home | $856.7M | $4,172 | 102 |
| Groceries | $1.3B | $6,289 | 100 |
| Personal care products and services | $217M | $1,057 | 105 |
| Child care and other personal services | $95M | $462 | 80 |
| Memberships, classes and admissions | $207.6M | $1,011 | 103 |
| Medical and dental services | $309.1M | $1,505 | 117 |
| Pets | $187.6M | $913 | 100 |
| Clothing, shoes and related services | $432.5M | $2,106 | 102 |
| Vehicle insurance | $333.2M | $1,623 | 83 |
| Home repairs, maintenance and insurance | $595.5M | $2,900 | 96 |
| Lawn care, cleaning and other household services | $269.2M | $1,311 | 93 |
| Rent and homeowner costs | $3B | $14,764 | 89 |
Household spending is estimated from the incomes of the households in each neighborhood, using what households at each income spent nationally in 2024, adjusted for the region. It counts what residents spend, wherever they spend it.
Population and households in Polk County
- Population, 2025 estimate
- 516,546+4.8% since 2020
- Households
- 205,358
- Median age
- 37.1
- Homes lived in by their owners
- 67%
- Vehicles per household
- 1.8
- Land area
- 573 sq. mi.
- People per square mile
- 879
- Median household income
- $83,576+23.6% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Average household income
- $109,398
- Median home value
- $262,100
- Jobs located here
- 309,340
- Daytime population
- 566,731Residents who don’t work, plus everyone whose job is here
Looking at a specific site in Polk County?
These figures cover the whole county. A site report draws rings around one address and counts what’s inside them: households, spending, jobs, and the competitors on map listings by name and distance, for any of the 56 business types.
Or open the report at the center of Polk County. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardRelated markets
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- Warren County, IA54,409 people
- Madison County, IA16,926 people
- Story County, IA100,466 people
- Jasper County, IA37,954 people
- Boone County, IA26,668 people
- Marion County, IA33,642 people
- Guthrie County, IA10,688 people
Questions
How fast is Polk County, IA growing?
Population estimates put Polk County at 516,546 people in 2025, up 4.8% since 2020, faster than the U.S. (+3.1%). It has 205,358 households. Against the 2015–2019 survey, median household income rose 23.6%, before inflation.
How much do households in Polk County, IA spend?
Households in Polk County spend about $3B a year on rent and homeowner costs, $1.3B on groceries and $856.7M on food away from home. Relative to the U.S., household spending in Polk County runs highest on medical and dental services (an index of 117, where 100 is the U.S. average) and lowest on child care and other personal services (80).
Which business types have the highest market scores in Polk County, IA?
Of the business types scored in Polk County, urgent care and walk-in clinics (84), convenience stores (84) and oil change and quick-lube shops (80) have the highest Groundwork market scores. For urgent care and walk-in clinics, that ranks #4 of 325 scored counties.
How does Polk County, IA compare with the U.S.?
Median household income in Polk County is $83,576, 4% above the U.S. median of $80,734. The population rose 4.8% from 2020 to 2025, against +3.1% for the U.S. The median home value is $262,100, against $332,700 for the U.S. Against the U.S., map listings per household run highest for chiropractors (2.2 times the U.S. rate) and lowest for gas stations (59% below the U.S. rate).
What is the Groundwork market score?
The Groundwork market score runs from 0 to 100 and compares a market with others of its kind for one business type: states with states, metro areas with metro areas, small-town markets and counties with their own. It weighs household spending per competitor (35%), households per business with payroll (25%), population growth (20%) and spending power (20%), each ranked against those peers. A higher score means that, taken together, the market has more household spending and more households for each business already there, faster population growth and more spending per household than similar markets. It describes a market, not any one site or deal. All 56 business types have a score in Polk County, each ranked against other counties.
How can I see the market around a specific site?
Run a Groundwork site report on an address in Polk County. It maps the competitors on map listings near the site and sizes the households and spending within the distance you choose. New accounts get 10 actions over 3 days, no card.
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Screening a site or an acquisition in Polk County?
A site report maps the competitors on map listings near an address and sizes the households and spending around it.
The button opens the report at the center of Polk County. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are estimates for research only. Not investment or real estate advice.