| Name | Polk County |
| State | North Carolina |
| FIPS Code | 37149 |
| County Seat | Columbus |
| Timezone | Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) |
| Population (2024) | 20,030 |
| Population Growth Rate(2020-2024) | 3.52% |
| Majority Ethnicity | White 88.96% |
| Public School Majority Ethnicity | White 75% |
| Partisan Voting Index | Republican:+14 |
| Unemployment Rate (May 2026) | 3.4% |
| Sales Tax Rate (2025) | 6.75% |
| Area Code(s) | 828 |
| Race/Ethnicity | Percentage of Population (2023) |
|---|---|
| White | 88.96% |
| African American | 5.16% |
| Hispanic | 5.54% |
| Asian | 0.1% |
| Native American | 0.24% |
| Hawaiin/Pacific Islander | 0% |
| Race/Ethnicity | Percentage of Public School Students (2023) |
|---|---|
| White | 75.48% |
| African American | 5.49% |
| Hispanic | 12.97% |
| Asian | 0.51% |
| Native American | 0% |
| Hawaiin/Pacific Islander | 0.09% |