Polk audit reveals trends

Polk County’s population grew by almost 2,000 residents over the last 10 years, while the median age of those residents rose about 2.5 years to 47.17 years.

School enrollment has decreased by 75 students over the past 10 years and the unemployment rate has grown by as much as 4.4 percent, ending this fiscal year with 7.7 percent of the work force unemployed.

The Polk County Board of Commissioners met on Nov. 21 to review the county’s audit for fiscal year 2010-2011, which included statistical, demographic and budgetary trends over the past several years. One document showed how the county’s population, median age, school enrollment and unemployment rates have changed since fiscal year ending 2002. The report was based on information from the N.C. Office of State Budget Management, the U.S. Department of Commerce Bureau of Economic Analysis, the N.C. Department of Public Instruction and the N.C. Employment Security Commission.

According to the report, Polk County’s population in 2002 was 18,832 residents, compared to the 2011 population of 20,588, a difference of 1,756 residents over a 10-year period. Polk’s population had its largest increase between 2009 and 2010, when its population grew from 19,018 to 19,355, the report said.

Polk’s population saw its greatest decrease over the past 10 years between 2008 and 2009, when the number of residents dropped from 19,402 to 19,018.

In 2002, Polk County’s median age was 44.70, compared to 47.17 in 2011, according to the report. The median age decreased from 46.23 in 2008 to 45.22 in 2009 then increased over the last 10 years to 47.08 in 2010.

School enrollment has increased or decreased slightly over the past 10 years, with an overall drop of 75 students. In 2002, 2,430 students were enrolled in Polk County Public Schools, compared to 2,355 enrolled in 2011, according to the report.

Polk County’s unemployment rate has increased greatly over the last 10 years. In 2002, Polk County’s unemployment rate was 3.9 percent, compared to the 2011 rate of 7.7 percent. The highest unemployment rate shown in the report for Polk County over the last 10 years was 8.8 percent in 2009. That rate more than doubled from the 2008 unemployment rate at 4.5 percent.

Look for further articles in upcoming editions of the Bulletin about statistical and economical data from the Polk County and Town of Columbus audit reports. 

Year    Population    median age   school enrollment  unemployment

2002   18,832                        44.70  2,430  3.9%

2003   18,865                        45.20  2,366  3.5%

2004   18,905                        45.39  2,392  3.3%

2005   19,006                        45.58  2,431  4.2%

2006   19,207                        45.80  2,472  3.5%

2007   19,247                        46.03  2,425  3.8%

2008   19,402                        46.23  2,477  4.5%

2009   19,018                        45.22  2,444  8.8%

2010   19,355                        47.08  2,385  8.1%

2011   20,588                        47.17  2,355  7.7%