Polk County GIS Maps
Polk County, Iowa, has 492,401 residents and covers 572.2 square miles. The population grew 14.3% between the 2010 and 2020 census. More residents moved in than left over that decade. The FIPS code for Polk County is 19153.
Des Moines is the county's largest population center. Polk County also includes 33 zip codes, 15 public school districts and 39 municipalities. Those boundaries help explain why population, schools, and housing can look different from one part of the county to another. The map below shows how those county lines, zip codes, and school districts fit together, and the sections that follow use that same geography to show population, demographics, school enrollment and housing patterns in more detail.
Maps, GIS layers and sample data. Paid packages add full layers, analytics and database files.
Polk County Trends
- Population
- 492,401▴
- Median Home Value
- $248,400▴
- K-12 Enrollment
- 85,971▾
County analytics dashboards with historical trends & projections included in package downloads.
Free starter access previews county maps, lightweight GIS, and sample data. Paid packages unlock full GIS layers, analytics, and database files.
Polk County Maps
The maps below show a few of the county map styles included in our downloads. County packages include map exports in JPEG, PNG, SVG, PDF and GeoTIFF formats plus more than 20 GIS layers for mapping, research and analysis. Available layers include zip codes, area codes, subdivisions, school districts, political boundaries, roads, water features, points of interest and more.
County packages also include historical county demographics, business intelligence, analytical dashboards, AI-ready prompts, markdown files and related reference data. Everything is organized to save hours of manual work collecting current data, cleaning it and joining it together. That makes it easier to move faster on analytics, due diligence, business planning and location research. Paid packages are built for commercial use, but some package contents include source-specific attribution or notice guidance. Review Licensing & Data Source Notices.
Polk County Population
Polk County had 492,401 residents in 2020. That was 14.3% higher than in 2010. Polk County added 117,800 people between 2000 and 2020, which points to steady long-term growth. The county is fairly spread out, with about 861 people per square mile. Some of the county's most populated postal areas include Ankeny, Des Moines and Des Moines.
Population Trend in Polk County IA
Polk County Population per 2000, 2010 and 2020 census counts with a baseline 2030 projection.
Polk County Zip Codes
Polk County has 33 zip codes. Some of the county's most populated zip codes include Ankeny (50023), Des Moines (50317) and Des Moines (50315). Ankeny is the largest zip by population, with about 43,603 residents or 9% of the county total. Together, the three largest zips account for about 24% of all county residents based on 2020 population estimates.
Most Populated Zip Codes in Polk County IA
| ZIP | Area | Population | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50023 | Ankeny | 43,603 | ▴ 55.8% |
| 50317 | Des Moines | 37,221 | ▴ 2.8% |
| 50315 | Des Moines | 36,693 | ▴ 2.3% |
| 50265 | West Des Moines | 32,187 | ▴ 1.7% |
| 50322 | Urbandale | 31,652 | ▴ 0.4% |
| Download all zip code data | |||
Polk County Zip Code populations and trends per most recent census data.
Polk County Demographics
Polk County has a median age of 36.2, which makes the county a little younger than Iowa overall. About 24.6% of residents are under 18, while 13.7% are 65 or older. That gives the county a fairly even mix of younger families and older adults. The largest age group is 25 to 44 at about 35.4% of the population, which points to a solid working-age base. About 39.5% of adults have a bachelor's degree or higher, above the statewide figure of 30.9%. The county is majority White by population, with Hispanic, Asian, Black and multiracial residents making up a meaningful share of the local mix.
Key Demographics for Polk County IA
Median Age
36.2
Under 18
24.6%
Age 65+
13.7%
Bachelor's+
39.5%
Polk County School Districts
Polk County is served by 15 public school districts with 85,971 students enrolled in 2024. The largest districts on the county map are Des Moines Independent Community, Ankeny Community and West Des Moines Community. Those three districts account for about 60% of public school enrollment in the map area. Total enrollment has stayed fairly steady in recent years, based on district totals from 2017 to 2024.
Largest School Districts by Enrollment in Polk County IA
| District | Enrollment | Share | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Des Moines Independent Community School District | 29,676 | 34.5% | ▾ -0.7% |
| Ankeny Community School District | 12,746 | 14.8% | ▴ 0.6% |
| West Des Moines Community School District | 9,009 | 10.5% | ▾ -0.4% |
| Johnston Community School District | 7,339 | 8.5% | ▾ -1.2% |
| Southeast Polk Community School District | 6,359 | 7.4% | ▾ -14.3% |
| Download all school district data | |||
Polk County school district enrollment and trends per most recent NCES reporting data.
Polk County Housing & Real Estate
Polk County has a median home value of $248,400 and a median gross rent of $1,113. About 67% of occupied homes in the county are owner-occupied, so the local housing market leans heavily toward ownership. Home values run above the Iowa median, while rents come in above the state average. In March 2026, the median listing price was $316,125 and homes spent about 62 days on the market.
Polk County Housing Mix
Polk County housing mix: owner, renter and vacant units.
Polk County Housing Trends
Polk County median home value and rent trend (last 5 years).
Businesses in Polk County, IA
Polk County has 23,203 business listings across 1,096 categories. The largest categories in Polk County business listings are Medical Offices (463, 2.0%), Churches & Religious Organizations (436, 1.9%), and Real Estate Agents (426, 1.8%). The full Polk County business listings dataset includes names, categories, addresses and contact details where available. Polk County packages also include U.S. Census County Business Patterns data with establishment counts, employment and payroll by industry sector.
Top Business Categories in Polk County, IA
| Category | Businesses | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Medical Offices | 463 | 2.0% |
| Churches & Religious Organizations | 436 | 1.9% |
| Real Estate Agents | 426 | 1.8% |
| Community & Nonprofits | 336 | 1.4% |
| Landmark And Historical Building | 334 | 1.4% |
| Contractors | 331 | 1.4% |
| Insurance Agencies | 294 | 1.3% |
| Professional Services | 291 | 1.3% |
| Parks & Recreation | 289 | 1.2% |
| Auto Repair | 267 | 1.2% |
Polk County Business Listings
| Business | Category | City |
|---|---|---|
| Straub Marketing | 3D Printing Service | Des Moines |
| Center For Behavioral Health | Abuse And Addiction Treatment | Des Moines |
| FBBC Bookstore | Academic Bookstore | Ankeny |
| everbowl | Acai Bowls | Ankeny |
| Extended Stay America | Accommodation | Urbandale |
| Pittman & Company | Accountant | Urbandale |
| Urbandale Parks and Recreation Department | Active Life | Urbandale |
| Family Acupuncture | Acupuncture | Johnston |
| Addiction Rehab Des Moines | Addiction Rehabilitation Center | Des Moines |
| Graceful Adoptions | Adoption Services | West Des Moines |
| Download Polk County business listings | ||
Polk County business listings sourced from Overture Maps. Includes locations with a high level of confidence.
Polk County Basemaps
Polk County map and data packages include a set of useful basemaps to help you get started quickly. These include a custom light grey canvas, USGS topo, imagery and other reference layers that make it easier to build clear, meaningful county maps using the included GIS layers, your own data or both. Pre-rendered map tiles for the light grey basemap are included so you can use them offline or host them on your own CDN.
Get the Full Polk County Data Package
This page shows a preview of what's included in the Polk County data package. The full package gives you a ready-to-use county data system with GIS layers, historical data, maps, database files and planning tools that save hours of manual data gathering, cleanup and joins. Everything is organized to help you skip data wrangling and start analysis faster.
- 20+ GIS layers for zip codes, school districts, roads, water, boundaries and more
- Historical county demographics, housing, income and trend data
- ZIP code population files and school district enrollment history
- Database files, markdowns, AI-ready prompts and documentation
- Map exports in PNG, JPEG, PDF, SVG and GeoTIFF formats
- Offline-ready data explorer, map and analytics tools
Paid packages support commercial use, client work, and derived outputs. Some package contents may include source-specific attribution or provider notices. See Licensing & Data Source Notices.
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Nearby Counties
Browse county data pages for the counties that border Polk County. These nearby pages include the same mix of county maps, demographic summaries, school district context, housing trends and package links.