Polk County, Missouri

Polk County, Missouri

Polk County Courthouse in Bolivar
Location in the state of Missouri
Missouri's location in the U.S.
Founded	January 5, 1835
Named for	James K. Polk
Seat	Bolivar
Largest city	Bolivar
Area
• Total	642 sq mi (1,663 km²)
• Land	636 sq mi (1,647 km²)
• Water	6.9 sq mi (18 km²), 1.1%
Population (est.)
• (2015)	31,229
• Density	49/sq mi (19/km²)
Congressional district	7th
Time zone	Central: UTC-6/-5

Polk County is a county located in the southwestern portion of the U.S. state of Missouri. As of the 2010 census, the population was 31,137.^[1] Its county seat is Bolivar.^[2] The county was founded January 5, 1835, and named for Ezekiel Polk.

Polk County is part of the Springfield, MO Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History

Polk County was organized and separated from Greene County on January 5, 1835. Its original boundaries were later reduced in creating Dade, Dallas, and Hickory counties. The name was suggested by a local pioneer, Ezekiel Madison Campbell, to honor his grandfather Ezekiel Polk, a colonel in the Revolutionary War and an early settler of western Tennessee.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 642 square miles (1,660 km²), of which 636 square miles (1,650 km²) is land and 6.9 square miles (18 km²) (1.1%) is water.^[3]

Adjacent counties

Hickory County (north)
Dallas County (east)
Greene County (south)
Dade County (southwest)
Cedar County (west)
St. Clair County (northwest)

Major highways

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.		%±
1840	8,449		—
1850	6,186		−26.8%
1860	9,995		61.6%
1870	12,445		24.5%
1880	15,734		26.4%
1890	20,339		29.3%
1900	23,255		14.3%
1910	21,561		−7.3%
1920	20,351		−5.6%
1930	17,803		−12.5%
1940	17,400		−2.3%
1950	16,062		−7.7%
1960	13,753		−14.4%
1970	15,415		12.1%
1980	18,822		22.1%
1990	21,826		16.0%
2000	26,992		23.7%
2010	31,137		15.4%
Est. 2015	31,229	^[4]	0.3%
U.S. Decennial Census^[5] 1790-1960^[6] 1900-1990^[7] 1990-2000^[8] 2010-2015^[1]

As of the census^[9] of 2000, there were 26,992 people, 9,917 households, and 7,140 families residing in the county. The population density was 42 people per square mile (16/km²). There were 11,183 housing units at an average density of 18 per square mile (7/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 97.26% White, 0.45% Black or African American, 0.67% Native American, 0.19% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.33% from other races, and 1.06% from two or more races. Approximately 1.30% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 9,917 households out of which 33.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.50% were married couples living together, 8.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.00% were non-families. 23.20% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.70% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.02.

In the county the population was spread out with 25.70% under the age of 18, 12.60% from 18 to 24, 25.50% from 25 to 44, 20.80% from 45 to 64, and 15.30% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 94.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.90 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $29,656, and the median income for a family was $35,843. Males had a median income of $25,383 versus $18,799 for females. The per capita income for the county was $13,645. About 11.10% of families and 16.30% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.00% of those under age 18 and 12.00% of those age 65 or over.

Politics

Local

The Republican Party completely controls politics at the local level in Polk County. Republicans hold all of the elected positions in the county.

Polk County, Missouri
Elected countywide officials
Assessor	Carolyn Page	Republican
Circuit Clerk	Vesta Seiner	Republican
County Clerk	Melinda Robertson	Republican
Collector	Debbi R-McGinnis	Republican
Commissioner (Presiding)	Denzil Roberts	Republican
Commissioner (District 1)	Kyle Legan	Republican
Commissioner (District 2)	Billy Dryer	Republican
Coroner	Roy Harms	Republican
Prosecuting Attorney	Kenneth R. Ashlock	Republican
Public Administrator	Barbara Davolt	Republican
Recorder	Carol Poindexter	Republican
Sheriff	Kay Williams	Republican
Surveyor	John R.M. Nelson	Republican
Treasurer	Vonna Bauer	Republican

State

**Past Gubernatorial Elections Results**
Year	Republican	Democratic	Third Parties
2008	45.76% 6,244	49.52% 6,758	4.72% 644
2004	67.84% 8,418	30.90% 3,835	1.56% 1.26
2000	58.65% 5,996	39.79% 4,068	1.55% 159
1996	55.64% 5,043	40.51% 3,672	3.85% 349

Polk County is divided into two legislative districts in the Missouri House of Representatives, both of which are represented by Republicans.

District 126 – Mike Kelley (R-Lamar). Consists of the communities of Morrisville and Pleasant Hope.

Missouri House of Representatives – District 126 - Polk County (2010)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Mike Kelley	2,067	100.00

District 133 – Sue Entichler (R-Bolivar). Consists of the communities of Aldrich, Bolivar, Fair Play, Halfway, and Humansville.

Missouri House of Representatives – District 133 - Polk County (2010)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Sue Entichler	6,658	100.00

All of Polk County is a part of Missouri’s 28th District in the Missouri Senate and is currently represented by Mike Parson (R-Bolivar.

Missouri Senate - District 28 - Polk County (2010)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Mike Parson	8,236	86.44
	Libertarian	Bennie B. Hatfield	1,292	13.56

Federal

Polk County is split into two congressional districts at the federal level. Most of the county is included in Missouri’s 7th Congressional District and is currently represented by Billy Long (R-Springfield in the U.S. House of Representatives. The rest of the county lies in Missouri's 4th Congressional District and is currently represented by Vicky Hartzler (R-Harrisonville).

U.S. House of Representatives – Missouri’s 7th Congressional District - Polk County (2010)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Billy Long	4,740	63.89
	Democratic	Scott Eckersley	2,162	29.14
	Libertarian	Kevin Craig	517	6.97

U.S. House of Representatives – Missouri’s 4th Congressional District - Polk County (2010)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Vicky Hartzler	1,296	54.27
	Democratic	Ike Skelton*	901	37.73
	Libertarian	Jason Michael Braun	118	4.94
	Constitution	Greg Cowan	73	3.06

Political culture

**Past Presidential Elections Results**
Year	Republican	Democratic	Third Parties
2008	65.39% 8,956	33.24% 4,553	1.37% 188
2004	68.95% 8,586	30.31% 3,775	0.64% 92
2000	62.46% 6,430	35.03% 3,606	2.51% 258
1996	49.74 4,521	36.38% 3,307	13.88% 1,262

Missouri Presidential Preference Primary (2008)

Former Governor Mike Huckabee (R-Arkansas) received more votes, a total of 2,317, than any candidate from either party in Polk County during the 2008 presidential primary.

Polk County, Missouri
2008 Republican primary in Missouri
John McCain	1,141 (25.28%)
Mike Huckabee	2,317 (51.33%)
Mitt Romney	842 (18.65%)
Ron Paul	154 (3.41%)

Polk County, Missouri
2008 Democratic primary in Missouri
Hillary Clinton	1,904 (63.81%)
Barack Obama	993 (33.28%)
John Edwards (withdrawn)	67 (2.25%)

Media

The Bolivar Herald-Free Press is published twice weekly.

Communities

Cities

Villages

Unincorporated communities

Townships

Polk County is divided into 22 townships:

Campbell Township
Cliquot Township
East Looney Township
East Madison Township
Flemington Township
Jackson Township
Jefferson Township
Johnson Township
McKinley Township
Mooney Township
North Benton Township
North Green Township
Northeast Marion Township
Northwest Marion Township
South Benton Township
South Green Township
Southeast Marion Township
Southwest Marion Township
Union Township
West Looney Township
West Madison Township
Wishart Township

References

1 2 "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved September 12, 2013.
↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
↑ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved November 18, 2014.
↑ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Incorporated Places: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2015". Retrieved May 1, 2016.
↑ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 18, 2014.
↑ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved November 18, 2014.
↑ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 18, 2014.
↑ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 18, 2014.
↑ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.

External links

http://www.bolivarmonews.com/
Digitized 1930 Plat Book of Polk County from University of Missouri Division of Special Collections, Archives, and Rare Books

Polk County, Missouri

Dade County

Greene County

Municipalities and communities of Polk County, Missouri, United States

County seat: Bolivar

Cities	Bolivar Fair Play Humansville Pleasant Hope

Villages	Aldrich Flemington Halfway Goodnight Morrisville

Townships	Campbell Cliquot East Looney East Madison Flemington Jackson Jefferson Johnson McKinley Mooney North Benton Northeast Marion North Green Northwest Marion South Benton Southeast Marion South Green Southwest Marion Union West Looney West Madison Wishart

Unincorporated communities	Brighton Dunnegan Eudora Goodson Polk Tin Town

State of Missouri

Jefferson City (capital)

Topics	Government Delegations Geography Transportation History People Battles Visitor attractions

Society	Culture Crime Demographics Economy Education Politics

Regions	Boonslick Bootheel Crowley's Ridge Dissected Till Plains Four State Area Henry Shaw Ozark Corridor Honey Lands Lead Belt Lincoln Hills Little Dixie Loess Hills Mid-Missouri Mississippi Embayment Missouri Rhineland Northern Plains Osage Plains Ozark Plateau Platte Purchase Pony Express St. Francois Mountains Westplex

Metro areas	Columbia Jefferson City Joplin Kansas City Springfield St. Joseph St. Louis

Largest cities	Kansas City St. Louis Springfield Independence Columbia Lee's Summit O'Fallon St. Joseph St. Charles St. Peters Blue Springs Florissant Joplin Chesterfield Jefferson City Cape Girardeau Wildwood University City Ballwin Raytown Liberty Wentzville Kirkwood Maryland Heights Hazelwood

Counties and independent cities	Adair Andrew Atchison Audrain Barry Barton Bates Benton Bollinger Boone Buchanan Butler Caldwell Callaway Camden Cape Girardeau Carroll Carter Cass Cedar Chariton Christian Clark Clay Clinton Cole Cooper Crawford Dade Dallas Daviess DeKalb Dent Douglas Dunklin Franklin Gasconade Gentry Greene Grundy Harrison Henry Hickory Holt Howard Howell Iron Jackson Jasper Jefferson Johnson Knox Laclede Lafayette Lawrence Lewis Lincoln Linn Livingston Macon Madison Maries Marion McDonald Mercer Miller Mississippi Moniteau Monroe Montgomery Morgan New Madrid Newton Nodaway Oregon Osage Ozark Pemiscot Perry Pettis Phelps Pike Platte Polk Pulaski Putnam Ralls Randolph Ray Reynolds Ripley St. Charles St. Clair St. Francois St. Louis (City) St. Louis (County) Ste. Genevieve Saline Schuyler Scotland Scott Shannon Shelby Stoddard Stone Sullivan Taney Texas Vernon Warren Washington Wayne Webster Worth Wright

Coordinates: 37°37′N 93°24′W / 37.62°N 93.40°W / 37.62; -93.40

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