| Polk County, Tennessee | |
| Map | |
 Location in the state of Tennessee |
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 Tennessee's location in the U.S. |
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| Statistics | |
| Founded | 1839 |
|---|---|
| Seat | Benton |
| Largest city | Benton |
| Area - Total - Land - Water |
442 sq mi (1,146 km²) 435 sq mi (1,127 km²) 7 sq mi (19 km²), 1.65% |
| Population - (2000) - Density |
16,050 37/sq mi (14/km²) |
| Time zone | Eastern: UTC-5/-4 |
 Polk County Courthouse in Benton
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Polk County is a county located in the southeastern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee. It was created 28 November 1839 from parts of Bradley and McMinn counties. The county had a population of 16,050 in 2000. Its county seat is Benton[1]. The county was named after then-governor James Knox Polk.
It is included in the Cleveland, Tennessee Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Contents |
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 442 square miles (1,146 km²), of which, 435 square miles (1,127 km²) of it is land and 7 square miles (19 km²) of it is water. The total area is 1.65% water.
Much of the terrain of eastern Polk County is mountainous, including Big Frog Mountain, constituting part of the southern Appalachian Mountains. Large tracts of Polk County are part of the Cherokee National Forest. The Ocoee River, site of whitewater slalom events in the Atlanta 1996 Summer Olympic Games, runs through Polk County and is vital to one of the county's major industries, whitewater rafting. The calmer Hiwassee River, a tributary of the Tennessee River which flows through northern Polk County, is also used for rafting and tubing.
In November 2009, a large rockslide closed U.S. Highway 64 through the Ocoee River Gorge, the county's main road connecting populated areas near Ducktown with the county seat in Benton. TDOT officials estimated that it will take over 2 months and $2.1 million to clear the road for traffic.[2]
It is also home to two high schools, Copper Basin and Polk county High School. Polk County High School holds one of the most active FFA Chapters in the State.
Adjacent counties
- Monroe County (northeast)
- Cherokee County, North Carolina (east)
- Fannin County, Georgia (southeast)
- Murray County, Georgia (southwest)
- Bradley County (west)
- McMinn County (northwest)
National protected area
- Cherokee National Forest (part)
Demographics
As of the census[3] of 2000, there were 16,050 people, 6,448 households, and 4,752 families residing in the county. The population density was 37 people per square mile (14/km²). There were 7,369 housing units at an average density of 17 per square mile (7/km²).
There were 6,448 households out of which 29.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.30% were married couples living together, 9.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.30% were non-families. 23.30% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.80% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 2.89. The racial makeup of the county was 98.35% White, 0.14% Black or African American, 0.27% Native American, 0.12% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.09% from other races, and 1.01% from two or more races. 0.73% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
In the county, the population was spread out with 22.60% under the age of 18, 8.20% from 18 to 24, 28.50% from 25 to 44, 26.40% from 45 to 64, and 14.30% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 98.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.80 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $29,643, and the median income for a family was $36,370. Males had a median income of $27,703 versus $21,010 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,025. About 9.70% of families and 13.00% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.80% of those under age 18 and 18.40% of those age 65 or over.
SCHOOLS K-5 Benton Elementary and South Polk Elementary 6-8 Chilhowee Middle School 9-12 Polk County High School
Populated places
Cities and towns
Unincorporated communities
- Delano
- Farner
- Ocoee
- Old Fort
- Reliance
- Turtletown
References
- ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. http://www.naco.org/Template.cfm?Section=Find_a_County&Template=/cffiles/counties/usamap.cfm. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ^ http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/nov/17/rock-slide-cleanup-price-tag-2-million/
- ^ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ^ Based on 2000 census data
External links
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McMinn County | Monroe County | |
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| Bradley County |  |
Cherokee County, North Carolina | ||
 Polk County, Tennessee  |
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| Murray County, Georgia | Fannin County, Georgia |
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