Census-designated place · Louisiana
Fort Polk South, Louisiana
Fort Polk South, census-designated place, in Vernon Parish, Louisiana. Fort Polk South had 7,869 people in the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (±549). GEOID 2226757.
Residents, 2020-2024
7,869
±549 (90% margin)
2020 Census count: 7,950
Median household income
$63,800
±$8,849 (90% margin)
Louisiana: $60,756
Median home value
not published
Louisiana: $216,500
Median gross rent
$1,202
±$45 (90% margin)
Louisiana: $1,064
Where is Fort Polk South and what county is it in?
Fort Polk South is a census-designated place: an unincorporated community the Census Bureau draws for counting, with no city government of its own, in Vernon Parish, Louisiana. It covers 6.1 square miles of land, 1,294 residents per square mile in 2020.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Fort Polk South, and is it growing?
The 2020-2024 American Community Survey puts Fort Polk South's population at 7,869 (±549). The 2020 Census counted 7,950 residents.
The Census Bureau publishes yearly population estimates for incorporated places only; Fort Polk South is a census-designated place, so its figures come from the ACS and the 2020 Census.
| Measure | Fort Polk South | Vernon Parish | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 7,869 ±549 | 47,117 | −1,179 |
| Households | 2,238 ±204 | 18,300 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.99 ±0.21 | 2.49 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 2,491 ±201 | 22,156 | −403 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Fort Polk South?
The median resident of Fort Polk South is 23.0 years old. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 50.2%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 20.8%. 6.5% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Fort Polk South | Vernon Parish | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 23.0 ±0.9 | 32.4 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 32.3% ±2.4 pts | 25.4% | – |
| 65 years and over | 0.3% ±0.4 pts | 14.0% | – |
| Male | 57.3% ±2.4 pts | 51.8% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 20.8% ±4.2 pts | 9.4% | no clear change |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 50.2% ±5.7 pts | 70.0% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 16.1% ±3.3 pts | 12.2% | −4.4 pts |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 2.7% ±0.8 pts | 1.6% | no clear change |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.3% ±0.3 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 1.1% ±0.6 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 8.1% ±3.3 pts | 5.4% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.6% ±0.5 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 6.5% ±1.6 pts | 3.3% | no clear change |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 17.5% ±3.4 pts | 7.7% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 16.5% ±7.1 pts | 16.3% | – |
| With a disability | 8.1% ±3.5 pts | 23.1% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 1.9% ±1.2 pts | 6.8% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 96.2% ±2.3 pts | 89.0% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 34.0% ±6.3 pts | 19.8% | +13.0 pts |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 11.3% ±4.0 pts | 5.2% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 66.6% ±7.3 pts | 83.8% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 20.8% ±6.1 pts | 7.0% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Fort Polk South earn?
Half of Fort Polk South's 2,238 households earn less than $63,800 a year (±$8,849), against $57,270 in Vernon Parish and $60,756 in Louisiana. In 2015-2019 it was $61,887 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 14.0% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Fort Polk South | Vernon Parish | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $63,800 ±$8,849 | $57,270 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $78,389 ±$8,134 | $74,627 | – |
| Per capita income | $27,179 ±$2,750 | $30,322 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 14.0% ±5.9 pts | 19.0% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 17.6% ±7.8 pts | 24.8% | no clear change |
| Households receiving SNAP | 2.7% ±2.5 pts | 14.6% | – |
| Households with a computer | 100.0% ±2.0 pts | 94.7% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 99.0% ±1.4 pts | 88.0% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Fort Polk South?
The median renter pays $1,202 a month including utilities, and 25.5% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Fort Polk South | Vernon Parish | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $1,202 ±$45 | $1,068 | −$216 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 25.5% ±7.4 pts | 31.2% | −10.6 pts |
| Owner-occupied homes | 1.4% ±1.7 pts | 56.0% | – |
| Renter-occupied homes | 98.6% ±1.7 pts | 44.0% | – |
| Housing units | 2,491 ±201 | 22,156 | −403 |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±62.7 pts | 2.0% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 3.9% ±3.0 pts | 6.4% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 7.7% ±3.6 pts | 50.6% | – |
| Mobile homes | 2.0% ±2.9 pts | 23.2% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.9% ±0.9 pts | 1.4% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 15.4% ±5.0 pts | 13.0% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 1.5% ±1.4 pts | 2.3% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 0.9% ±0.9 pts | 6.2% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How do people in Fort Polk South work and get to work?
62.3% of Fort Polk South's workers drive alone and 17.5% work from home. The average trip to work takes 11.2 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 4.1%.
| Measure | Fort Polk South | Vernon Parish | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 78.2% ±3.5 pts | 60.2% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 4.1% ±2.4 pts | 5.7% | no clear change |
| Drove alone to work | 62.3% ±6.6 pts | 79.7% | – |
| Carpooled | 8.4% ±3.8 pts | 9.5% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±1.1 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Walked | 10.9% ±3.6 pts | 3.1% | – |
| Worked from home | 17.5% ±8.5 pts | 5.8% | +15.3 pts |
| Mean travel time to work | 11.2 min ±1.4 | 22.9 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Fort Polk South?
2 census tracts lie mostly in Fort Polk South, and 3 more reach into it (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $63,050 (Tract 9507.04) to $65,313 (Tract 9507.02).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9507.04Vernon Parish | 4,076 | $63,050 |
| Tract 9507.02Vernon Parish | 2,609 | $65,313 |
| Tract 9507.01Vernon Parish | 1,690 | $96,736 |
| Tract 9507.03Vernon Parish | 2,389 | $47,588 |
| Tract 9506Vernon Parish | 3,271 | $60,357 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Fort Polk South) · Census block assignment files
How does Fort Polk South compare with other places in Louisiana?
Fort Polk South ranks 93rd of 251 places in Louisiana with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population (ACS 2020-2024) | 71st | 263 |
| Residents per square mile | 90th | 263 |
| Median household income | 93rd | 251 |
| Per capita income | 156th | 263 |
| Median gross rent | 49th | 229 |
| Poverty rate | 168th | 216 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 36th | 229 |
| Median age | 261st | 262 |
| Work from home | 6th | 87 |
| Travel time to work | 260th | 260 |
Fort Polk South's figures with every place in Louisiana (CSV)
Every place in Louisiana, sortable · Compare Fort Polk South with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Fort Polk South?
12 of the 55 figures for Fort Polk South on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Fort Polk South are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' school search.