[2] The county was created on December 20, 1851, by an act of the Georgia General Assembly and named after James K. Polk, the eleventh President of the United States.

[3] Polk County comprises the Cedartown, GA Metropolitan Statistical Area.

[6] As of the 2020 United States census, there were 42,853 people, 15,038 households, and 10,151 families residing in the county.

As of the 2010 United States census, there were 41,475 people, 15,092 households, and 10,908 families living in the county.

There were 16,908 housing units at an average density of 54.5 per square mile (21.0/km2).

[18] In terms of ancestry, 17.2% were English, 15.2% were American, 13.0% were Irish, and 5.3% were German.

[21] As of the census[22] of 2000, there were 38,127 people, 14,012 households, and 10,340 families living in the county.

22.70% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.