Polk County is a county in Tennessee, United States, tucked into the state’s southeastern corner where it meets both Georgia and North Carolina. It had a population of 17,544 at the 2020 census and covers 442 square miles (1,150 km2), centred near 35°08′N 84°31′W.
Benton is the county seat, and its postal code is 37307. The county has three incorporated municipalities — one town and two cities — four census-designated places, and roughly three dozen smaller unincorporated communities, most clustered in the old Copper Basin mining district. Polk County runs on Eastern time.
Towns & Villages in Polk County
Polk County’s settlement pattern is dominated by Benton, its town-and-seat, and the twin former copper-mining cities of Copperhill and Ducktown near the Georgia line. Everything else on the list below is a census-designated place (CDP) or an unincorporated community — a rural crossroads, mill site, or valley settlement without its own municipal government. Population and ZIP figures are shown only where the 2020 census or postal records confirm them; unverified cells are marked with a dash.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Benton | Town · seat | — | 37307 |
| Copperhill | City | — | 37317 |
| Ducktown | City | — | 37326 |
| Conasauga | CDP | — | 37316 |
| Delano | CDP | — | 37325 |
| Farner | CDP | — | 37333 |
| Ocoee | CDP | — | 37361 |
| Apalachia | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Archville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Austral | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Ball Play | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Belltown | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Belltown Hill | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Benton Springs | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Benton Station | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Camp Ocoee | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Caney Creek | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Chanceytown | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Coletown | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Grassy Creek | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Hambright | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Harbuck | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Isabella | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Kimsey | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Linsdale | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Maggies Mill | Unincorp. | — | — |
| McAllister Hill | Unincorp. | — | — |
| McFarland | Unincorp. | — | — |
| McGeetown | Unincorp. | — | — |
| McHarg | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Newtown | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Oak Grove | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Old Patty | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Oldfort | Unincorp. | — | 37362 |
| Parksville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Patterson Mill | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Patty | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Pine Ridge | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Postelle | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Probst | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Reesetown | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Reliance | Unincorp. | — | 37369 |
| Servilla | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Staffordtown | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Sylco | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Towee | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Turtletown | Unincorp. | — | 37391 |
| Wetmore | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Willis Springs | Unincorp. | — | — |
Delano straddles the county line and is shared with neighboring McMinn County; the address most residents use still falls under the 37325 ZIP.
ZIP Codes
- 37307 — Benton (also serves Ball Play, Belltown, Benton Springs and Benton Station)
- 37317 — Copperhill
- 37326 — Ducktown (post office box service)
- 37316 — Conasauga (post office box service)
- 37325 — Delano
- 37333 — Farner
- 37361 — Ocoee
- 37362 — Oldfort
- 37369 — Reliance
- 37391 — Turtletown
The remaining unincorporated communities on the list above have no ZIP code of their own; mail there is delivered through the nearest listed post office town.
Geography
Polk County sits at the southeastern tip of Tennessee, where the Blue Ridge foothills of the Cherokee National Forest give way to the Copper Basin, a historically denuded mining landscape now largely reclaimed with forest cover. The Ocoee River cuts through the county’s northern half and is the most-rafted whitewater river in the United States, drawing roughly 250,000 paddlers a year; the Hiwassee River forms part of the county’s northern edge near Reliance. Chilhowee Mountain rises along the western boundary.
Polk County borders McMinn County to the north, Monroe County to the northeast, Cherokee County, North Carolina to the east, Fannin County, Georgia and Murray County, Georgia to the south, and Bradley County to the west. It is the only Tennessee county that borders both Georgia and North Carolina.
Demographics
Polk County had 17,544 residents at the 2020 census, spread across a mostly rural, mountainous 435 square miles of land for a density of about 40 people per square mile. The largest communities are the twin former copper-mining cities of Copperhill and Ducktown in the Copper Basin, followed by Benton, the county seat, along the Hiwassee valley. Median household income in the county trails the Tennessee median of $67,631, reflecting its rural, tourism- and forestry-dependent economy.
Economy & Local Life
Outdoor tourism is the county’s biggest economic driver: the Ocoee Whitewater Center, built for the 1996 Atlanta Olympics’ canoe/kayak slalom events, still anchors a summer rafting and paddling season on the Ocoee River. The Cherokee National Forest covers a large share of the county and supports hiking, camping and hunting traffic through Reliance and Turtletown. Copper mining, once the region’s dominant industry around Copperhill and Ducktown, ended commercially in the 1980s; the Ducktown Basin Museum now preserves that history. Small-scale farming, forestry and county government round out local employment.
History
Polk County was organized on November 28, 1839, from parts of Bradley and McMinn counties, shortly after the forced removal of most Cherokee residents from the region. It was named for James K. Polk, then governor of Tennessee and later the eleventh U.S. president. Large-scale copper mining began in the Copper Basin in the 1840s and, over the following century, stripped the surrounding hills of vegetation through smelting fumes and erosion — a scar visible from orbit until a decades-long reclamation effort begun in the 1930s restored much of the forest.
Getting There
US Highways 64, 74 and 411 cross the county, along with several state routes including SR-30, SR-40, SR-68, SR-74, SR-123 and SR-163.
- Cleveland, Tennessee — 20 miles west
- Chattanooga, Tennessee — 50 miles southwest
- Murphy, North Carolina — 25 miles east
- Blue Ridge, Georgia — 20 miles south
The nearest commercial airport is Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport, about 55 miles southwest via US-64 and US-411.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Polk County, Tennessee?
It sits in the far southeastern corner of Tennessee, bordering both Georgia and North Carolina.
What is the population of Polk County?
17,544 residents at the 2020 census.
How big is Polk County?
442 square miles (1,150 km2), of which 435 square miles is land.
What is the county seat of Polk County?
Benton is the county seat.
How many towns are in Polk County?
Three incorporated municipalities — Benton, Copperhill and Ducktown — plus four census-designated places and around three dozen smaller unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in Polk County?
Ten ZIP codes serve the county, led by 37307 (Benton), 37317 (Copperhill) and 37326 (Ducktown).
Why is the Ocoee River famous?
It is the most-rafted whitewater river in the United States and hosted the canoe/kayak slalom events at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Tennessee.