Johnson County vs Polk County
Johnson County, Iowa versus Polk County, Iowa: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US counties.
Johnson County edges out Polk County on overall objective livability (45 vs 39 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Johnson County | Polk County |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $73k | $79k |
| Cost of Living | $45k | $47k |
| Home Value | $278k | $232k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $36k | $133k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.60% | 1.81% |
| Income Tax | 6.00% | 6.00% |
| Sales Tax | 6.94% | 6.94% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 14.39% | 13.63% |
| Unemployment | 3.8% | 4.5% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 22°F | 22°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 75°F | 75°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 36.2 in | 37.3 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 27.9 in | 33.7 in |
| Sunny Days | 245 days | 194 days |
| Summer Humidity | 65°F | 65°F |
| Comfortable Days | 83 days | 89 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 87.4 | 92.0 |
| Air Quality | 53 AQI | 52 AQI |
| School Quality | 55.3 | 57.2 |
| Violent Crime | 1172/100k | 1061/100k |
| Property Crime | 1555/100k | 1563/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 153,360 | 493,378 |
| Median Age | 30.6 | 36.1 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.36 | 0.35 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.99 | 0.99 |
| Political Leaning | D+44 | D+16 |
| White (%) | 76.5% | 75.5% |
| Black (%) | 7.3% | 7.1% |
| Hispanic (%) | 5.9% | 8.9% |
| Asian (%) | 6.1% | 4.9% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 4.2% | 3.6% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 20 min | 20 min |
| Walkability | 9.3/20 | 11.2/20 |
| Airport Distance | 192 mi | 123 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 89.4% | 89.5% |
| Amenities Nearby | 15.78 | 3.83 |
| Park & Nature Access | Excellent | Moderate |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US counties: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Johnson County or Polk County more affordable?
- Johnson County has the lower cost of living: its index is $45k, compared with Johnson County's $45k and Polk County's $47k. Median rent is $1k in Johnson County versus $1k in Polk County.
- Is Johnson County or Polk County safer?
- Polk County has the lower violent crime rate. Johnson County reports 1172/100k and Polk County reports 1061/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Johnson County or Polk County?
- The median home value is $278k in Johnson County and $232k in Polk County, so homes are more affordable in Polk County.