Polk County vs Scott County
Polk County, Iowa versus Scott County, Iowa: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US counties.
Polk County and Scott County score about the same overall (40 vs 43 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Polk County | Scott County |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $79k | $73k |
| Cost of Living | $47k | $42k |
| Home Value | $232k | $198k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $919 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.81% | 1.57% |
| Income Tax | 6.00% | 5.91% |
| Sales Tax | 6.94% | 6.94% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 13.63% | 12.47% |
| Unemployment | 4.5% | 4.0% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 22°F | 22°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 75°F | 74°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 37.3 in | 37.5 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 33.7 in | 35.2 in |
| Sunny Days | 194 days | 237 days |
| Summer Humidity | 65°F | 65°F |
| Comfortable Days | 89 days | 90 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 92.0 | 84.9 |
| Air Quality | 52 AQI | 53 AQI |
| School Quality | 57.2 | 44.6 |
| Violent Crime | 1061/100k | 1556/100k |
| Property Crime | 1563/100k | 2451/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 493,378 | 174,315 |
| Median Age | 36.1 | 38.7 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.35 | 0.32 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.99 | 0.98 |
| Political Leaning | D+16 | Even |
| White (%) | 75.5% | 78.0% |
| Black (%) | 7.1% | 6.9% |
| Hispanic (%) | 8.9% | 7.3% |
| Asian (%) | 4.9% | 2.8% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 3.6% | 5.0% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 20 min | 20 min |
| Walkability | 11.2/20 | 7.9/20 |
| Airport Distance | 123 mi | 141 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 89.5% | 87.9% |
| Amenities Nearby | 3.83 | 5.74 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | 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 Polk County or Scott County more affordable?
- Scott County has the lower cost of living: its index is $42k, compared with Polk County's $47k and Scott County's $42k. Median rent is $1k in Polk County versus $919 in Scott County.
- Is Polk County or Scott County safer?
- Polk County has the lower violent crime rate. Polk County reports 1061/100k and Scott County reports 1556/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Polk County or Scott County?
- The median home value is $232k in Polk County and $198k in Scott County, so homes are more affordable in Scott County.