Polk County, Iowa
Among the top 11% of US counties for getting around.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade F, better than 10% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade D, better than 20% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade D, better than 13% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade A, better than 89% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade B, better than 66% of US counties
- top 3% for walkability
- top 14% for broadband access
- bottom 6% for property tax rate
Polk County is a county in Iowa with about 493,000 residents. It grades A for getting around and F for affordability. Standout strengths include walkability, broadband access, and commute time. It rates lower on natural disaster risk and property tax rate.
Official websitepolkcountyiowa.gov (opens in new tab)
Climate
Warm summers · Cold winters · Moderate rain · Snowy
freez.
v.cold
cold
cool
comf.
warm
cool
cold
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66%45%clearovercast
Precipitation 4.7 in1.3 in
humid 100%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$79k86th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$47kbetter than 34% of US counties
Home Value$232k76th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$1kbetter than 19% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$2kbetter than 18% of US counties
Property Tax Rate1.81%better than 6% of US counties
Income Tax6.00%better than 21% of US counties
Sales Tax6.94%better than 70% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden13.63%better than 12% of US counties
Unemployment4.5%better than 55% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)22°F15th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)75°F37th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation37.3 in37th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall33.7 inbetter than 25% of US counties
Sunny Days194 daysbetter than 13% of US counties
Summer Humidity65°Fbetter than 51% of US counties
Comfortable Days89 daysbetter than 76% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk92.0better than 8% of US counties
Air Quality52 AQIbetter than 10% of US counties
School Quality57.2better than 55% of US counties
Violent Crime1061/100kbetter than 32% of US counties
Property Crime1563/100kbetter than 24% of US counties
Community
Population493,37896th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age36.112th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.3560th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9940th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningD+1610th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)75.5%41st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)7.1%71st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)8.9%69th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)4.9%94th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)3.6%54th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time20 minbetter than 82% of US counties
Walkability11.2/20better than 97% of US counties
Airport Distance123 mibetter than 36% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access89.5%better than 86% of US counties
Amenities Nearby3.83better than 60% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessModeratebetter than 32% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is Polk County an affordable place to live?
- Polk County is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $47k, better than 34% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Polk County?
- The median home value in Polk County is $232k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Polk County?
- Median household income in Polk County is $79k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Polk County?
- Median gross rent in Polk County is $1k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Polk County safe?
- Polk County is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 1061/100k (better than 32%). Property crime is 1563/100k.
- What is the weather like in Polk County?
- Polk County averages 75°F in July and 22°F in January, with 37.3 in of annual precipitation and about 194 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Polk County?
- Public-school quality in Polk County is about average, scoring better than 55% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Polk County?
- The average one-way commute in Polk County is 20 min.
Other counties in Iowa
Explore Iowa
Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)