Polk County, Minnesota
Among the top 11% of US counties for lifestyle & connectivity.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade C, better than 31% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade C, better than 26% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade C, better than 45% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade B, better than 67% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade A, better than 89% of US counties
- top 7% for park & nature access
- top 12% for commute time
- bottom 6% for income tax
Polk County is a county in Minnesota with about 31,000 residents. It grades A for lifestyle & connectivity and C for weather. Standout strengths include park & nature access, commute time, and walkability. It rates lower on estimated total tax burden and income tax.
Official websiteco.polk.mn.us (opens in new tab)
Climate
Warm summers · Harsh winters · Dry · Heavy snow
freezing
v.cold
cold
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warm
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cold
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76%50%clearovercast
Precipitation 3.6 in0.6 in
humid 27%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$70k73rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$43kbetter than 75% of US counties
Home Value$205k69th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$822better than 49% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$2kbetter than 25% of US counties
Property Tax Rate0.96%better than 42% of US counties
Income Tax9.90%better than 6% of US counties
Sales Tax8.04%better than 38% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden15.38%better than 7% of US counties
Unemployment3.4%better than 75% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)7°F1st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)68°F7th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation23.0 in17th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall49.8 inbetter than 11% of US counties
Sunny Days229 daysbetter than 40% of US counties
Summer Humidity60°Fbetter than 77% of US counties
Comfortable Days77 daysbetter than 44% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk67.0better than 32% of US counties
School Quality61.5better than 63% of US counties
Violent Crime927/100kbetter than 40% of US counties
Property Crime826/100kbetter than 54% of US counties
Community
Population31,12855th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age39.330th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.2343rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio1.0680th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+2939th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)84.9%58th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)2.4%54th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)6.8%62nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)1.1%70th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)4.8%77th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time18 minbetter than 88% of US counties
Walkability7.6/20better than 83% of US counties
Airport Distance253 mibetter than 8% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access87.9%better than 78% of US counties
Amenities Nearby2.25better than 49% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessExcellentbetter than 93% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is Polk County an affordable place to live?
- Polk County is relatively affordable. Its cost-of-living index is $43k, better than 75% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Polk County?
- The median home value in Polk County is $205k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Polk County?
- Median household income in Polk County is $70k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Polk County?
- Median gross rent in Polk County is $822 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 927/100k (better than 40%). Property crime is 826/100k.
- What is the weather like in Polk County?
- Polk County averages 68°F in July and 7°F in January, with 23.0 in of annual precipitation and about 229 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Polk County?
- Public-school quality in Polk County is above average, scoring better than 63% 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 18 min.
Other counties in Minnesota
Explore Minnesota
Data sources
- 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)