Polk County, Missouri
Among the top 21% of US counties for affordability.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade B+, better than 79% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade C, better than 45% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade F, better than 10% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade D, better than 18% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade B, better than 52% of US counties
- bottom 7% for school quality
Polk County is a county in Missouri with about 32,000 residents. It grades B+ for affordability and F for safety & wellbeing. Standout strengths include cost of living, property tax rate, and unemployment. It rates lower on violent crime and school quality.
Official websitepolkcountymo.gov (opens in new tab)
Climate
Hot, humid summers · Cold winters · Moderate rain · Light snow
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82%57%clearovercast
Precipitation 4.8 in2.4 in
muggy 100%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$54k32nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$43kbetter than 74% of US counties
Home Value$172k57th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$752better than 67% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$1kbetter than 66% of US counties
Property Tax Rate0.61%better than 74% of US counties
Income Tax4.80%better than 54% of US counties
Sales Tax8.39%better than 25% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden9.50%better than 49% of US counties
Unemployment3.6%better than 72% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)34°F48th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)79°F57th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation46.2 in58th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall8.9 inbetter than 56% of US counties
Sunny Days252 daysbetter than 66% of US counties
Summer Humidity67°Fbetter than 40% of US counties
Comfortable Days72 daysbetter than 31% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk54.5better than 44% of US counties
School Quality34.5better than 7% of US counties
Violent Crime1443/100kbetter than 17% of US counties
Property Crime1552/100kbetter than 24% of US counties
Community
Population31,87756th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age38.927th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.1423rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9729th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+6180th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)92.4%81st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)1.2%40th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)2.8%29th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)0.8%59th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)2.9%37th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time27 minbetter than 32% of US counties
Walkability5.6/20better than 35% of US counties
Airport Distance136 mibetter than 30% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access78.6%better than 26% of US counties
Amenities Nearby4.39better than 64% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessGoodbetter than 70% 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 74% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Polk County?
- The median home value in Polk County is $172k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Polk County?
- Median household income in Polk County is $54k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Polk County?
- Median gross rent in Polk County is $752 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 1443/100k (better than 17%). Property crime is 1552/100k.
- What is the weather like in Polk County?
- Polk County averages 79°F in July and 34°F in January, with 46.2 in of annual precipitation and about 252 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Polk County?
- Public-school quality in Polk County is below average, scoring better than 7% 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 27 min.
Other counties in Missouri
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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)