Polk County, North Carolina
Among the top 13% of US counties for weather.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade C, better than 44% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade A, better than 87% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade B, better than 69% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade C, better than 38% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade B, better than 65% of US counties
- top 16% for amenities nearby
Polk County is a county in North Carolina with about 20,000 residents. It grades A for weather and C for getting around. Standout strengths include amenities nearby, violent crime, and comfortable days. It rates lower on commute time and monthly rent.
Official websitepolknc.org (opens in new tab)
Climate
Hot, humid summers · Cool winters · Wet · Light snow
cold
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warm
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71%60%clearovercast
Precipitation 5.4 in4.6 in
muggy 77%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$60k50th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$47kbetter than 32% of US counties
Home Value$255k81st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$984better than 24% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$1kbetter than 49% of US counties
Property Tax Rate0.58%better than 78% of US counties
Income Tax5.35%better than 41% of US counties
Sales Tax7.00%better than 61% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden10.12%better than 37% of US counties
Unemployment4.3%better than 60% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)40°F67th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)77°F49th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation59.9 in95th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall3.7 inbetter than 66% of US counties
Sunny Days245 daysbetter than 59% of US counties
Summer Humidity67°Fbetter than 41% of US counties
Comfortable Days90 daysbetter than 78% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk36.9better than 62% of US counties
School Quality66.1better than 70% of US counties
Violent Crime359/100kbetter than 80% of US counties
Property Crime1147/100kbetter than 38% of US counties
Community
Population19,53841st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age54.298th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.2139th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.872nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+2636th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)85.5%59th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)4.9%65th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)5.9%57th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)0.2%23rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)3.4%51st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time27 minbetter than 30% of US counties
Walkability5.6/20better than 35% of US counties
Airport Distance69 mibetter than 68% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access80.8%better than 35% of US counties
Amenities Nearby9.21better than 84% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessGoodbetter than 59% 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 32% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Polk County?
- The median home value in Polk County is $255k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Polk County?
- Median household income in Polk County is $60k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Polk County?
- Median gross rent in Polk County is $984 a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Polk County safe?
- Polk County is safer than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 359/100k (better than 80%). Property crime is 1147/100k.
- What is the weather like in Polk County?
- Polk County averages 77°F in July and 40°F in January, with 59.9 in of annual precipitation and about 245 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Polk County?
- Public-school quality in Polk County is above average, scoring better than 70% 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 North Carolina
Explore North Carolina
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)