Polk County, Nebraska
Among the top 5% of US counties for safety & wellbeing.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade B, better than 67% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade C, better than 37% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade A+, better than 95% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade B, better than 60% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade B+, better than 78% of US counties
- top 6% for unemployment
- top 10% for violent crime
- bottom 17% for income tax
Polk County is a county in Nebraska with about 5,182 residents. It grades A+ for safety & wellbeing and C for weather. Standout strengths include unemployment, violent crime, and monthly rent. It rates lower on comfortable days and income tax.
Official websitepolkcounty.ne.gov (opens in new tab)
Climate
Hot summers · Cold winters · Moderate rain · Snowy
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82%63%clearovercast
Precipitation 3.8 in0.7 in
humid 90%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$68k69th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$46kbetter than 38% of US counties
Home Value$153k46th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$636better than 90% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$1kbetter than 61% of US counties
Property Tax Rate1.08%better than 34% of US counties
Income Tax6.40%better than 17% of US counties
Sales Tax6.97%better than 67% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden11.14%better than 23% of US counties
Unemployment1.9%better than 94% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)25°F23rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)77°F49th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation28.7 in23rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall29.2 inbetter than 29% of US counties
Sunny Days264 daysbetter than 84% of US counties
Summer Humidity65°Fbetter than 53% of US counties
Comfortable Days63 daysbetter than 18% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk25.7better than 73% of US counties
School Quality87.3better than 87% of US counties
Violent Crime150/100kbetter than 90% of US counties
Property Crime200/100kbetter than 88% of US counties
Community
Population5,18210th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age43.468th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.1425th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9944th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+6283rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)90.7%74th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)0.2%9th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)6.2%58th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)0.0%4th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)3.0%38th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time23 minbetter than 63% of US counties
Walkability6.0/20better than 50% of US counties
Airport Distance89 mibetter than 55% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access85.5%better than 64% of US counties
Amenities Nearby11.58better than 89% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessModeratebetter than 47% 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 $46k, better than 38% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Polk County?
- The median home value in Polk County is $153k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Polk County?
- Median household income in Polk County is $68k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Polk County?
- Median gross rent in Polk County is $636 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 150/100k (better than 90%). Property crime is 200/100k.
- What is the weather like in Polk County?
- Polk County averages 77°F in July and 25°F in January, with 28.7 in of annual precipitation and about 264 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Polk County?
- Public-school quality in Polk County is above average, scoring better than 87% 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 23 min.
Other counties in Nebraska
Explore Nebraska
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)