Polk County, Oregon
Among the top 5% of US counties for weather.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade F, better than 10% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade A+, better than 95% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade C, better than 27% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade B+, better than 79% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade A, better than 93% of US counties
- top 2% for sales tax
- top 6% for comfortable days
- bottom 6% for income tax
Polk County is a county in Oregon with about 88,000 residents. It grades A+ for weather and F for affordability. Standout strengths include sales tax, comfortable days, and walkability. It rates lower on monthly owner costs and income tax.
Official websiteco.polk.or.us (opens in new tab)
Climate
Warm, dry summers · Cool winters · Moderate rain · Light snow
cold
cool
comfortable
warm
cool
cold
80%34%clearovercast
Precipitation 6.7 in0.8 in
dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$77k85th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$55kbetter than 12% of US counties
Home Value$382k94th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$1kbetter than 11% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$2kbetter than 10% of US counties
Property Tax Rate0.87%better than 48% of US counties
Income Tax9.90%better than 6% of US counties
Sales Tax0.00%better than 98% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden14.19%better than 10% of US counties
Unemployment5.3%better than 38% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)42°F71st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)69°F8th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation46.9 in61st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall3.3 inbetter than 67% of US counties
Sunny Days206 daysbetter than 20% of US counties
Summer Humidity52°Fbetter than 89% of US counties
Comfortable Days107 daysbetter than 94% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk72.8better than 27% of US counties
School Quality60.2better than 61% of US counties
Violent Crime1007/100kbetter than 35% of US counties
Property Crime1618/100kbetter than 22% of US counties
Community
Population87,60079th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age37.117th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.3358th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9725th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningEven18th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)75.6%42nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)0.6%24th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)15.1%80th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)1.8%83rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)6.9%89th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time27 minbetter than 32% of US counties
Walkability9.9/20better than 92% of US counties
Airport Distance61 mibetter than 73% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access90.0%better than 88% of US counties
Amenities Nearby3.65better than 59% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessExcellentbetter than 82% 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 $55k, better than 12% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Polk County?
- The median home value in Polk County is $382k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Polk County?
- Median household income in Polk County is $77k, 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 1007/100k (better than 35%). Property crime is 1618/100k.
- What is the weather like in Polk County?
- Polk County averages 69°F in July and 42°F in January, with 46.9 in of annual precipitation and about 206 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Polk County?
- Public-school quality in Polk County is above average, scoring better than 61% 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 Oregon
Explore Oregon
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)