Polk County, Tennessee
Among the top 15% of US counties for affordability.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade B+, better than 85% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade C, better than 32% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade C, better than 29% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade F, better than 9% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade C, better than 30% of US counties
- top 2% for cost of living
- top 5% for estimated total tax burden
- bottom 4% for sales tax
Polk County is a county in Tennessee with about 18,000 residents. It grades B+ for affordability and F for getting around. Standout strengths include cost of living, estimated total tax burden, and income tax. It rates lower on walkability and sales tax.
Official websitepolkgovernment.com (opens in new tab)
Climate
Hot, humid summers · Cool winters · Wet
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70%50%clearovercast
Precipitation 5.4 in4.4 in
muggy 98%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$54k30th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$40kbetter than 98% of US counties
Home Value$128k31st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$678better than 84% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$1kbetter than 82% of US counties
Property Tax Rate0.59%better than 78% of US counties
Income Tax0.00%better than 91% of US counties
Sales Tax9.55%better than 4% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden4.55%better than 95% of US counties
Unemployment7.8%better than 11% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)41°F68th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)80°F65th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation58.7 in94th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall1.4 inbetter than 75% of US counties
Sunny Days221 daysbetter than 34% of US counties
Summer Humidity69°Fbetter than 27% of US counties
Comfortable Days77 daysbetter than 44% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk31.2better than 67% of US counties
School Quality37.6better than 11% of US counties
Violent Crime785/100kbetter than 50% of US counties
Property Crime1645/100kbetter than 22% of US counties
Community
Population17,62038th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age46.384th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.1528th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio1.0155th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+6485th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)90.6%74th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)0.4%17th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)2.2%20th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)0.2%23rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)6.6%88th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time30 minbetter than 17% of US counties
Walkability4.5/20better than 10% of US counties
Airport Distance104 mibetter than 47% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access81.8%better than 41% of US counties
Amenities Nearby3.97better than 61% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessLimitedbetter than 17% 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 $40k, better than 98% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Polk County?
- The median home value in Polk County is $128k, 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 $678 a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Polk County safe?
- Polk County is about average for safety comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 785/100k (better than 50%). Property crime is 1645/100k.
- What is the weather like in Polk County?
- Polk County averages 80°F in July and 41°F in January, with 58.7 in of annual precipitation and about 221 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Polk County?
- Public-school quality in Polk County is below average, scoring better than 11% 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 30 min.
Other counties in Tennessee
Explore Tennessee
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)