Polk County, Tennessee
Among the top 21% of US counties for affordability.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade B+, better than 79% 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.
- The median home value in Polk County is $128k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Median household income in Polk County is $54k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Median gross rent in Polk County is $678 a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Polk County has a violent crime rate of 785/100k, per the FBI Uniform Crime Reports.
- The average one-way commute in Polk County is 30 min, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
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$6kbetter than 59% 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
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)
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. Median rent is $678.
- 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.