Polk County, Texas
Among the top 15% of US counties for weather.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade C, better than 43% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade A, better than 85% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade D, better than 22% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade C, better than 29% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade D, better than 16% of US counties
- top 9% for income tax
- top 10% for estimated total tax burden
- bottom 6% for unemployment
Polk County is a county in Texas with about 51,000 residents. It grades A for weather and D for lifestyle & connectivity. Standout strengths include income tax, estimated total tax burden, and annual snowfall. It rates lower on summer humidity and unemployment.
Official websitepolktx.gov (opens in new tab)
Climate
Hot, humid summers · Cool winters · Wet
cool
comf.
warm
hot
warm
comf.
cool
79%50%clearovercast
Precipitation 4.6 in4.0 in
oppressive 93%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$57k40th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$42kbetter than 88% of US counties
Home Value$151k45th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$920better than 32% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$1kbetter than 52% of US counties
Property Tax Rate0.99%better than 40% of US counties
Income Tax0.00%better than 91% of US counties
Sales Tax8.20%better than 32% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden5.32%better than 90% of US counties
Unemployment9.3%better than 6% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)50°F89th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)83°F90th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation51.9 in78th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall0.1 inbetter than 89% of US counties
Sunny Days246 daysbetter than 61% of US counties
Summer Humidity72°Fbetter than 9% of US counties
Comfortable Days92 daysbetter than 82% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk75.6better than 24% of US counties
Air Quality37 AQIbetter than 77% of US counties
School Quality41.3better than 18% of US counties
Violent Crime1303/100kbetter than 21% of US counties
Property Crime1650/100kbetter than 22% of US counties
Community
Population50,53669th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age43.870th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.3762nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio1.1794th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+5572nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)71.0%36th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)8.0%73rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)15.6%81st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)0.6%52nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)4.8%76th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time30 minbetter than 16% of US counties
Walkability5.5/20better than 31% of US counties
Airport Distance64 mibetter than 71% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access82.0%better than 42% of US counties
Amenities Nearby0.00better than 12% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessModeratebetter than 35% 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 $42k, better than 88% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Polk County?
- The median home value in Polk County is $151k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Polk County?
- Median household income in Polk County is $57k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Polk County?
- Median gross rent in Polk County is $920 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 1303/100k (better than 21%). Property crime is 1650/100k.
- What is the weather like in Polk County?
- Polk County averages 83°F in July and 50°F in January, with 51.9 in of annual precipitation and about 246 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Polk County?
- Public-school quality in Polk County is below average, scoring better than 18% 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 Texas
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Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- 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)