Polk County, Wisconsin
Among the top 18% of US counties for lifestyle & connectivity.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade D, better than 21% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade D, better than 19% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade B+, better than 72% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade C, better than 42% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade B+, better than 82% of US counties
- top 6% for park & nature access
- top 7% for sales tax
- bottom 6% for sunny days
Polk County is a county in Wisconsin with about 45,000 residents. It grades B+ for lifestyle & connectivity and D for weather. Standout strengths include park & nature access, sales tax, and school quality. It rates lower on income tax and sunny days.
Official websiteco.polk.wi.us (opens in new tab)
Climate
Warm summers · Harsh winters · Moderate rain · Heavy snow
freezing
v.cold
cool
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warm
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68%45%clearovercast
Precipitation 4.2 in1.0 in
humid 70%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$74k81st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$47kbetter than 34% of US counties
Home Value$223k74th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$922better than 32% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$2kbetter than 26% of US counties
Property Tax Rate1.31%better than 22% of US counties
Income Tax7.79%better than 10% of US counties
Sales Tax5.70%better than 93% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden13.60%better than 12% of US counties
Unemployment4.2%better than 62% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)14°F4th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)71°F17th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation32.2 in27th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall47.1 inbetter than 14% of US counties
Sunny Days182 daysbetter than 6% of US counties
Summer Humidity61°Fbetter than 73% of US counties
Comfortable Days87 daysbetter than 71% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk63.3better than 36% of US counties
School Quality77.6better than 81% of US counties
Violent Crime409/100kbetter than 76% of US counties
Property Crime699/100kbetter than 61% of US counties
Community
Population45,12866th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age46.584th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.1010th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio1.0476th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+2838th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)94.1%91st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)0.4%18th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)2.0%16th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)0.4%34th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)3.1%43rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time30 minbetter than 18% of US counties
Walkability5.8/20better than 43% of US counties
Airport Distance53 mibetter than 78% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access84.6%better than 58% of US counties
Amenities Nearby2.66better than 52% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessExcellentbetter than 94% 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 $47k, better than 34% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Polk County?
- The median home value in Polk County is $223k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Polk County?
- Median household income in Polk County is $74k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Polk County?
- Median gross rent in Polk County is $922 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 409/100k (better than 76%). Property crime is 699/100k.
- What is the weather like in Polk County?
- Polk County averages 71°F in July and 14°F in January, with 32.2 in of annual precipitation and about 182 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Polk County?
- Public-school quality in Polk County is above average, scoring better than 81% 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 Wisconsin
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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)