The typical owner-occupied home in Polk County is worth about $266,500, 26% below the Florida median of $359,000 and 20% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $1,933 a year in property taxes, about 0.73% of their home's value, close to the Florida rate of 0.76%. The median household earns $65,978 a year, so the median home costs 4.0 times the median income (4.8 times for Florida). 70% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 56% of those owners still have a mortgage.
Polk County at a glance
| Polk County | Florida | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $266,500 | $359,000 | $332,700 |
| Median property tax paid per year | $1,933 | $2,730 | $3,119 |
| Property tax as a share of value | 0.73% | 0.76% | 0.94% |
| Median household income | $65,978 | $74,568 | $80,734 |
| Homes lived in by their owners | 70% | 68% | 65% |
| Owner homes with a mortgage | 56% | 56% | 61% |
| Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage | $1,716 | $1,959 | $1,963 |
| Those costs as a share of the owners' income | 23.8% | 23.6% | 21.0% |
| Median rent | $1,363 | $1,669 | $1,413 |
| Rent as a share of renters' income | 32.3% | 35.2% | 30.6% |
| Median year homes were built | 1992 | 1988 | 1980 |
| Vacant homes | 15.1% | 14.7% | 10.1% |
| Population | 790,694 | 22,416,077 | 334,922,499 |
What a typical home costs per month in Polk County
At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Polk County home of $266,500 with 20% down costs about $1,707 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $2,151, because the loan is bigger and FHA adds mortgage insurance.
Lenders usually want housing costs under about 28% of gross income, which means an income of roughly $73,173 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 31% of the median Polk County household income of $65,978; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $240,000.
The median rent here is $1,363 a month, so owning the median home costs about $344 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.
| Down payment | $53,300 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $213,200 |
| Principal and interest | $1,434 |
| Property taxes (0.73% a year) | $162 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $111 |
| PMI | $0 |
| Total per month | $1,707 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
| Down payment | $9,328 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $261,673 |
| Principal and interest | $1,760 |
| Property taxes (0.73% a year) | $162 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $111 |
| FHA mortgage insurance | $118 |
| Total per month | $2,151 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
Questions about home buying in Polk County
What is the median home value in Polk County?
About $266,500 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.
How much are property taxes in Polk County?
Homeowners pay a median $1,933 a year, which is about 0.73% of the median home value. Your bill depends on your home's assessed value and local rates.
What income do you need to buy a home in Polk County?
For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $1,707 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $73,173 a year.
More about Polk County
- Mortgage Refinance in Polk County
- Debt Relief in Polk County
- Home Equity Loans in Polk County
- Guides and quotes for mortgage refinance on our sister site, MortgageRefinance.com
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates; Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, week of November 12, 2026. Estimates for small places have wide margins of error. About our data