The typical owner-occupied home in Polk County is worth about $222,800, 32% below the Minnesota median of $329,300 and 33% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $2,245 a year in property taxes, about 1.01% of their home's value, close to the Minnesota rate of 1.02%. The median household earns $73,107 a year, so the median home costs 3.0 times the median income (3.7 times for Minnesota). 71% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 57% of those owners still have a mortgage.
Polk County at a glance
| Polk County | Minnesota | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $222,800 | $329,300 | $332,700 |
| Median property tax paid per year | $2,245 | $3,357 | $3,119 |
| Property tax as a share of value | 1.01% | 1.02% | 0.94% |
| Median household income | $73,107 | $89,062 | $80,734 |
| Homes lived in by their owners | 71% | 72% | 65% |
| Owner homes with a mortgage | 57% | 64% | 61% |
| Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage | $1,617 | $1,947 | $1,963 |
| Those costs as a share of the owners' income | 19.5% | 19.7% | 21.0% |
| Median rent | $855 | $1,280 | $1,413 |
| Rent as a share of renters' income | 33.3% | 29.2% | 30.6% |
| Median year homes were built | 1971 | 1979 | 1980 |
| Vacant homes | 15.9% | 9.3% | 10.1% |
| Population | 30,705 | 5,739,445 | 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 $222,800 with 20% down costs about $1,479 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $1,851, 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 $63,402 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 24% of the median Polk County household income of $73,107; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $257,000.
The median rent here is $855 a month, so owning the median home costs about $624 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.
| Down payment | $44,560 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $178,240 |
| Principal and interest | $1,199 |
| Property taxes (1.01% a year) | $188 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $93 |
| PMI | $0 |
| Total per month | $1,479 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
| Down payment | $7,798 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $218,765 |
| Principal and interest | $1,472 |
| Property taxes (1.01% a year) | $188 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $93 |
| FHA mortgage insurance | $99 |
| Total per month | $1,851 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
Questions about home buying in Polk County
What is the median home value in Polk County?
About $222,800 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 $2,245 a year, which is about 1.01% 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 $1,479 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $63,402 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