The typical owner-occupied home in Polk County is worth about $454,700, 5% below the Oregon median of $477,600 and 37% above the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $3,634 a year in property taxes, about 0.80% of their home's value, close to the Oregon rate of 0.81%. The median household earns $85,118 a year, so the median home costs 5.3 times the median income (5.8 times for Oregon). 65% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 65% of those owners still have a mortgage.
Polk County at a glance
| Polk County | Oregon | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $454,700 | $477,600 | $332,700 |
| Median property tax paid per year | $3,634 | $3,876 | $3,119 |
| Property tax as a share of value | 0.80% | 0.81% | 0.94% |
| Median household income | $85,118 | $83,011 | $80,734 |
| Homes lived in by their owners | 65% | 63% | 65% |
| Owner homes with a mortgage | 65% | 65% | 61% |
| Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage | $2,095 | $2,157 | $1,963 |
| Those costs as a share of the owners' income | 21.6% | 22.4% | 21.0% |
| Median rent | $1,299 | $1,525 | $1,413 |
| Rent as a share of renters' income | 30.7% | 31.3% | 30.6% |
| Median year homes were built | 1990 | 1981 | 1980 |
| Vacant homes | 5.4% | 7.5% | 10.1% |
| Population | 89,662 | 4,254,293 | 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 $454,700 with 20% down costs about $2,940 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $3,697, 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 $125,984 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 41% of the median Polk County household income of $85,118; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $307,000.
The median rent here is $1,299 a month, so owning the median home costs about $1,641 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.
| Down payment | $90,940 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $363,760 |
| Principal and interest | $2,447 |
| Property taxes (0.80% a year) | $303 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $189 |
| PMI | $0 |
| Total per month | $2,940 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
| Down payment | $15,914 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $446,464 |
| Principal and interest | $3,003 |
| Property taxes (0.80% a year) | $303 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $189 |
| FHA mortgage insurance | $201 |
| Total per month | $3,697 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
Questions about home buying in Polk County
What is the median home value in Polk County?
About $454,700 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 $3,634 a year, which is about 0.80% 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 $2,940 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $125,984 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