The typical owner-occupied home in Polk County is worth about $315,000, 9% above the North Carolina median of $288,900 and 5% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $1,697 a year in property taxes, about 0.54% of their home's value, lower than the North Carolina rate of 0.66%. The median household earns $67,758 a year, so the median home costs 4.6 times the median income (4.0 times for North Carolina). 77% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 51% of those owners still have a mortgage.
Polk County at a glance
| Polk County | North Carolina | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $315,000 | $288,900 | $332,700 |
| Median property tax paid per year | $1,697 | $1,896 | $3,119 |
| Property tax as a share of value | 0.54% | 0.66% | 0.94% |
| Median household income | $67,758 | $72,388 | $80,734 |
| Homes lived in by their owners | 77% | 67% | 65% |
| Owner homes with a mortgage | 51% | 61% | 61% |
| Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage | $1,415 | $1,631 | $1,963 |
| Those costs as a share of the owners' income | 17.3% | 19.4% | 21.0% |
| Median rent | $1,178 | $1,228 | $1,413 |
| Rent as a share of renters' income | 31.1% | 29.5% | 30.6% |
| Median year homes were built | 1984 | 1991 | 1980 |
| Vacant homes | 18.7% | 12.5% | 10.1% |
| Population | 19,891 | 10,730,404 | 334,922,499 |
How much equity Polk County owners could borrow
Home equity is what your home is worth minus what you owe. Most lenders let you borrow until your loans add up to 80% to 85% of the home's value. For the median Polk County home of $315,000, 80% is $252,000.
49% of Polk County owners have no mortgage at all, so they could borrow up to the full 80% limit.
Owners with a mortgage here already spend a median $1,415 a month on housing, so a new payment should fit next to that. At the median income of $67,758, lenders typically cap all debt payments at about 43% of gross income, or $2,428 a month.
If you instead refinance and take cash out, the whole loan moves to the new rate (this week's 30-year average is 7.11%). A home equity loan or line of credit keeps your current first mortgage, which is usually better when your existing rate is lower than today's.
| Owe nothing | $252,000 to $267,750 |
|---|---|
| Owe $78,750 | $173,250 to $189,000 |
| Owe $157,500 | $94,500 to $110,250 |
| Owe $204,750 | $47,250 to $63,000 |
Before the lender's own limits, fees and your credit and income checks.
Change the numbers in the calculator
Questions about home equity loans in Polk County
What is the median home value in Polk County?
About $315,000 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 $1,697 a year, which is about 0.54% of the median home value. Your bill depends on your home's assessed value and local rates.
How much can I borrow against my home in Polk County?
Usually up to 80% to 85% of your home's value, minus what you owe. On the median home of $315,000, an 80% limit is $252,000 before subtracting your mortgage.
More about Polk County
- Mortgage Refinance in Polk County
- Home Buying in Polk County
- Debt Relief 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