Polk County , Iowa
Population: 497,441 residents · 2023 Census ACS
Income $81,621 Home $248,400 Rent $1,113/mo
Page updated: · Data vintage: CDC PLACES 2023 · FEMA NRI v1.20
Across 497,441 residents, Polk County tracks with a mixed cost-and-earnings profile — useful as a comparison anchor for Iowa and neighboring counties alike. FEMA's National Risk Index ranks Polk County in the top 8% nationally for overall natural-hazard exposure, with tornado activity the dominant local risk.
$81,621
Median Income
household
$248,400
Home Value
median
$1,113/mo
Monthly Rent
median gross
N/A
Unemployment
rate
Income & Housing
| Median Household Income | $81,621 |
| Per Capita Income | $44,008 |
| Poverty Rate | 10.1% |
| Median Home Value | $248,400 |
| Median Gross Rent | $1,113/mo |
| Owner Occupied | 67.1% |
| Renter Occupied | 32.9% |
Demographics & Education
| Total Population | 497,441 |
| Median Age | 36.2 yrs |
| Bachelor's or Higher | 39.5% |
Health Outcomes
CDC PLACES 2023 · % of adults
36.9%
Obesity
9.6%
Diabetes
13.3%
Smoking
31.2%
High Blood Pressure
23.7%
No Physical Activity
21.6%
Depression
35.3%
Insufficient Sleep
75.3%
Annual Checkup
Natural Hazard Risk
FEMA National Risk Index · county-level scores
Overall risk score: 92.0 · 92th national percentile
🌪️ Tornado
98.12
🌀 Hurricane
27.49
🔥 Wildfire
57.70
❄️ Winter Storm
90.26
🌍 Earthquake
66.76
☀️ Drought
94.85
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