Cost of Living in Polk County, IA

Modeled annual cost: $47,085.

Median family income: $103,316.

Affordability Snapshot

IA County Median

$43,186

State Rank

3thMost expensive counties in IA out of 99See Iowa county rankings

Median Income

$103,316

Location Type

Metro

Biggest category:

Transport is the biggest expense in Polk County, IA.

$12,690 per year.

Cost breakdown

Total

$47,085

Per year

  • Transport:$12,690
  • Housing:$11,376
  • Taxes:$9,246
  • Other Costs:$4,890
  • Healthcare:$4,510
  • Food:$4,373
  • Childcare:$0

* Percentages may not add up to 100% due to rounding.

Cheaper counties in Iowa

1Lee County, IA
$40,922
2Webster County, IA
$40,946
3Carroll County, IA
$41,086
4Jones County, IA
$41,206
5Mahaska County, IA
$41,294

Popular comparisons in Iowa

See how Polk County, IA compares across the country.

Explore our cost of living interactive map to compare Polk County, IA with multiple counties in the United States.

Use the Cost of Living Map Launch WatchPennies cost of living map
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Cost of Living in Polk County, IA (2026)