Map the Block › Places › Nebraska › Polk County
Polk County, Nebraska: crime rate, income and local data
The violent-crime rate in Polk County was 0.42 per 1,000 residents (2021-2025 average, FBI), 83% lower than the statewide rate (2.5). Households here have a median income of $69,768 and the unemployment rate was 2.6% in August 2026. About 5,225 people live in the county.
Last updated . Crime: FBI 2021-2025. Income and housing: Census ACS 2020-2024. Unemployment: BLS August 2026. Road work: October 11, 2026.
Also on the map: income · hazard risk · Superfund · dams
What is the crime rate in Polk County?
From 2021 through 2025, Polk County averaged 2 reported violent crimes a year, along with 15 property crimes. That is 0.42 violent crimes per 1,000 residents, 83% lower than the Nebraska rate (2.5), and 89% lower than the U.S. rate (3.7). Burglary, theft and car theft together come to 2.8 per 1,000 residents, compared with 17.4 across Nebraska. With this few incidents, one or two cases move the rate a lot from year to year.
| Offense (yearly average, 2021-2025) | Polk County | Per 1,000 | Nebraska per 1,000 | U.S. per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crime | 2 | 0.42 | 2.5 | 3.7 |
| Murder | 0 | 0.00 | 0.03 | 0.06 |
| Rape | 1 | 0.21 | 0.52 | 0.40 |
| Robbery | 0 | 0.00 | 0.25 | 0.62 |
| Aggravated assault | 1 | 0.21 | 1.7 | 2.6 |
| Property crime | 15 | 2.8 | 17.4 | 18.1 |
| Burglary | 2 | 0.42 | 1.7 | 2.4 |
| Larceny-theft | 12 | 2.5 | 13.0 | 13.0 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 1 | 0.12 | 2.7 | 2.6 |
Most crime never reaches the police, so these are reported crimes, a floor rather than the full count. In 2024 about half of violent crimes (48%) and about 3 in 10 property crimes (31%) were reported to police (U.S. Justice Department, National Crime Victimization Survey). Rates also depend on how completely each agency reports to the FBI. County figures add up the city police and sheriff reports in the county (1 agencies; 100% of residents covered).
What is the median household income in Polk County?
Half of households in Polk County make more than $69,768 and half make less; across Nebraska the midpoint is $76,475. Owner-occupied homes have a median value of $189,900, and the median rent is $681 a month. 4.9% of households received SNAP benefits in the past year (state: 8.2%). The newest monthly figure from the Bureau of Labor Statistics is 2.6% for August 2026 (preliminary), with 73 people out of work and looking.
| Census ACS 2020-2024 | Polk County | Nebraska | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 5,225 | 1,978,707 | 334,922,499 |
| Median household income | $69,768 | $76,475 | $80,734 |
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $189,900 | $238,600 | $332,700 |
| Median gross rent | $681 | $1,072 | $1,413 |
| Unemployment rate (2020-2024 average) | 1.3% | 3.0% | 5.2% |
| People below the poverty line | 7.9% | 10.6% | 12.5% |
| Households receiving SNAP (food stamps) | 4.9% | 8.2% | 12.1% |
| Adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher | 20.0% | 34.6% | 35.7% |
| Homeowner households | 78.9% | 66.5% | 65.2% |
| Median age | 43.4 | 37.2 | 38.9 |
| Households with broadband internet | 84.7% | 90.6% | 91.0% |
| People without health insurance | 5.5% | 7.2% | 8.4% |
What natural hazards and environmental sites are in Polk County?
On FEMA's National Risk Index, Polk County has an overall natural-hazard risk rating of “Very Low”. None of the seven hazards on our map (floods, wildfire, tornadoes, heat, earthquakes, hurricanes) is rated above “Relatively Moderate” here. The index compares counties with each other and also weighs how vulnerable and resilient a community is, so it is a long-run estimate, not a forecast.
Superfund sites
EPA lists no Superfund site in Polk County, active or completed (October 2026).
High-hazard dams
Polk County has 1 dam classed as high hazard in the National Inventory of Dams. Tallest on the list: Jones Creek 1-A (38 ft). “High hazard” describes what lies downstream (people would probably die if the dam failed), not how likely the dam is to fail.
Disasters, air and water
Polk County was covered by 6 federal major disaster declarations from 2016 through 2025 (Severe Storm 4, Winter Storm 1, Flood 1), not counting COVID-19. Of 4 community water systems, none had an open health-based drinking-water violation in EPA's records (September 2026). EPA puts the county in radon zone 1 (highest).
Is there road construction in Polk County?
On October 11, 2026 the state transportation feed listed 1 highway work zone in Polk County (active that day). Where crews are working: US 81. The map's construction layer is refreshed every morning.
See today's work zones on the map →
How many schools, nursing homes and parks are in Polk County?
Federal school lists show 10 public and 0 private schools in the county. 2 nursing homes are certified by Medicare or Medicaid here; star ratings for each are on the map and on Medicare's Care Compare. USGS mapping shows 4 fire or EMS stations and 1 police or sheriff station.
Gun shops, liquor stores and Planned Parenthood in Polk County
Gun shops
No gun shops with a public storefront are on the map in Polk County. There is 1 licensed dealer without a public storefront (not shown).
Liquor stores
No liquor stores are on the map in Polk County.
Planned Parenthood
There is no Planned Parenthood health center in Polk County on the map.
Sources: ATF licensee list (Sept 2026); state liquor licence lists, OpenStreetMap and Overture Maps (non-official); HHS Title X directory and CMS NPPES.
Common questions
What is the crime rate in Polk County?
Polk County averaged 2 reported violent crimes a year in 2021-2025, or 0.42 per 1,000 residents, 83% lower than the Nebraska rate (2.5). The property-crime rate was 2.8 per 1,000 (FBI Uniform Crime Reporting).
What is the median household income in Polk County?
$69,768 (Census American Community Survey, 2020-2024 average), compared with $76,475 for Nebraska and $80,734 nationally.
What is the unemployment rate in Polk County?
The newest monthly figure from the Bureau of Labor Statistics is 2.6% for August 2026 (preliminary), with 73 people out of work and looking.
What natural hazards affect Polk County?
On FEMA's National Risk Index, Polk County has an overall natural-hazard risk rating of “Very Low”. None of the seven hazards on our map (floods, wildfire, tornadoes, heat, earthquakes, hurricanes) is rated above “Relatively Moderate” here.
Is there road construction in Polk County right now?
On October 11, 2026 the state transportation feed listed 1 highway work zone in Polk County (active that day). Where crews are working: US 81.
How many nursing homes are in Polk County?
2 Medicare- or Medicaid-certified nursing homes (CMS provider data, September 2026).
How does Polk County compare with neighboring counties?
| County | Population | Violent crimes per 1,000 (2021-25) | Median household income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Butler County | 8,424 | 0.71 | $79,268 |
| Hamilton County | 9,464 | 0.89 | $83,994 |
| Merrick County | 7,724 | 0.46 | $68,354 |
| Platte County | 34,716 | 1.0 | $71,552 |
| Seward County | 17,641 | 0.85 | $82,444 |
| York County | 14,286 | 1.7 | $77,757 |
More: Nebraska statewide numbers · Sex-offender registry search (U.S. Justice Department, NSOPW)
Where do these numbers come from?
- Crime: FBI Uniform Crime Reporting 2021-2025 (agency level, Return A), averaged and summed by county by Map the Block; Census population; state and national rates: FBI estimated crimes 2021-2025.
- Income, housing, education: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year, table B19013 (median household income) and related tables.
- Monthly unemployment: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS), county data, not seasonally adjusted. Public domain.
- Hazards: FEMA National Risk Index v1.20 (December 2025), county scores; disasters: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries.
- Superfund: U.S. EPA, Superfund site boundaries and NPL status (October 2026). Dams: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, National Inventory of Dams (public map service, October 2026). Chemical releases: U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory, reporting year 2024 (basic data file).
- Air and water: U.S. EPA AirData, annual AQI by county 2024; EPA Air Quality Design Values 2023-2025 (June 2026); U.S. EPA SDWIS via ECHO drinking-water download (September 30, 2026). Traffic deaths: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) 2024; Census population.
- Work zones: State departments of transportation, via the U.S. DOT Work Zone Data Exchange (WZDx) and state 511 feeds; refreshed every morning (snapshot October 11, 2026).
- Schools: National Center for Education Statistics, EDGE public school locations 2024-25; budgets: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances, fiscal year 2024; National Center for Education Statistics, EDGE Private School geocodes (Private School Survey 2023-24). Nursing homes: U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Nursing Home Provider Information and Penalties (September 2026). Stations: U.S. Geological Survey, National Structures Dataset (Fire Stations/EMS Stations), October 2026 pull.
- Parks: USGS Protected Areas Database of the U.S. (PAD-US 4.1); state park agencies' open data (CA, NY, PA, TN, TX, FL, NJ, KY, HI, UT, MT and others); OpenStreetMap contributors for some hours, phones, fees and camping; U.S. National Park Service: unit boundaries (Land Resources Division), Acreage Report (Sept 30, 2026), park pages on nps.gov (hours, fees), Visitor Use Statistics (2025).
Map the Block shows public statistics about places, not people, and does not rate or rank neighborhoods as places to live. Figures are as published by each source; check the source before relying on a number.
Home · Open the map · All places · About the data · Privacy · Terms