The Town FilesPolk, Pennsylvania
Township in Monroe County · population 7,473 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $262,400
- Household income
- $80,625
- Jan low / Jul high
- 19° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 31 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 8
- Median age
- 47.6
Polk is a township of 7,473 people in Monroe County, Pennsylvania. The median home is worth $262,400, above the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). It ranks better transit than 84% of Pennsylvania towns, better for first-time buyers than 83% of Pennsylvania towns, better for families than 79% of Pennsylvania towns.
How Polk ranks
Percentile among Pennsylvania towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Pennsylvania towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Polk is worth $262,400, above the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). Homes cost about 3.3 times the median household income of $80,625, which is more affordable than 29% of Pennsylvania towns. Median rent is $1,397 a month. 86.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Polk | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $262,400 | $214,250 |
| Median rent | $1,397 | $996 |
| Median household income | $80,625 | $75,278 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.3× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 86.7% | 81.5% |
| Median year built | 1983 | 1971 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 10.2% | — |
Who lives in Polk
| People | Polk | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 47.6 | 44.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 22.1% | 21.1% |
| Under 18 | 18.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 18.7% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 10.3% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 9.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 7.5% | — |
| Work from home | 10.7% | 10.6% |
| Average commute | 40.1 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 90.7% | 89.0% |
Weather in Polk
July highs average 81.7°F and January lows 18.7°F. About 51.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 31.4 inches of snow (typical Pennsylvania town: 31.8 in). Expect about 4 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 132 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Polk since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Pennsylvania town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on July 26, 1981 about 8.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on October 2, 2018.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 14 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on August 17, 2007.
Severe weather in Monroe County since 1996
Monroe County has been included in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| March 30, 2020 | Biological | DR-4506: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3441: Covid-19 |
| January 10, 2013 | Hurricane | DR-4099: Hurricane Sandy |
| October 29, 2012 | Hurricane | EM-3356: Hurricane Sandy |
| September 12, 2011 | Flood | DR-4030: Tropical Storm Lee |
Jobs and pay in Monroe County
Monroe County had 56,939 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $53,536 a year. Unemployment was 4.5% in 2023; in Polk itself the ACS puts it at 4.4%.
Public schools in Polk
2 public schools with 1,794 students, about 12.5 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pleasant Valley Intermediate Sch | 3-5 | 925 | 13.2 |
| Pleasant Valley El Sch | K-2 | 869 | 11.7 |
Towns near Polk
- Chestnuthill, PA4.8 mi · 16,723 people · home $292,400
- Indian Mountain Lake, PA5.2 mi · 4,733 people · home $208,100
- Eldred, PA5.5 mi · 2,596 people · home $313,500
- Sierra View, PA6.2 mi · 4,907 people · home $252,600
- Penn Forest, PA6.8 mi · 9,926 people · home $250,100
- Towamensing, PA7.0 mi · 4,427 people · home $249,400
- Tunkhannock, PA7.8 mi · 7,037 people · home $220,100
- Ross, PA8.1 mi · 5,475 people · home $279,800
Polk questions
Is Polk, Pennsylvania a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Polk scores better for retirees than 17% of Pennsylvania towns and quieter than 41%. 22.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 47.6).
How much does a house cost in Polk?
The median owner-occupied home in Polk is valued at $262,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $80,625, so homes cost about 3.3 times income. Median rent is $1,397 a month.
What is the weather like in Polk?
July highs average 81.7°F and January lows 18.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 51.9 inches of precipitation a year and 31.4 inches of snow.
Does Polk get tornadoes?
8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Polk since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on July 26, 1981. The typical Pennsylvania town has had 10.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)