90MileCorner, 2025
Polk Township’s story
Polk Township in pictures
The archive holds 2 old photos and papers going back to 2025 and 2 maps from 1943 on.
1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.
Explore the history →Polk TownshipMO
A town of 13,673. Public schools that outperform most of Missouri.
Population
13,673
2025 Census estimate · −4.1% since 2020
Typical home
$176K
+13.1% in a year
Household income
$57K
median
Median age
29.3
years
Jobs based here
6,603
Balanced
TownGrade
B
#82 of 247 in MO
Is Polk Township a good place to live?
Polk Township gives you more for your money than most places: homes are within reach, about $176K for a typical one, or 3 years of the Maryville area’s $59K median household income. It grades B overall, 82nd of 247 graded towns in Missouri. 47% of working residents work locally in Polk Township, above both the Missouri town median (13%) and the median of U.S. towns (8%). The biggest place to walk is Mozingo Lake Recreation Park, 3,023 acres with 12.4 miles of trail. Among 247 Missouri towns, just 1 have a lower January low than Polk Township.
What makes Polk Township stand out
Where Polk Township beats most towns.
MARYVILLE R-II schools
| School | Grades | Students |
|---|---|---|
| Eugene Field Elem. | 1–4 | 328 |
| Early Childhood Center | PK–K | 172 |
| St. Gregory Barbarigo School | PK–8 | 176 |
SchoolsB+
On state tests and graduation
NCES · EDFacts.
WalkabilityB+
More walkable than 72% of U.S. towns
2.9% of workers walk, bike or ride transit
EPA National Walkability Index; Census ACS.
A shrinking town
Polk Township has shrunk 14% since 2010
15,777 counted in 2010 and 14,200 in 2020; an estimated 13,673 in 2025.
The decline has continued: down 4.1% since 2020, after 10% in the decade before.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
How Polk Township grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Missouri), ordered by how far Polk Township is from typical.
SchoolsB+Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 8.4 of 20; 8.2% of households have no carB+Open →Jobs & income6,603 jobs based hereCOpen →Cost of livingBOpen →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 47% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listC+Open →HealthMosaic Medical Center - Maryville 2 miles awayB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors0% conserved landCOpen →History1 place on the National RegisterB+Open →Civic life5.5 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsBOpen →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
ClimateCold winters, 86° summer afternoons, 15″ of snow–Open →Housing market$176K typical home, up 13.1% in a year–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 29.3; 34% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Polk Township: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Polk Township, and how to reach them.
PowerEvergy12.1¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterMaryville PWS4 health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNodaway County RecyclingIn townOpenStreetMap
Register to voteOnlineIn Missouri you can register online until 27 days before Election Day, in person until 27 days before Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 27 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereNodawayNodaway County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Sep 2019
ZIP code6446864468 99%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Polk Township.
Polk Township is shaped by its college students, is healthier than towns with similar incomes and has commutes shorter than most of Missouri.
Who lives here
A college town: 31% of residents are 18 to 24
25.9% of residents are enrolled in college, against 5.7% statewide, which pulls the median age down.
Adults 18 to 34 are 42% of residents (22% statewide); adults 35 to 64 are 28% of residents (37% statewide). 14% of Polk Township residents are under 18. Polk Township has lost 4.1% of its people since 2020, down to 13,673 in the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate.
29.3median age · MO 39
| Polk Township | Missouri towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 18 | 14% | 23% | 22% |
| Median age | 29.3 years | 38.5 years | 40.5 years |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 34% | 22% | 29% |
| Aged 65 or older | 16% | 17% | 18% |
Polk TownshipMissouriUnited States
Ages · share of residents
31%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma4%
High school35%
Some college20%
Associate’s7%
Bachelor’s19%
Graduate15%
Women and men · all residents
51% women, 49% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±1.3 points. Across Missouri, 50.7% of residents are women. Median age: women 27.8, men 30.0.
| Polk Township | MO | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 7.3% | 11.9% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 6.7% | 10.4% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 30.7% | 9.1% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 11.2% | 13.2% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 10% | 12.8% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 8.1% | 11.6% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 10.3% | 13% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 9.3% | 10.6% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 6.5% | 7.3% | 7% |
| No diploma | 4.3% | 8.1% | 10.4% |
| High school | 34.7% | 30.2% | 26% |
| Some college | 20.3% | 20.8% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 6.5% | 8.4% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 19.1% | 19.8% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 15.1% | 12.6% | 14.1% |
Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
SchoolsB+
Polk Township’s public schools outperform 74% of Missouri districts
Its public schools are run by Maryville R-II. Two of its 9 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.
74%of MO districts it outscoresB+School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maryville MiddleLargest public middle schoolGrades 5–8 | Grades 5–8 | 401 | B+ |
| Maryville HighLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 507 | A |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within MO on state tests and graduation
HousingCost of living grade B
Polk Township’s grade for cost of living is a B
54% of households own their home in Polk Township. Typical home values rose 13% in the year to September 2026. The median rent in Polk Township is $798 a month.
$176KZillow home value
| Polk Township | Missouri towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 54% | 64% | 73% |
| Median rent | $798 a month | $972 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Polk Township$176K
Missouri$265K
+13.1%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Climate
Polk Township has four seasons and pleasant summers
Polk Township has chilly winters and warm summers. Among 247 Missouri towns, just 2 have a lower July high than Polk Township.
15″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter18–37°
Spring41–63°
Summer64–85°
Fall43–65°
Oct 17
typical first frost
Apr 19
typical last frost
+0.8°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Work & commuteJobs & income grade C
About half of Polk Township’s working residents commute to Maryville
The average commute for its 5,744 working residents takes 12.4 minutes, against 23.5 across Missouri.
Polk Township’s average trip to work is 12 minutes. The top destinations are Maryville (45%), St. Joseph (10%) and Kansas City (5%).
47%work in town
| Polk Township | Missouri towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 12 minutes | 22 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 20% | 14% | 9.6% |
| Work from home | 5.3% | 9% | 11% |
| Median household income | $57,000 | $62,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
In Polk Township47%
Maryville45%
St. Joseph10%
Kansas City5%
Chillicothe1%
13 mi
median commute distance
6,603
jobs based in Polk Township
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
B+
Walkability grade: more walkable than 72% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
#123for trails in MO
| Polk Township | Missouri towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 0.3% | 2.1% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.2 miles per square mile | 0.3 | 0.4 |
0.3%
conserved · 254 of 76,736 acres
24 mi
of trails · 0.2 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Mozingo Lake Recreation Park | 12.4 mi | 3,023 |
| 2. Nodaway County Community Lake | 1.5 mi | 162 |
| 3. Donaldson Westside Park | 0.8 mi | 37 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade C+
Moderate risk in Polk Township, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 53% of U.S. communities.
47risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesCold waves
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
HealthB−
Polk Township is less healthy than 50% of U.S. towns
Against the 8,114 U.S. towns with household incomes like Polk Township’s, it is healthier than 79%, so its B− isn’t only a matter of income.
Polk Township beats the Missouri average on 7 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 2.
50%healthier than U.S. townsB−Health Grade
| Polk Township | Missouri towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 42% | 38% | 36% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 31% | 37% | 35% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 16% | 16% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 27% | 25% | 23% |
32 measures vs. Missouri
7 better23 too close to call2 worse
| What stands out | Polk Township | MO |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults with diabetes | 9.8% | 12.1% |
| Fewer adults with arthritis | 24.4% | 28.8% |
| Fewer adults getting cholesterol checked | 78.7% | 84.5% |
Mosaic Medical Center - Maryville
2 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
66th
percentile among MO towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Polk Township
17pages on Polk Township
The big questions
Out and about
The story
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
2 within 15 miles of the center of Polk Township
Northwest Missouri State UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Maryville1 mi$10,611 in-state tuitionConception Seminary CollegeUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Conception12.4 mi$26,206 tuition
College town 26 of every 100 Polk Township residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Missouri.
About Polk Township
Township in Nodaway County, Missouri, U.S.
Polk Township is a township in Nodaway County, Missouri, United States. At the 2020 census, its population was 14,200.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Polk Township’s neighbors
9 towns share a border with Polk Township.
Union TownshipWhite Cloud TownshipNodaway TownshipMonroe TownshipGreen TownshipJackson TownshipJefferson TownshipGrant TownshipHughes TownshipPolk Township
How the neighbors grade
| Town | MO rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Polk Township | #82 | B | B | — | B+ | B− |
| Union Township | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| White Cloud Township | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Nodaway Township | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Monroe Township | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Green Township | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Jackson Township | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Jefferson Township | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Polk Township reports no FBI crime data of its own. Union Township, White Cloud Township, Nodaway Township, Monroe Township, Green Township, Jackson Township and Jefferson Township aren’t graded (fewer than 1,000 residents, or not enough data). Compare Polk Township with a neighbor →
Questions about Polk Township
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Polk Township, MO a good place to live?
By most measures, yes. Polk Township grades B overall, better than 64% of U.S. towns and #82 of 247 in Missouri. It grades B− for health and B+ for schools.
Is Polk Township, MO expensive?
Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B.