Polk, Nebraska 1, 2011
Polk’s story
120 years in pictures
Census counts: 396 in 1910, a peak of 561 in 1920, 346 in 2020. The archive holds 4 old photos and papers going back to 2005 and 3 maps from 1896 on.
- 1906Polk is settled
PolkNE
A town of 341, settled in 1906.
Population
341
2025 Census estimate · −1.4% since 2020
Typical home
$170K
−1.8% in a year
Household income
$55K
median
Median age
40.7
years
Jobs based here
130
Balanced
Is Polk a good place to live?
Among 51 Nebraska towns, just 1 have a lower typical home value than Polk. Polk has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
341 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Polk: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Polk, and how to reach them.
PowerVillage of PolkEIAHIFLD · EIA
WaterVillage of Polk water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet6 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Polk’s trash rules yet
Register to voteOnlineIn Nebraska you can register online until 18 days before Election Day, in person until 11 days before Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 18 days before).vote.govWho runs elections herePolk County ClerkPolk County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jul 2021
ZIP code6865468654 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Sep 30, 2026.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Polk.
Housing
Homes in Polk are worth about $170K, by Zillow’s estimate
The typical Polk home is worth about $170,000, down 1.8% in a year, 39% below the Nebraska typical home. 84% of households own their home in Polk, above both Nebraska’s towns (67%) and U.S. towns (73%).
$170KZillow home value
Typical home value
Polk$170K
Nebraska$278K
−1.8%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Schools
The schools Polk’s kids attend
Its public schools are run by the High Plains Community Schools. Its one school is below.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| High Plains Community Jr./Sr. High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 7–12 | Grades 7–12 | 93 | C+ |
NCES · EDFacts
Natural hazards
Polk faces a high natural-hazard risk, led by hail
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 73% of U.S. communities.
73risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
HailInland floodingDrought
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
Four seasons and pleasant summers in Polk
Polk has cold winters and warm summers. July afternoons reach 86°, January nights drop to 14° and about 27 inches of snow falls in a winter.
27″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter17–37°
Spring38–62°
Summer62–84°
Fall40–64°
Oct 14
typical first frost
Apr 25
typical last frost
+0.9°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Work & commute
With 0.8 jobs for every working resident, most of Polk’s workers commute out
Most working residents leave Polk for work: only 5% work in town. At 26 minutes, Polk’s average trip to work is where Nebraska’s towns sit at 17 minutes and U.S. towns at 25 minutes. Jobs based in Polk grew to 130 in 2023, 31 more than in 2013.
5%work in town
| Polk | Nebraska towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 4.7% | 34% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 26 minutes | 17 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $55,000 | $69,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
In Polk5%
Columbus14%
Omaha9%
York8%
Stromsburg8%
32 mi
median commute distance
130
jobs based in Polk
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Health
How healthy Polk is
Polk beats the Nebraska average on 1 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 6. 17% of Polk adults have been diagnosed with depression.
| Polk | Nebraska towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 18% | 23% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 31% | 36% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 14% | 17% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 75% | 76% | 79% |
32 measures vs. Nebraska
1 better25 too close to call6 worse
| What stands out | Polk | NE |
|---|---|---|
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 80.7% | 77.5% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 16.2% | 12.4% |
Merrick Medical Center
11.7 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Polk
16pages on Polk
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Polk; the nearest are
York UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · York17.8 mi$23,000 tuitionCentral Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Grand Island33.3 mi$3,360 in-state tuitionUniversity of Nebraska-LincolnUniversity or college · Public · Lincoln59.3 mi$10,434 in-state tuition
About 7 of every 100 Polk residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Nebraska.
About Polk
Village in Polk County, Nebraska, United States
Polk is a village in Polk County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 346 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 0.5 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,742 ft
- ZIP code
- 68654
Questions about Polk
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Polk, NE a good place to live?
Polk has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.