1940 Census Enumeration District Maps - Pennsylvania - Venango County - Frenchcreek - ED 61-22, 1880
Polk’s story
187 years in pictures
The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1880.
- 1839Polk is settled
PolkPA
3 bordering townsMap →
Photo: Doug Kerr from Albany, NY, United States · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
621
2025 Census estimate · −2.2% since 2020
Typical home
$148K
+3.9% in a year
Household income
$37K
median
Median age
53.4
years
Jobs based here
140
A commuter town
Is Polk a good place to live?
35% of residents live below the poverty line in Polk, above both Pennsylvania’s towns (7.6%) and U.S. towns (9.6%). Only 1 of the 1,036 Pennsylvania towns we compare have a lower share of working residents who work in town than Polk. Polk has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
What makes Polk stand out
Where Polk beats most towns.
Small town
621 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Frenchcreek TownshipVictory TownshipSandycreek TownshipPolk
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.
PowerCentral Electric Coop16.9¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterPolk Center water system15 health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet4 providers94% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Polk’s trash rules yet
Register to voteOnlineIn Pennsylvania you can register online until 15 days before Election Day, in person until 15 days before Election Day, or by mail (received 15 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereVenango County Board of ElectionsVenango County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2025
ZIP code1634216342 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.
Housing
Homes in Polk are worth about $148K, by Zillow’s estimate
The typical Polk home is worth about $148,000, up 3.9% in a year, 48% below the Pennsylvania typical home. Polk’s median rent is $685 a month, where Pennsylvania’s towns sit at $1,115 a month and U.S. towns at $1,185 a month.
$148KZillow home value
| Polk | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $685 a month | $1,115 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 79% | 78% | 73% |
Typical home value
Polk$148K
Pennsylvania$287K
+3.9%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Work & commute
With 0.6 jobs for every working resident, most of Polk’s workers commute out
Most working residents leave Polk for work: only 0% work in town. Jobs based in Polk fell to 140 in 2023, 897 fewer than in 2013. The average trip to work in Polk is 21 minutes.
0%work in town
Where working residents work
In Polk0%
Franklin14%
Sugarcreek8%
Sandycreek Township6%
Cranberry Township5%
16 mi
median commute distance
140
jobs based in Polk
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Natural hazards
Inland flooding leads a high hazard risk in Polk
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 73% of U.S. communities. Since 2006, 17 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Polk.
73risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingStrong wind
17
paid flood claims since 2006
1
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
Polk has snowy winters and pleasant summers
Polk has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers. Polk’s July high is 82°F.
54″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter20–36°
Spring36–59°
Summer57–80°
Fall41–62°
Oct 23
typical first frost
May 2
typical last frost
+1.9°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Safety
Crime reported in Polk
1 crime was reported in Polk in 2024: 1 property and 0 violent. In a town this small, a few incidents move the numbers a lot, so rates aren't shown.
Polk is small, so we show counts rather than rates.
0
violent crimes reported in 2024
1
property crimes reported in 2024
FBI crime data, 2024 · crimes reported to police
Health
Polk stands out in Pennsylvania and nationally, with more of its adults who have high blood pressure
41% of Polk adults have high blood pressure. Polk beats the Pennsylvania average on 1 of 26 CDC measures and trails it on 14. 15% of Polk adults have diabetes.
| Polk | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 17% | 14% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 14% | 14% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 11% | 12% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 41% | 34% | 35% |
26 measures vs. Pennsylvania
1 better11 too close to call14 worse
| What stands out | Polk | PA |
|---|---|---|
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 83.3% | 79.2% |
| More adults with COPD | 11.6% | 7.7% |
UPMC Northwest
11.8 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: dental
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
2%conserved
| Polk | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 2% | 8.2% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.6 miles per square mile | 0.4 | 0.4 |
2%
conserved · 27 of 1,299 acres
1.1 mi
of trails · 0.6 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. State Game Lands Number 39 | — | 3 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Polk
18pages on Polk
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Polk; the nearest are
Grove City CollegeUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Grove City16.7 mi$21,700 tuitionSlippery Rock University of PennsylvaniaUniversity or college · Public · Slippery Rock22 mi$10,568 in-state tuitionUniversity of Pittsburgh-TitusvilleCommunity college · Public · Titusville22.6 mi$11,918 in-state tuition
About 2 of every 100 Polk residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Pennsylvania.
A commuter town
100% of working residents leave Polk for work
Where Polk’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
140jobs based in Polk
0%of working residents work in town
16 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Polk
Borough in Pennsylvania, US
Polk is a borough in Venango County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 703 at the 2020 census. Polk State Center, a state-run facility for the intellectually disabled, was opened in 1897 and is located in the borough. In 2019, Pennsylvania announced a plan to close the facility. Families and residents sued Pennsylvania in an attempt to prevent the closure.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1839
- Area
- 2.0 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,066 ft
- ZIP code
- 16342
Questions about Polk
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Polk, PA a good place to live?
Polk has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.