Property tax in Polk County, Minnesota
The median property tax bill in Polk County, Minnesota is $2,245 a year, which is about 1.01% of the county's median home value of $222,800. That effective rate is higher than the typical Minnesota county (0.99%) and higher than the national median (0.81%). These are American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2024); your own bill depends on your home's assessed value and any exemptions.
Estimate the property tax on a home in Polk County
Enter a home's market value for a ballpark at Polk County's average effective rate of 1.01% (Census). The real bill depends on the home's assessed value, the millage where it sits and any exemptions.
Estimated property tax: $2,250 / year
Property tax in Polk County at a glance
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Median annual property tax | $2,245 |
| Median home value | $222,800 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.01% |
| Typical Minnesota county rate | 0.99% |
| National median county rate | 0.81% |
Effective rate = median real estate taxes paid divided by median home value. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates.
How does Polk County compare in Minnesota?
Among Minnesota's 87 counties, Polk County has the 34th highest effective property-tax rate: 33 rank higher and 53 rank lower. That is on the higher side for Minnesota. Nationally, it ranks 1085th of 3135 US counties by effective rate. See every Minnesota county ranked.
How much do homeowners in Polk County actually pay?
The median is only the middle bill. Across Polk County's 8,809 owner-occupied homes, 32.4% pay $3,000 or more a year in property tax, 53.9% pay at least $2,000, and 9.6% pay under $800. Another 2.8% report paying no property tax at all, which usually means an exemption covers the whole bill.
| Annual bill | Homes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Under $800 | 848 | 9.6% |
| $800 to $1,499 | 1,608 | 18.3% |
| $1,500 to $1,999 | 1,359 | 15.4% |
| $2,000 to $2,999 | 1,893 | 21.5% |
| $3,000 or more | 2,850 | 32.4% |
| No property tax paid | 251 | 2.8% |
Owners with a mortgage pay a median of $2,374 and owners without one pay $2,103. Owners who have paid off a home have usually held it longer, and in states that cap how fast an existing owner's assessment can rise, long-held homes carry lower assessed values. Census table B25103.
How does the Polk County property tax bill compare with local incomes?
The median property tax bill of $2,245 is about 2.3% of the median income of Polk County homeowner households, $97,320 a year. That compares two middles, so a retiree in a long-held home can pay a far larger share. 71.3% of Polk County's occupied homes are lived in by their owners; renters pay property tax too, just folded into rent.
Have property taxes gone up in Polk County?
Yes. The median bill went from $1,661 in 2015-2019 to $2,245 in 2020-2024, a 35.2% rise. Over the same span the median home value moved 35%, from $165,000 to $222,800.
Two Census ACS 5-year periods with no survey years in common, in each period's own dollars. A change counts only if it exceeds the combined 90% margin of error.
Property tax in counties next to Polk County
Polk County borders 8 counties, 2 of them across the state line.
| County | Effective rate | Median bill | Median home value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pennington County, MN | 1.26% | $2,458 | $195,500 |
| Grand Forks County, ND | 1.15% | $2,900 | $252,700 |
| Traill County, ND | 1.03% | $2,075 | $200,700 |
| Polk County, MN (this county) | 1.01% | $2,245 | $222,800 |
| Red Lake County, MN | 1% | $1,622 | $162,000 |
| Norman County, MN | 0.94% | $1,378 | $147,100 |
| Mahnomen County, MN | 0.93% | $1,509 | $161,900 |
| Marshall County, MN | 0.8% | $1,315 | $164,500 |
| Clearwater County, MN | 0.67% | $1,295 | $192,100 |
How is a home assessed in Polk County?
Minnesota sets the assessment rules and Polk County applies them. How Minnesota assesses and reappraises homes.
Is there a homestead exemption in Polk County?
Yes, on a sliding scale. Minnesota's Homestead Market Value Exclusion is worth up to $38,000 on homes worth $95,000 or less and shrinks to nothing at $517,200. That is the Minnesota rule, and it applies in Polk County. Minnesota's exemptions and relief programs in full.
When are property taxes due in Polk County?
Two installments, the first due May 15 and the second October 15, with agricultural property getting until November 15 on the second half. If your total tax is $100 or less the whole amount is due in May. Late penalties start at 2% on homestead property and climb monthly.
Minnesota splits the bill into 2 installments. That is the Minnesota rule. Polk County issues and collects the bill, so the dates printed on your statement are the ones that bind you.
How to appeal your Polk County property assessment
You contest the assessed value with the Local Board of Appeal and Equalization, then the County Board, then Minnesota Tax Court. The filing deadline is typically April 30 of the year the tax is payable (Tax Court). That is the Minnesota rule; Polk County sets the exact dates and forms. The Minnesota appeal process step by step.
Minnesota rules from primary state sources, reviewed September 7, 2026; sources on the Minnesota page.
Work out your own numbers
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How much house can I afford?
Your income, debts and down payment against the 28/36 rule lenders actually use, with Polk County's tax rate to hand.
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Mortgage calculator
Monthly payment with principal, interest, tax and insurance, plus what an extra payment saves you.
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Minnesota income tax
Brackets, standard deduction and what Minnesota actually taxes.
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Sales tax in Polk County
The other local tax: combined state and local rate for this county.
Sources
- Median real estate taxes paid and median home value for Polk County, Minnesota: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020-2024), tables B25103, B25077, B25102, B25119 and B25003; the five-year comparison uses the 2015-2019 estimates. Neighboring counties: Census county adjacency file.