Property tax in Polk County, Tennessee
The median property tax bill in Polk County, Tennessee is $856 a year, which is about 0.5% of the county's median home value of $169,900. That effective rate is higher than the typical Tennessee county (0.47%) and lower 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 0.5% (Census). The real bill depends on the home's assessed value, the millage where it sits and any exemptions.
Estimated property tax: $850 / year
Property tax in Polk County at a glance
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Median annual property tax | $856 |
| Median home value | $169,900 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.5% |
| Typical Tennessee county rate | 0.47% |
| 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 Tennessee?
Among Tennessee's 95 counties, Polk County has the 33rd highest effective property-tax rate: 32 rank higher and 62 rank lower. That is on the higher side for Tennessee. Nationally, it ranks 2641st of 3135 US counties by effective rate. See every Tennessee county ranked.
How much do homeowners in Polk County actually pay?
The median is only the middle bill. Across Polk County's 6,206 owner-occupied homes, 1.4% pay $3,000 or more a year in property tax, 7.5% pay at least $2,000, and 43.9% pay under $800. Another 5.9% report paying no property tax at all, which usually means an exemption covers the whole bill.
| Annual bill | Homes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Under $800 | 2,726 | 43.9% |
| $800 to $1,499 | 2,075 | 33.4% |
| $1,500 to $1,999 | 572 | 9.2% |
| $2,000 to $2,999 | 379 | 6.1% |
| $3,000 or more | 87 | 1.4% |
| No property tax paid | 367 | 5.9% |
Owners with a mortgage pay a median of $1,119 and owners without one pay $735. 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 $856 is about 1.2% of the median income of Polk County homeowner households, $71,875 a year. That compares two middles, so a retiree in a long-held home can pay a far larger share. 83.6% 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 $708 in 2015-2019 to $856 in 2020-2024, a 20.9% rise. Over the same span the median home value moved 50.8%, from $112,700 to $169,900. Bills rose more slowly than values, which is what assessment caps and falling millage rates do: the county is taxing a smaller share of each home's worth.
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 6 counties, 3 of them across the state line.
| County | Effective rate | Median bill | Median home value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Murray County, GA | 0.68% | $1,225 | $180,700 |
| Polk County, TN (this county) | 0.5% | $856 | $169,900 |
| Cherokee County, NC | 0.46% | $1,064 | $232,300 |
| Bradley County, TN | 0.45% | $1,187 | $261,900 |
| Monroe County, TN | 0.41% | $934 | $227,500 |
| McMinn County, TN | 0.35% | $748 | $211,800 |
| Fannin County, GA | 0.33% | $1,021 | $306,600 |
How is a home assessed in Polk County?
Tennessee assesses homes at 25% of market value in every county, Polk County included. How Tennessee assesses and reappraises homes.
Is there a homestead exemption in Polk County?
No. Tennessee has no general homestead exemption; relief comes through the state Tax Relief program and the local-option Tax Freeze. That is the Tennessee rule, and it applies in Polk County. Tennessee's exemptions and relief programs in full.
When are property taxes due in Polk County?
One annual bill from the county trustee, due the first Monday in October. You can pay without interest through the end of February; anything unpaid on March 1 is delinquent and accrues interest and penalty monthly.
That is the Tennessee 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 County Board of Equalization, then the State Board of Equalization. The filing deadline is typically August 1, or 45 days after the county board's notice, whichever is later. That is the Tennessee rule; Polk County sets the exact dates and forms. The Tennessee appeal process step by step.
Tennessee rules from primary state sources, reviewed September 7, 2026; sources on the Tennessee 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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Tennessee income tax
Brackets, standard deduction and what Tennessee 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, Tennessee: 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.