Minnesota · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Polk County, MN

Prices around Polk County, MN run 13.3% below the U.S. average (BEA, the metro area). The typical household there earns $73,107 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $1,089 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $43,560 a year.

Polk County, MN at a glance

Median household income

$73,107$6,092 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$1,089HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)86.7-13.3% · BEA, the metro area
Electricity17.5¢per kWh · EIA Residential MN
Population30,705Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Polk County, MN?

HUD’s fair market rent for each size, against what a typical household here earns. Change the income to see yours.

Affordable (< 30% of income)
HUD Fair Market Rent$1,089Monthly market rent
Share of gross income17.9%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$43,560To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$1,828At 30% of $73,107
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

How much is rent in Polk County, MN? By bedroom, 2026

HUD's fiscal 2026 Fair Market Rents for Grand Forks, ND-MN MSA, with the income each one takes if rent stays under 30% of it.

HUD Fair Market Rent in Polk County, MN, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$863$10,356$34,52014.2%
1-Bedroom Apartment$868$10,416$34,72014.2%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$1,089$13,068$43,56017.9%
3-Bedroom Home$1,515$18,180$60,60024.9%
4-Bedroom Home$1,827$21,924$73,08030%

Rent in Polk County, MN, with the wage each unit needs →

What a typical income covers in Polk County, MN

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $73,107 a year ($6,092 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$3,046/moRent ($1,089 2-BR), utilities (~$158/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$1,828/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$1,218/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $73,107 leaves after Minnesota taxes

Federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and Minnesota tax on the local median income. Change the salary to see yours.

$73,107
$25,000$150,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$73,107
Net 78%
Fed 10%
MN 5%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$56,813After all taxes
Monthly deposit$4,734Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$2,185Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate22.3%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$7,254 / yr
Minnesota state income tax$3,448 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$5,593 / yr

Living in Polk County, MN: common questions

What is the median household income in Polk County, MN?

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Polk County, MN is $73,107 per year (approximately $6,092 per month).

What is the average rent in Polk County, MN?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $863 for a studio, $868 for one bedroom, $1,089 for two, $1,515 for three and $1,827 for four, utilities included.

It is not an average of listings. HUD sets it at the rent 40% of recent movers paid or less for a standard unit, so a new lease on a nicer place will usually cost more.

Is Polk County, MN expensive to live in?

Prices there run 13.3% below the U.S. average. BEA's regional price parity for the metro area is 86.7, where the U.S. is 100. Rent moves the number most: housing is where places differ, while goods cost about the same everywhere.

How much do you need to earn to comfortably afford rent in Polk County, MN?

To keep a $1,089 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $43,560 a year, or $3,630 a month. That is 60% of what the typical household in Polk County, MN earns.

How much do you need to live comfortably in Polk County, MN?

On the local median income of $73,107 ($6,092 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $3,046 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $1,828 for everything else and $1,218 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $1,089 takes 36% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Polk County, MN?

Homes in Minnesota paid 17.5¢ per kWh on average (EIA). At 900 kWh a month, a typical use, that is about $158. Your bill depends mostly on heating and cooling.