Polk Township is a township in DeKalb County, Missouri, United States. At the 2020 census, its population was 737. Polk Township was established in 1845, taking its name from President James K. Polk.

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

How Polk ranks

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#5Shortest commute in MO #6Highest graduation rate in MO #50Best schools in MO All MO rankings →

Town numbers

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Living in Polk

Work & commute in Polk

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Most working residents leave Polk for work: only 1% work in town. The top destinations are St. Joseph (37%), Kansas City (8%) and Cameron (4%). Half commute less than 24 miles.

St. Joseph

37%

Kansas City

Cameron

Stewartsville

1%Work in townlive and work in Polk 24 miWhere do people commute?the commute map 95Jobs based herea commuter town

Census LEHD 2023 · ACSWork & commute in Polk →

Health in Polk

B⁻

Health Grade B−

Healthier than 49% of U.S. towns on seven CDC estimates, and 79% of towns with similar incomes.

Compared with Missouri

2better than MO·5worse

of 32 measures CDC estimates. The other 25 are too close to call.

Conditions 5▼ 7 close Habits all close Care all close Mind all close Everyday needs 2▲ 2 close

BetterToo close to callWorse

What stands out

7.6%Fewer adults facing a utility shut-offMO 9% · better 10.3%Fewer adults facing housing insecurityMO 12.1% · better 8.1%More adults with heart diseaseMO 6.8% · worse

Care nearby

Mosaic Life Care at St. JosephSaint Joseph · 19.5 mi · ER

King City ClinicKing City · 4.8 mi · sliding-scale fees

Primary careShortage · county-wide

DentalShortage · county-wide

Mental healthShortage · county-wide

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · ZIP codes 64463, 64494, 64422 · CMS · HRSAHealth in Polk →

Natural hazards in Polk

Moderate

Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 53% of U.S. communities.

🌊 Inland flooding🌪️ Tornadoes🌵 Drought

0Does Polk flood?no paid flood claims on record 2Disasters that paid out herefederal disasters sent FEMA money to Polk MapPolk vs. its neighborsnearby towns shaded by rating

FEMA National Risk Index December 2025 · OpenFEMANatural hazards in Polk →

Climate in Polk

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Polk has chilly winters and warm summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 87°, a January night drops to 17°, and about 18 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.

38° / 20°Winter

63° / 42°Spring

85° / 64°Summer

65° / 43°Fall

How much snow does Polk get?About 18 inches a winter.Rain & snow →When is the first frost?Around Oct 19, with the last in spring around Apr 19.Frost dates →Is it warmer than it used to be?+0.8° vs. the 20th century.Then & now →

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Climate in Polk →

Schools in Polk

All Polk schools →

B⁺

School Grade B+

The public schools Polk’s kids attend outperform 73% of Missouri’s districts on state tests. Among towns with similar incomes, they rank near the top.

#50Best public schoolsof 226 in MO

DistrictUNION STAR R-IISchools3

Union Star Elem. CElementary · Grades K–5 · 66 students Union Star High B-High · Grades 6–12 · 91 students Union Star PreschoolPrekindergarten · Grades PK · 9 students

School data from the U.S. Department of Education (NCES, EDFacts). The School Grade is our own summary of state test results, graded within MO. Ratings are from neighbors.