COUNTY REPORT IA

Polk County, Iowa

79 ZIP codes · Avg score 66/100 · Grade C · Updated

ZipCheckup grade for Polk County: C.

A mixed picture - some signals here are worth your attention.

In recent monitoring cycles, Polk County's 79 ZIP codes show a split record - several have documented water safety violations.

How Polk County Compares

Polk County66/100
Iowa avg63/100
National avg73/100

How Polk County Compares

C
County Grade
66/100
Avg Safety Score
79
ZIP Codes
28
Water Systems

Polk County scores 3 points above the Iowa state average (63/100) and 7 points below the national average (73/100).

Data: ZipCheckup Home Safety Score model 4.0.0; EPA SDWIS, UCMR 5, EPA radon zones, EPA AirData Last verified:

C
County Grade
66
Avg Safety Score
79
ZIP Codes
Best ZIP: 50007 (67/100)
Lowest ZIP: 50322 (63/100)
$275K
Median Home Value
$1,714
Avg Remediation (62% of home value)

ZIP Code Risk Map

Water Quality Map: Polk County, Iowa

Each dot represents a ZIP code. Color indicates water quality grade. Tap a dot for details.

A B C D F

Key Risk Factors

Health risk index: 12 (asthma 9.8%, diabetes 10.1%)

Estimated additional annual cost per homeowner: $605, driven primarily by flood

Violation History (2022–2024)

→ Stable trend

EPA violation counts by year across Polk County water systems. Health-based shown in red, total in blue.

2022
2 (2 health)
2023
2 (2 health)
2024
4 (4 health)

Peak year: 2024 with 4 violations. Past 5 years: 8 total (8 health-based).

Source: EPA SDWIS historical violations. Data may lag 6–12 months for the most recent year.

County Health Indicators vs National Average

Asthma 9.8% (national: 8.9%)
Diabetes 10.1% (national: 10.5%)
Obesity 37% (national: 32.4%)

Black markers indicate national averages. Source: CDC PLACES, Census ACS.

Compound Risk Breakdown

Estimated additional annual cost per homeowner: $605

Flood $1,138/yr
Energy Code Gap $238/yr
Water Infrastructure $208/yr

Bar widths proportional to share of total annual risk cost. Source: compound risk model (FEMA, EPA, USGS).

Water Safety Affordability

How much it costs to fix water issues relative to home values in Polk County

$275K
Median Home Value
$1,714
Est. Remediation Cost
0.6%
of Home Value
Remediation as % of home value low burden

Remediation costs are relatively manageable for most homeowners in Polk County, representing a small fraction of property value.

Remediation includes water filtration, lead abatement, radon mitigation, and flood protection where applicable. Source: Census ACS, EPA SDWIS.

Health Outcomes vs National Average

CDC PLACES data for Polk County residents

Asthma 9.8% (US avg: 8.9%)
Diabetes 10.1% (US avg: 11%)
Obesity 37% (US avg: 32.4%)

Black markers = national averages. Red = above national avg. Green = below. Source: CDC PLACES, Census ACS.

Water systems serving Polk County

8 community water systems serving Polk County.

Show all 8 water systems

28 total water systems serve Polk County.

Systems with the most violations in Polk County

5 water systems with recorded EPA violations.

All ZIP Codes in Polk County

79 ZIP codes tracked in Polk County.

# ZIP Code City Safety Score Grade Violations Home Value
1 50007 Alleman 67 C 0 $294K
2 50021 Ankeny 67 C 0 $295K
3 50023 Ankeny 67 C 0 $327K
4 50035 Bondurant 67 C 0 $297K
5 50054 Colfax 67 C 0 $197K
6 50073 Elkhart 67 C 0 $276K
7 50226 Polk City 67 C 0 $391K
8 50243 Sheldahl 67 C 0 $175K
9 50265 West Des Moines 67 C 0 $268K
10 50309 Des Moines 67 C 0 $287K
11 50310 Des Moines 67 C 0 $214K
12 50311 Des Moines 67 C 0 $228K
13 50312 Des Moines 67 C 0 $274K
14 50313 Des Moines 67 C 0 $162K
15 50314 Des Moines 67 C 0 $147K
16 50315 Des Moines 67 C 0 $164K
17 50316 Des Moines 67 C 0 $137K
18 50317 Des Moines 67 C 2 (1 health) $165K
19 50319 Des Moines 67 C 0
20 50320 Des Moines 67 C 0 $208K
21 50321 Des Moines 67 C 0 $294K
22 50323 Urbandale 67 C 0 $457K
23 50324 Windsor Heights 67 C 0 $252K
24 50325 Clive 67 C 0 $379K
25 50109 Granger 66 C 1 $337K
26 50131 Johnston 66 C 1 $347K
27 50009 Altoona 65 C 5 (2 health) $262K
28 50327 Pleasant Hill 65 C 3 (1 health) $303K
29 50111 Grimes 64 C 4 $286K
30 50237 Runnells 64 C 6 (2 health) $326K
31 50322 Urbandale 63 C 5 $264K
32 50032 Berwick
33 50301 Des Moines
34 50302 Des Moines
35 50303 Des Moines
36 50304 Des Moines
37 50305 Des Moines
38 50306 Des Moines
39 50307 Des Moines
40 50308 Des Moines
41 50318 Des Moines
42 50328 Des Moines
43 50329 Des Moines
44 50330 Des Moines
45 50331 Des Moines
46 50332 Des Moines
47 50333 Des Moines
48 50334 Des Moines
49 50335 Des Moines
50 50336 Des Moines
51 50339 Des Moines
52 50340 Des Moines
53 50359 Des Moines
54 50360 Des Moines
55 50361 Des Moines
56 50362 Des Moines
57 50363 Des Moines
58 50364 Des Moines
59 50367 Des Moines
60 50368 Des Moines
61 50369 Des Moines
62 50380 Des Moines
63 50381 Des Moines
64 50391 Des Moines
65 50392 Des Moines
66 50393 Des Moines
67 50394 Des Moines
68 50395 Des Moines
69 50396 Des Moines
70 50397 Des Moines
71 50398 Urbandale
72 50936 Des Moines
73 50940 Des Moines
74 50947 Des Moines
75 50950 Des Moines
76 50980 Des Moines
77 50981 Des Moines
78 50982 Des Moines
79 50983 Des Moines

Recommended Buyer Guides for Polk County

Below: editorial picks, no sponsored placements.

Overview

Polk County in Iowa covers 79 tracked ZIP records with an average Home Safety Score of C (66/100) across 31 scored records.

8 of 31 ZIP codes with a reported violation count in the available EPA record have recorded EPA violations. 2 health-based violations appear in the available health breakdown.

← Back to Iowa Home Safety Profile

Data Sources

Reporting periods vary by source. Missing data is shown as unavailable, not as zero.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is water safe in Polk County?
Polk County receives a grade of C. Some ZIP codes have recorded violations and residents in affected areas may want to test their water.
How many water systems serve Polk County?
Polk County is served by 28 public water systems that supply drinking water to residents across 79 ZIP codes.
What is the biggest environmental risk in Polk County?
The primary environmental risk factor in Polk County is flood. This contributes to an estimated additional annual cost of $605 per homeowner.
How does Polk County compare to Iowa?
Polk County has an average Home Safety Score of 66/100 under model 4.0.0, which is above the Iowa state average of 63/100.

How to cite this page

APA ZipCheckup. (2026). Polk County, IA: HSS 66/100; 2 Health Violations. https://zipcheckup.com/county/iowa/polk/
BibTeX
@misc{zipcheckup-county-iowa-polk,
  author = {{ZipCheckup}},
  title  = {{Polk County, IA: HSS 66/100; 2 Health Violations}},
  year   = {2026},
  url    = {https://zipcheckup.com/county/iowa/polk/}
}

Page version: August 2026.

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