The Town FilesPolkville, Mississippi
Town in Smith County · population 588 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $97,500
- Household income
- $67,031
- Jan low / Jul high
- 33° / 90°
- Snow a year
- 1 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 58
- Median age
- 35.6
Polkville is a town of 588 people in Smith County, Mississippi. The median home is worth $97,500, below the typical Mississippi town ($124,700). It ranks quieter than 100% of Mississippi towns, better for families than 92% of Mississippi towns.
How Polkville ranks
Percentile among Mississippi towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Mississippi towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Polkville is worth $97,500, below the typical Mississippi town ($124,700). Homes cost about 1.5 times the median household income of $67,031, which is more affordable than 97% of Mississippi towns. Median rent is $800 a month. 86.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Polkville | Typical Mississippi town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $97,500 | $124,700 |
| Median rent | $800 | $820 |
| Median household income | $67,031 | $45,965 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.5× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 86.8% | 65.3% |
| Median year built | 1988 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Polkville
| People | Polkville | Typical Mississippi town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 35.6 | 37.3 |
| Age 65 and over | 17.3% | 16.6% |
| Under 18 | 25.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 12.9% | 19.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 18.0% | 22.9% |
| Veterans | 4.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 15.2% | 4.0% |
| Average commute | 38.2 min | 23.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 79.9% | 83.3% |
Weather in Polkville
July highs average 89.8°F and January lows 33.2°F. About 61.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.9 inches of snow (typical Mississippi town: 0.5 in). Expect about 65 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 59 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
58 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Polkville since 1950, compared with 31 for the typical Mississippi town. 15 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on March 29, 1976 about 5.1 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 10 deaths and 46 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on October 19, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 40 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on April 27, 2011.
Severe weather in Smith County since 1996
Smith County has been included in 25 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| February 6, 2026 | Winter Storm | DR-4899: Severe Winter Storm |
| January 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3640: Severe Winter Storm |
| May 21, 2025 | Severe Storm | DR-4874: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| August 12, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4727: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes. |
| October 22, 2021 | Hurricane | DR-4626: Hurricane Ida |
Jobs and pay in Smith County
Smith County had 2,675 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $48,765 a year. Unemployment was 2.8% in 2023; in Polkville itself the ACS puts it at 4.1%.
Towns near Polkville
- Morton, MS10.9 mi · 3,711 people · home $84,200
- Pelahatchie, MS11.1 mi · 1,272 people · home $158,200
- Raleigh, MS14.7 mi · 1,094 people · home $110,900
- Robinhood, MS15.9 mi · 1,491 people · home $93,100
- Forest, MS17.4 mi · 5,430 people · home $141,100
- Brandon, MS18.2 mi · 25,138 people · home $278,900
- Mendenhall, MS18.9 mi · 2,199 people · home $125,900
- Hillsboro, MS21.7 mi · 1,072 people · home $74,500
Polkville questions
Is Polkville, Mississippi a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Polkville scores better for retirees than 54% of Mississippi towns and quieter than 100%. 17.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 35.6).
How much does a house cost in Polkville?
The median owner-occupied home in Polkville is valued at $97,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $67,031, so homes cost about 1.5 times income. Median rent is $800 a month.
What is the weather like in Polkville?
July highs average 89.8°F and January lows 33.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 61.6 inches of precipitation a year and 0.9 inches of snow.
Does Polkville get tornadoes?
58 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Polkville since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on March 29, 1976. The typical Mississippi town has had 31.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)