Nursing Homes in Polk County, North Carolina

CaringScore for Polk County, NC

CaringScore was designed to help millions of Americans find the best places to retire, age in place, or receive eldercare. The CaringScore for nursing homes in Polk was based on more than 50 factors in three key categories: health, cost, and livability. By compiling and analyzing this data, Caring.com is able to rate the quality of life you or a loved one might expect should you choose nursing homes in Polk.

CaringScore can range from 1 (worst) to 10 (best), and provides a quick way to compare cities, counties, and even specific zip codes. With a CaringScore of 5.8, Polk rates above average for those seeking nursing homes.

The charts below highlight a few of the factors we used to calculate the CaringScore for Polk. Choose a category score to learn more.

Physicians Per Capita

Cost of Healthcare Index

Sunny Days Per Year

HealthScore for Polk County, NC

HealthScore, a component of the overall CaringScore for nursing homes in Polk, rates a region on a scale of 1 (less healthful) to 10 (more healthful). It's specifically tailored to anyone looking for nursing homes. The HealthScore for Polk is based on the availability of healthcare resources, air and water quality, the overall health of the local population, and other key factors. With a HealthScore of 6.3, Polk rates above average for those seeking nursing homes.

Easy access to physicians -- especially geriatricians and other key specialists -- is important to older adults. At just 151.9 physicians per capita, Polk trails the national average by 31.1 percent. Polk scores 300.0 percent better than the national average in geriatricians per capita, with 5.2, and closely matches the national average in specialists per capita, with 20.9. These medical specialists include cardiologists, oncologists, and orthopedists. The average life expectancy from birth in Polk is 78 years -- on par with the rest of the country. The average life expectancy from birth in Polk is 78 years -- on par with the rest of the country. and water quality -- another key measure of Polk's environmental health -- trails the national average by 27.3 percent.

Doctors Per Capita	Polk County, NC	Nat'l Avg
Physicians	151.9	220.5
Geriatricians	5.2	1.3
Cardiologists	5.2	7.7
Oncologists	0	3.5
Orthopedists	10.4	7

Average Life Expectancy

CostScore for Polk County, NC

CostScore, part of the overall CaringScore for nursing homes in Polk, rates the cost of living for older adults on a scale of 1 (more expensive) to 10 (less expensive). It's specifically tailored to people looking for nursing homes. The CostScore for Polk is based on data such as the average monthly cost of nursing homes in the region, cost of living indices such as housing and healthcare, regional tax rates, and other key factors. With a CostScore of 5.7, the costs associated with nursing homes in Polk are generally less expensive than the national average.

The average monthly cost for nursing homes in Polk is $5,323 , which is 9.3 percent less expensive than the rest of the country. Overall, the cost of living for Polk is roughly equal to the national average. Average healthcare costs are 4.0 percent more expensive than the national average, and the cost of housing is 16.0 percent less expensive than average.

Cost of Living	Polk County, NC
Aggregate Index	96
Healthcare Index	104
Housing Index	84
Food Index	102
Utilities Index	98
Transportation Index	97

Nursing Homes Avg Monthly Cost (US$)

LivabilityScore for Polk County, NC

LivabilityScore makes up part of the overall CaringScore for nursing homes in Polk. On a scale of 1 (less livable) to 10 (more livable), it's a rating of the quality of life in a region, specifically tailored to those looking for nursing homes. The LivabilityScore for Polk is based on weather, crime rates, economic factors, average age of the population, and other key demographics. With a LivabilityScore of 4.9, Polk is on par with the national average for nursing homes.

Weather is an important factor in choosing the best place for nursing homes. The sun shines an average of 217 days each year in Polk, 5.9 percent more sunny days than the rest of the U.S. sees. With an average temperature of 32°F in January, winters tend to be milder in Polk than in other parts of the country, and summers are often hotter than other places, averaging 89°F in July.

Local crime rates are another important indicator. The violent crime rate index in Polk is 4 out of 10, which is about average, and the property crime rate is 50.0 percent higher than average. At $41,892 per year, the population of Polk earns a lower than average median household income. Polk has an unemployment rate of 7.80 percent, roughly 14.3 percent lower than the national average. And about 24.03 percent of the population in Polk is of retirement age -- 65 or older -- which exceeds the national average by 82.6 percent.

Sunny Days Per Year

Avg Temperature (°F)

Property Crime Index

Amenities Per Capita	Polk	"Nat'l Avg"
Parks	0	136.1
Libraries	15.5	18.8
Places of Worship	272.9	220.5
Public Transit	0	110.4
Grocery Stores	93.1	97.7
Pharmacies	25.9	13.8

Percent of Population Over Age 65