Polk County, IA Distress Report: Foreclosure, Tax Liens & ZIPs (2026)
Where is distress concentrating in Polk County, Iowa? DLRadar grades every Polk County ZIP 0-100 from foreclosure, tax-lien, mortgage and insurance records, peaking at 33/100. Here is the 2026 Polk County breakdown.
- Polk County's most distressed ZIP is 50007 at 33/100.
- 42 ZIP codes tracked in Polk County, averaging 31/100 distress.
- Polk County reads peak — home values up 2.1% year over year.
- Vacancy runs 6.7% across Polk County's tracked ZIPs, with a 9.3% poverty rate.
- The typical Polk County home is worth about $285,618 against a ~$90,034 median income.
- Lending headwind in Polk County sits at 53/100 — a forward read on distressed supply.
Based on DLRadar's public-record distress index, updated every month. Free to cite with attribution to DLRadar (dlradar.com).
| Rank | ZIP | Composite distress |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 50007 | 33/100 |
| 2 | 50009 | 33/100 |
| 3 | 50021 | 33/100 |
| 4 | 50023 | 33/100 |
| 5 | 50032 | 33/100 |
| 6 | 50035 | 33/100 |
| 7 | 50073 | 33/100 |
| 8 | 50131 | 33/100 |
| 9 | 50226 | 33/100 |
| 10 | 50265 | 33/100 |
| 11 | 50309 | 33/100 |
| 12 | 50310 | 33/100 |
Most distressed ZIP codes in Polk County (composite distress 0-100, 2026)
What is driving Polk County distress
Nothing here is estimated: Polk County is scored from filings alone, and its ZIPs average 31/100 composite distress. The inputs are FHFA house prices, CFPB delinquency, county recorder foreclosure and lien records, FEMA and NFIP claims, and Census ACS.
Polk County market phase and pricing
DLRadar places Polk County in peak; prices moved up 2.1% over the year. Longer marketing times follow, and with them the sellers worth calling.
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Questions and answers
Which ZIP code leads Polk County on distress?
ZIP 50007 leads Polk County at 33/100, recomputed monthly from public records.
Which phase does Polk County sit in right now?
FHFA price-index movement places Polk County in peak; prices are up 2.1% over twelve months.
How is the Polk County data sourced?
The inputs are all public: FHFA for the peak path, CFPB mortgage performance, recorder filings from the county, FEMA and NFIP, and Census ACS. Because all 42 ZIP codes in Polk County run through the identical model used nationwide, the figures compare directly against any other market.
How much do distress scores vary between Polk County ZIP codes?
The county figure is a blend, not a description. Across the Polk County ZIPs DLRadar ranks, scores run from 33/100 in 50007 down to 33/100 in 50310, against a Polk County average of 31/100. That 0-point gap is why acquisition targeting in Polk County works at ZIP level rather than county level.
What do Polk County home values and vacancy say about distressed supply?
The typical Polk County home carries about $285,618 of value against a median household income near $90,034. Vacancy across Polk County's tracked ZIPs runs 6.7% and the poverty rate is 9.3%. When budgets are stretched and homes sit vacant, arrears become listings — the reason these sit alongside Polk County's foreclosure and tax-lien record and its 53/100 lending headwind.
Related
Distress scoring is deterministic and public-record based. It is research material, not investment, legal or financial advice. Updated monthly.