Polk County, WI elected officials: county supervisors, sheriff, school board and cities

Who holds every elected county, school board, city and special-district office in Polk County: 6 seats on 6 elected bodies. 2 seats were on the November 3, 2026 ballot; they update once the county certifies its results.

County officers

OfficeWho holds it nowNext term
County ClerkShabana Lundeen Republican source
Clerk of Circuit CourtSharon Jorgenson Republican sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
District AttorneyJeffrey L. Kemp Independent source
Register of DeedsSally Spanel Democratic source
SheriffBrent A. Waak Republican sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County TreasurerAmanda Nissen Democratic source

How many local governments Polk County has

The Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments counts 72 local governments in Polk County. This page lists the ones whose offices are elected.

Kind of governmentCensus count (2022)Listed on this page
County government10
Cities, towns, villages and townships (11 municipal, 24 township)350
School districts (school boards)80
Special districts (elected boards)280

Census Bureau, 2022 Census of Governments: Government Units Listing (census.gov).

About these counts

The Census Bureau counts every independent local government once, in the county it assigns it to: the one it mostly serves or where it's based. A city or district that crosses county lines is counted in only one county, so it may be listed on this page but counted elsewhere, or the other way around. Many special districts, such as housing authorities, have appointed boards, and some places have more than one elected body, so the two columns measure different things. School systems run by a county, city or the state aren't counted as separate governments, though their boards may be listed here; in some states the Bureau counts community or state colleges as school districts. The counts are as of 2022.

Who lives in Polk County

45,555people
46.7median ageU.S.: 38.9
$77,219 household incomeU.S.: $80,734
8.2%below the U.S.: 12.5%
24.3%of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degreeU.S.: 35.7%
$271,900median home valueU.S.: $332,700
3.4%unemployed (of the labor force)U.S.: 5.2%
1.2%born outside the U.S.U.S.: 14.1%
7.8%of adults are veteransU.S.: 6.2%
6.2%U.S.: 8.4%
36.5%of renting households pay of income on rentU.S.: 51.1%
26.3%of homeowners with a mortgage pay of income on housing costsU.S.: 28.1%

Race and Hispanic origin: Hispanic or Latino 2.2% · White 93% · Black 0.2% · Asian 0.5% · Other or more than one race 4.2% (Hispanic or Latino people can be of any race; the other groups are non-Hispanic.)

Census Bureau, 2020–2024 5-year estimates (data.census.gov).

About these figures

The American Community Survey asks about 3.5 million households a year about who lives there, their work, income, schooling and housing. The 5-year estimates pool 2020–2024 answers so that every county and district has enough of them. They're estimates with a (larger for smaller places), and they're different from the once-a-decade census count. "Median" means half are above and half below. Household income is before taxes and includes everyone in the household. The unemployment share here is the survey's five-year average, so it differs from the monthly rate in the BLS jobs report. Race and Hispanic origin are as people describe themselves.

Health insurance means any coverage, private or public (such as Medicaid or Medicare), when people answered; the share is of everyone except people on active military duty and people living in institutions such as prisons and nursing homes. The housing shares are of renting households, and of homeowners with a mortgage, for whom the Census Bureau can compute them (households with no income, or renters who pay no cash rent, are left out). Rent here is gross rent, rent plus utilities; owner costs include the mortgage, property taxes, insurance, utilities and fees.

Jobs in Polk County

3.0%September 2026, preliminary. A year earlier: 2.9%. Wisconsin: 2.9%.
717people unemployedSeptember 2026, preliminary.
22,806people employedSeptember 2026, preliminary. Counted where they live, not where they work.
23,523in the September 2026, preliminary.
Unemployment rate, yearly average, Polk County 0.0%2.0%4.1%6.1%8.2% 20162018202020222024

Yearly average unemployment rate, 2016–2025.

Every month, last two years
MonthRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
September 2026 (preliminary)3.0%71722,80623,523
August 20263.6%84622,79123,637
July 20263.6%86222,93123,793
June 20263.7%88323,09423,977
May 20263.4%78622,32023,106
April 20265.1%1,19021,93723,127
March 20267.5%1,77321,74323,516
February 20268.2%1,95021,73123,681
January 20266.9%1,60421,64723,251
December 20254.8%1,11422,09123,205
November 20253.7%85622,05122,907
October 2025not collected (2025 federal shutdown)
September 20252.9%66722,02522,692
August 20253.3%75722,14522,902
July 20253.4%79022,36023,150
June 20253.6%85222,61923,471
May 20253.4%78022,01222,792
April 20255.3%1,22821,90323,131
March 20257.2%1,71621,97423,690
February 20257.6%1,80922,03323,842
January 20256.7%1,58922,02223,611
December 20244.5%1,06022,41423,474
November 20243.5%82022,30223,122
October 20242.9%68222,53923,221
Yearly averages
YearRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
2025 (11 months)4.8%1,10522,11223,217
20244.3%1,03122,69323,724
20234.2%98822,80223,790
20224.0%93722,38223,319
20214.6%1,06822,34523,413
20207.8%1,82021,60923,429
20194.2%96722,32223,289
20184.0%92322,43023,353
20174.0%94322,61423,557
20164.8%1,12222,33723,459

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, : BLS publishes county figures only that way, so they rise and fall with the seasons; compare a month with the same month a year earlier rather than with the month before. Wisconsin's figure above is on the same basis; seasonally adjusted, as in BLS's monthly state release, it was 3.2% in September 2026. The latest month is preliminary and is revised the next month, and BLS revises earlier years each spring. People are counted where they live. October 2025 wasn't collected during the 2025 federal government shutdown, so 2025's yearly average covers 11 months.

Crime reported in Polk County

162.0 per 100,0002018. Wisconsin: 299.0.
938.4 per 100,0002018. Wisconsin: 1,571.1.
0murders2018, 72 violent crimes in all.

2018 is the latest year with complete reporting here: at least one of the county's police agencies didn't send the FBI a full year of figures since, so later totals would be undercounts.

Earlier years
YearViolentRatePropertyRate
201872162.0417938.4
2016135305.04451,005.4
By police agency (5)
AgencyYearViolentPropertyPeople served
Polk County Sheriff's Office2025237435,737
Amery Police Department2025582,926
Osceola Police Department20252282,906
St. Croix Falls Police Department20248712,263
Balsam Lake Police Department20171015975

Crimes to the county's city and county police agencies (FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, Return A), per 100,000 people they serve. Years with incomplete reporting are left out. Crime in Wisconsin · the U.S.

Police staffing

1.06 per 1,000 residents2017, 6 agencies serving 43,378 people.
46sworn officers2017, full-time, as of October 31.
51civilian staff2017, full-time.

2017 is the latest year every agency here sent the FBI its staff count.

Agencies counted (6), 2017
AgencyOfficersCiviliansPeople served
Polk County Sheriff's Office294933,927
Amery Police Department602,825
St. Croix Falls Police Department512,050
Osceola Police Department412,510
Balsam Lake Police Department10975
Frederic Police Department101,091
Earlier years
YearOfficersPer 1,000CiviliansAgencies
2017461.06516
2016461.06446

Full-time employees of the county's city police departments and sheriff's office, as each reported them to the FBI (Uniform Crime Reporting, Law Enforcement Employees), per 1,000 people in the areas those agencies serve (the FBI's population figures). A year is shown only when every one of these agencies sent a count; a count under half or over double the agency's own counts in nearby years is treated as not sent. Towns policed under contract by another agency are counted through that agency. State police, campus and other agencies aren't included. Sheriffs' offices often also run the county jail and courthouse security, so their staff counts include those jobs.

Quick answers

Who is the Polk County County Clerk?
Shabana Lundeen (Republican) is the County Clerk of Polk County, Wisconsin.
Who is the Polk County Clerk of Circuit Court?
Sharon Jorgenson (Republican) is the Clerk of Circuit Court of Polk County, Wisconsin. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Polk County District Attorney?
Jeffrey L. Kemp (Independent) is the District Attorney of Polk County, Wisconsin.
Who is the Polk County Register of Deeds?
Sally Spanel (Democratic) is the Register of Deeds of Polk County, Wisconsin.
Who is the Polk County Sheriff?
Brent A. Waak (Republican) is the Sheriff of Polk County, Wisconsin. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Polk County County Treasurer?
Amanda Nissen (Democratic) is the County Treasurer of Polk County, Wisconsin.
What is the population of Polk County?
About 45,555 people, with a median age of 46.7; the median household income is $77,219 and 8.2% live below the poverty line (Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates).
What is the unemployment rate in Polk County?
3.0% in September 2026 (preliminary): 717 people unemployed in a labor force of 23,523, against 2.9% a year earlier (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted).
How many local governments are there in Polk County?
72 in the Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments: 1 county, 11 municipal, 24 township, 8 school district and 28 special district governments.

Officeholders as of August 4, 2025, from the Wisconsin Blue Book 2025–2026 (Legislative Reference Bureau), as county clerks reported their officers in April 2025; officials elected or appointed since then may differ, and only each county board's chair is listed; each name links to its source. Officials change between elections (appointments, resignations), and the body's own website is the authority. Party is shown only for offices elected on a partisan ballot.

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