Overview of Iowa Taxes
Iowa has a statewide average effective property tax rate of 1.50%, which is well above the 0.99% national mark. As a result, Iowa has the 10th-highest effective rate in the country.
| Enter Your Location Dismiss | Assessed Home Value Dismiss |
| Average County Tax Rate 0.0% | Property Taxes $0 (Annual) |
| of Assessed Home Value | |
| of Assessed Home Value | |
| National | of Assessed Home Value |
| Searching for Mortgages...  |
| Searching for Mortgages... |
| Searching for Mortgages... |
- About This Answer
To calculate the exact amount of property tax you will owe requires your property's assessed value and the property tax rates based on your property's address. Please note that we can only estimate your property tax based on median property taxes in your area. There are typically multiple rates in a given area, because your state, county, local schools and emergency responders each receive funding partly through these taxes. In our calculator, we take your home value and multiply that by your county's effective property tax rate. This is equal to the median property tax paid as a percentage of the median home value in your county.
Iowa Property Taxes
Property taxes in the state of Iowa are a major source of revenue for local governments and services, including public schools. Taxes are collected annually, based on assessed property values that are recalculated every two years.
The state’s average effective property tax rate is 1.50%, which ranks among the top 10 rates in the U.S. However, since rates are determined locally, property taxes vary greatly between cities and counties within Iowa.
If you’re considering buying a home in any county in Iowa, check out our mortgage guide to learn about rates and the details of getting a mortgage in the Hawkeye State.
A financial advisor can help you understand how homeownership fits into your overall financial goals. SmartAsset’s free tool matches you with up to three vetted financial advisors who serve your area, and you can interview your advisor matches at no cost to decide which one is right for you. If you’re ready to find an advisor who can help you achieve your financial goals, get started now.
How Iowa Property Taxes Work
Iowa property taxes are paid annually in two installments, due on Sept. 1 and March 1 every year (though they are not considered late until the following month). Taxes are based on two factors: the assessed value of the property and the total local tax rate. Property values in Iowa are assessed every two years by county and city assessors.
Every county has its own assessor, as do a handful of individual cities. The assessor looks at market and property factors to determine the market value of the property. Assessed value, to which tax rates apply, is based on market value. The total statewide assessed value of residential property cannot increase by more than 3% annually. Thus, each year the state "rolls back" home values by applying a ratio calculated annually by the state's director of revenue. For 2020, that ratio was 67.25%.
There are a number of property tax credits and exemptions that can reduce the property taxes you owe. The most common is the Homestead Credit, which reduces your assessed value by $4,850. Other Iowa credits and exemptions include the Disabled Veteran’s Homestead Tax Credit, the Military Exemption and the Property Tax Credit for Senior and Disabled Citizens.
Iowa Property Tax Rates
Property tax rates in Iowa are determined annually depending on the budget requirements of local tax authorities and the total taxable value of property in a tax district. If taxable value increases one year and the budget requirements stay the same, tax rates will fall. If they decrease and requirements stay the same, tax rates will rise.
Tax rates are denominated in dollars per thousand. So if your total tax rate is 20, that would mean you owe $20 in taxes for every $1,000 in assessed value. On a home with an assessed value of $200,000, the total tax bill would be $4,000.
The table below shows the average effective tax rates for every county in Iowa. Effective tax rates are calculated by determining median annual tax payments as a percentage of median home value.
Looking to calculate your potential monthly mortgage payment? Check out our mortgage calculator.
Polk County
If you are looking for low property tax rates in Iowa, Polk County may not be your best bet. The county’s average effective property tax rate is 2.10%, which is the highest rate in the state. Unsurprisingly, the state's $4,005 median annual tax payment falls in the top three of Iowa counties. The highest property tax rates in the county can be found in Des Moines.
If you have questions about how property taxes can affect your overall financial plans, a financial advisor in Des Moines can help you out.
Linn County
Linn County is in eastern Iowa and contains the city of Cedar Rapids. The typical homeowner in Linn County pays $3,138 annually in property taxes. The county’s average effective property tax rate of 1.94% is also higher than the state mark (1.50%).
Scott County
With a population of around 174,000, Scott County is one of the most populous counties in Iowa. The average effective property tax rate in Scott County is 1.74%, which is still higher than the state average.
Johnson County
The median property tax payment among homeowners in Johnson County is $4,357 per year. That's the highest annual payment in the state. The county also has the second-highest property values in the state. Johnson County’s average effective property tax rate is 1.83%.
Black Hawk County
The average property tax rate in Black Hawk County is 1.75%. Homeowners in the county can pay a lower effective rate than that by claiming exemptions, though, such as the Homestead Exemption described above.
Woodbury County
Located in western Iowa, Woodbury County has one of the highest average effective property tax rates in the state at 1.85%. That means a homeowner with a home worth the county median ($131,300) can expect to pay about $2,430 annually in property taxes.
Dubuque County
Property taxes in Dubuque County are cheaper than those in the rest of Iowa’s largest counties. The county’s average effective property tax rate of 1.52% is l higher than the state average of 1.50% and the 0.99% national average.
Pottawattamie County
Pottawattamie County sits across the Missouri River from the city of Omaha, Nebraska. The county’s average effective property tax rate of 2.08% ranks second in the state of Iowa. So based on a home value of $182,400 (the median for Iowa), residents can expect to pay about $2,932 annually in property taxes.
Story County
A typical homeowner in Story County pays $3,442 in property taxes annually. In part, that is a result of high home values, as the median home value currently sits at $195,200. That is among the highest marks in the state. The county's 1.76% effective property tax rate is well over the 1.50% state average.
Dallas County
Dallas County is located west of Polk County and Des Moines. While home values in Dallas County are higher than those in Polk County, the property tax rate is significantly lower. The average effective property tax rate in Dallas County is 1.73%.
