Iowa real estate investing data by county
Updated 2026-11-09 · Official Census, HUD, NAIC and FHFA figures
What does it cost to own and rent in Iowa?
Across Iowa's 99 counties, the median county has an effective property tax rate of 1.34%, a median home value of $148,600 and a median rent of $800 a month. Polk, the most populous county, has a median home value of $248,400 and a 1.76% tax rate. Property tax is lowest in Lyon (0.92%) and highest in Montgomery (1.79%). The average homeowners premium is $1,342 a year. On a $250,000 purchase, the Polk rate works out to about $4,400 a year in property tax.
- Median property tax rate
- 1.34%
- Median home value
- $148,600
- Median rent / month
- $800
- Average insurance / year
- $1,342
Is there a transfer tax in Iowa?
80 cents per $500 or fraction in excess of the first $500 ($1.60 per $1,000, first $500 exempt); the person conveying the property is liable. Rules change and exemptions exist, so confirm with your title company. Iowa Code ch. 428A
Iowa property tax, home values and rent by county
Select a column heading to sort.
| Polk | 1.76% | $4,364 | $248,400 | $1,113 | $1,856 | 7.0% | 5.4% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Linn | 1.66% | $3,396 | $204,400 | $915 | $1,459 | 6.6% | 4.6% |
| Scott | 1.52% | $3,221 | $212,500 | $958 | $1,396 | 6.7% | 4.7% |
| Johnson | 1.56% | $4,587 | $293,100 | $1,104 | $1,634 | 6.3% | 4.5% |
| Black Hawk | 1.53% | $2,790 | $182,400 | $962 | $1,401 | 6.6% | 4.1% |
| Woodbury | 1.48% | $2,542 | $172,000 | $946 | $1,447 | 7.9% | 6.2% |
| Dallas | 1.45% | $4,849 | $333,400 | $1,239 | $1,856 | 6.6% | 4.5% |
| Dubuque | 1.26% | $2,848 | $226,100 | $944 | $1,516 | 7.6% | 5.2% |
| Story | 1.47% | $3,586 | $243,600 | $1,019 | $1,469 | 7.1% | 5.0% |
| Pottawattamie | 1.61% | $2,961 | $183,600 | $970 | $1,924 | 8.6% | 6.5% |
| Warren | 1.50% | $3,797 | $252,800 | $975 | $1,856 | 7.1% | 5.3% |
| Clinton | 1.55% | $2,382 | $153,800 | $825 | $1,190 | 6.9% | 4.8% |
| Cerro Gordo | 1.50% | $2,305 | $154,100 | $840 | $1,218 | 7.0% | 5.1% |
| Muscatine | 1.55% | $2,667 | $172,400 | $966 | $1,315 | 6.7% | 4.8% |
| Marshall | 1.51% | $2,030 | $134,100 | $860 | $1,231 | 7.8% | 5.6% |
| Des Moines | 1.53% | $2,097 | $137,000 | $908 | $1,444 | 6.4% | 3.9% |
| Jasper | 1.42% | $2,518 | $176,800 | $822 | $1,330 | 8.1% | 5.9% |
| Webster | 1.48% | $2,047 | $138,500 | $762 | $1,191 | 5.5% | 4.3% |
| Sioux | 1.16% | $2,722 | $235,600 | $888 | $1,279 | 8.3% | 6.3% |
| Wapello | 1.64% | $1,854 | $112,900 | $950 | $1,409 | 7.3% | 4.4% |
| Marion | 1.29% | $2,727 | $211,100 | $880 | $1,217 | 8.4% | 6.0% |
| Lee | 1.50% | $1,855 | $123,600 | $814 | $1,295 | 7.0% | 4.3% |
| Boone | 1.43% | $2,741 | $191,200 | $826 | $1,339 | 7.4% | 5.8% |
| Plymouth | 1.08% | $2,363 | $218,600 | $865 | $1,315 | 7.4% | 5.5% |
| Benton | 1.32% | $2,627 | $198,400 | $815 | $1,267 | 7.3% | 5.0% |
| Bremer | 1.35% | $2,796 | $207,200 | $844 | $1,343 | 6.8% | 4.4% |
| Washington | 1.35% | $2,688 | $199,600 | $862 | $1,278 | 6.4% | 4.8% |
| Mahaska | 1.39% | $1,956 | $140,900 | $821 | $1,157 | 8.9% | 5.9% |
| Jones | 1.30% | $2,381 | $183,400 | $759 | $1,214 | 6.8% | 5.0% |
| Buena Vista | 1.24% | $1,822 | $146,900 | $835 | $1,284 | 8.3% | 5.9% |
| Carroll | 1.05% | $1,849 | $175,700 | $722 | $1,174 | 7.4% | 5.4% |
| Buchanan | 1.33% | $2,286 | $171,400 | $802 | $1,297 | 6.5% | 4.8% |
| Henry | 1.61% | $2,394 | $148,600 | $770 | $1,259 | 5.5% | 4.3% |
| Winneshiek | 1.16% | $2,784 | $239,000 | $800 | $1,214 | 8.5% | 5.5% |
| Jackson | 1.25% | $2,129 | $170,000 | $800 | $1,214 | 8.8% | 6.0% |
| Fayette | 1.32% | $1,721 | $130,800 | $813 | $1,240 | 7.0% | 5.1% |
| Poweshiek | 1.28% | $2,362 | $184,200 | $864 | $1,403 | 6.5% | 4.8% |
| Cedar | 1.22% | $2,433 | $199,700 | $860 | $1,269 | 7.4% | 5.4% |
| Dickinson | 0.98% | $2,458 | $251,600 | $930 | $1,424 | 9.8% | 6.4% |
| Delaware | 1.34% | $2,266 | $168,700 | $743 | $1,119 | 8.2% | 5.6% |
| Clayton | 1.38% | $2,149 | $155,700 | $764 | $1,169 | 7.7% | 5.4% |
| Tama | 1.39% | $1,945 | $139,900 | $865 | $1,198 | 6.7% | 4.8% |
| Madison | 1.55% | $3,681 | $236,900 | $938 | $1,856 | 7.7% | 5.7% |
| Hardin | 1.43% | $1,613 | $113,000 | $814 | $1,196 | 6.0% | 4.2% |
| Iowa | 1.35% | $2,560 | $189,800 | $722 | $1,284 | 6.3% | 4.7% |
| Clay | 1.18% | $2,028 | $171,500 | $798 | $1,214 | 6.4% | 4.5% |
| Crawford | 1.32% | $1,799 | $136,300 | $727 | $1,282 | 8.8% | 4.8% |
| Jefferson | 1.49% | $2,397 | $161,200 | $881 | $1,306 | 6.9% | 4.3% |
| Floyd | 1.39% | $1,854 | $133,300 | $672 | $1,136 | 5.0% | 4.0% |
| Page | 1.43% | $1,721 | $120,000 | $731 | $1,184 | 8.2% | 5.7% |
| Hamilton | 1.37% | $1,807 | $132,300 | $853 | $1,196 | 7.1% | 5.0% |
| Harrison | 1.34% | $2,214 | $165,300 | $854 | $1,924 | 7.7% | 6.1% |
| Kossuth | 1.06% | $1,437 | $135,100 | $859 | $1,137 | 6.4% | 3.5% |
| Mills | 1.46% | $3,334 | $228,700 | $888 | $1,924 | 8.0% | 6.3% |
| Butler | 1.38% | $2,158 | $156,500 | $780 | $1,105 | 7.5% | 4.8% |
| O'Brien | 0.99% | $1,572 | $158,900 | $770 | $1,105 | 8.1% | 5.8% |
| Allamakee | 1.22% | $2,103 | $171,900 | $717 | $1,284 | 8.3% | 5.6% |
| Cass | 1.43% | $1,904 | $133,300 | $769 | $1,284 | 7.7% | 5.4% |
| Wright | 1.54% | $1,695 | $109,800 | $788 | $1,125 | 8.1% | 5.7% |
| Grundy | 1.07% | $1,929 | $180,500 | $777 | $1,401 | 7.6% | 5.4% |
| Appanoose | 1.25% | $1,501 | $119,800 | $779 | $1,105 | 9.1% | 5.8% |
| Lyon | 0.92% | $1,983 | $215,600 | $802 | $1,126 | 8.6% | 6.0% |
| Union | 1.79% | $2,108 | $117,800 | $683 | $1,210 | 7.2% | 5.4% |
| Chickasaw | 1.10% | $1,804 | $164,400 | $779 | $1,262 | 7.7% | 4.9% |
| Shelby | 1.27% | $1,976 | $156,200 | $810 | $1,214 | 8.9% | 6.0% |
| Cherokee | 1.08% | $1,561 | $145,100 | $711 | $1,203 | 8.3% | 6.0% |
| Hancock | 1.19% | $1,541 | $129,300 | $784 | $1,120 | 7.0% | 5.2% |
| Louisa | 1.27% | $1,752 | $137,600 | $797 | $1,133 | 7.5% | 5.7% |
| Winnebago | 1.36% | $1,800 | $132,300 | $712 | $1,284 | 6.9% | 5.2% |
| Guthrie | 1.33% | $2,172 | $163,900 | $823 | $1,856 | 7.7% | 5.9% |
| Mitchell | 1.16% | $1,897 | $164,100 | $739 | $1,190 | 8.9% | 5.5% |
| Montgomery | 1.79% | $1,968 | $109,900 | $782 | $1,267 | 12.8% | 7.0% |
| Franklin | 1.35% | $1,597 | $118,500 | $649 | $1,143 | 5.8% | 4.7% |
| Keokuk | 1.33% | $1,491 | $112,200 | $822 | $1,159 | 8.7% | 5.3% |
| Calhoun | 1.32% | $1,506 | $114,400 | $690 | $1,113 | 9.2% | 7.2% |
| Sac | 1.03% | $1,423 | $138,400 | $643 | $1,215 | 9.3% | 6.9% |
| Clarke | 1.46% | $2,335 | $160,200 | $836 | $1,272 | 7.7% | 5.2% |
| Humboldt | 1.29% | $1,889 | $146,900 | $731 | $1,284 | 5.2% | 4.1% |
| Howard | 1.30% | $1,744 | $133,900 | $699 | $1,284 | 8.2% | 6.2% |
| Emmet | 1.48% | $1,570 | $106,200 | $731 | $1,247 | 7.3% | 4.4% |
| Davis | 1.52% | $2,217 | $146,000 | $878 | $1,270 | 10.9% | 6.8% |
| Palo Alto | 1.23% | $1,471 | $119,300 | $599 | $1,247 | 8.8% | 5.3% |
| Greene | 1.20% | $1,682 | $140,500 | $774 | $1,212 | 10.9% | 7.3% |
| Lucas | 1.48% | $1,732 | $117,000 | $738 | $1,279 | 11.1% | 8.0% |
| Monona | 1.15% | $1,412 | $122,600 | $795 | $1,162 | 9.1% | 6.2% |
| Decatur | 1.69% | $1,856 | $109,500 | $663 | $1,105 | 8.1% | 4.8% |
| Monroe | 1.52% | $2,065 | $135,900 | $787 | $1,247 | 5.5% | 4.2% |
| Adair | 1.32% | $1,858 | $140,600 | $730 | $1,236 | 8.2% | 6.0% |
| Worth | 1.08% | $1,530 | $142,300 | $703 | $1,284 | 9.0% | 6.0% |
| Van Buren | 1.20% | $1,427 | $118,800 | $686 | $1,132 | — | — |
| Pocahontas | 1.14% | $1,066 | $93,300 | $743 | $1,214 | 7.4% | 4.9% |
| Ida | 1.06% | $1,158 | $108,800 | $669 | $1,155 | 4.6% | 3.8% |
| Fremont | 1.30% | $1,918 | $147,500 | $753 | $1,284 | 8.2% | 5.5% |
| Wayne | 1.35% | $1,377 | $102,300 | $660 | $1,232 | 10.4% | 6.2% |
| Osceola | 1.05% | $1,302 | $123,800 | $796 | $1,214 | 11.5% | 5.5% |
| Taylor | 1.21% | $1,329 | $109,700 | $707 | $1,198 | 5.6% | 4.8% |
| Audubon | 1.23% | $1,353 | $110,400 | $707 | $1,239 | 6.4% | 5.0% |
| Ringgold | 1.27% | $1,909 | $150,300 | $745 | $1,151 | — | — |
| Adams | 1.27% | $1,479 | $116,900 | $909 | $1,268 | — | — |
Common questions
What is the typical property tax rate in Iowa?
The median Iowa county has an effective property tax rate of 1.34%, calculated from median taxes paid and median home value in the Census American Community Survey (2019-2023). Rates range from 0.92% in Lyon to 1.79% in Montgomery.
How much is homeowners insurance in Iowa?
The average Iowa HO-3 homeowners premium was $1,342 a year in 2023, according to the NAIC. That ranks 34 of 51 among the states and DC. This is a statewide average, so get a quote for the specific property.
What is fair market rent in Polk, Iowa?
HUD's 2027 Fair Market Rent for a three-bedroom home in Polk is $1,856 a month, and $1,360 for a two-bedroom. HUD sets these at about the 40th percentile of rents, including utilities, so treat them as a cautious baseline.
How fast have home prices risen in Iowa?
The median Iowa county saw home prices rise 7.5% a year over the five years to 2025, according to the FHFA House Price Index. In Polk, the ten-year pace was 5.4% a year. Those years include an unusually strong run, so don't assume the same pace going forward.
Where these numbers come from
Tax rate is median real estate taxes paid divided by median owner-occupied home value, ACS 2019-2023. A buyer may be reassessed higher than a long-time owner, so check the county's actual rate. Rents are HUD Fair Market Rents for 2027. Insurance is the NAIC 2023 statewide HO-3 average. Price changes are annualized from FHFA's developmental county House Price Index through 2025, and a dash means FHFA doesn't report that county. Past growth doesn't predict future growth. Updated 2026-11-09. Estimates only, not financial advice.
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