Where are property taxes the highest?
Property taxes create the same reactions in most Iowans: anger and frustration. However, since property tax bills are determined by a handful of local taxing authorities in each community, the size of those bills varies across the state.
The map above and table below shows estimated property taxes based on the consolidated property tax rates for the 100 largest cities in Iowa. Consolidated rates include city, county, and school district levies, as well as other smaller taxing authorities such as community colleges and county hospitals.
Property tax estimates are provided for homes with assessed values of $153,900 (the median home value in the state), $250,000, and $350,000. Hover over a city and an estimated total property tax bill will be provided for the three assessed values.
Estimated residential property tax bills for taxes payable in September 2022 and March 2023
| 1 |
Spirit Lake |
$2,130 |
$3,460 |
$4,844 |
| 2 |
Eldridge |
$2,170 |
$3,524 |
$4,934 |
| 3 |
Carroll |
$2,231 |
$3,624 |
$5,074 |
| 4 |
Le Mars |
$2,254 |
$3,662 |
$5,126 |
| 5 |
Evansdale |
$2,375 |
$3,858 |
$5,401 |
| 6 |
Clear Lake |
$2,440 |
$3,963 |
$5,549 |
| 7 |
Asbury |
$2,486 |
$4,039 |
$5,654 |
| 8 |
Dyersville |
$2,504 |
$4,068 |
$5,695 |
| 9 |
Dubuque |
$2,545 |
$4,135 |
$5,788 |
| 10 |
Orange City |
$2,669 |
$4,335 |
$6,069 |
| 11 |
Sergeant Bluff |
$2,681 |
$4,356 |
$6,098 |
| 12 |
Sheldon |
$2,718 |
$4,415 |
$6,181 |
| 13 |
Le Claire |
$2,771 |
$4,501 |
$6,302 |
| 14 |
Ames |
$2,788 |
$4,530 |
$6,342 |
| 15 |
Sioux Center |
$2,824 |
$4,588 |
$6,423 |
| 16 |
Cherokee |
$2,833 |
$4,603 |
$6,444 |
| 17 |
Pella |
$2,849 |
$4,627 |
$6,478 |
| 18 |
Algona |
$2,855 |
$4,638 |
$6,493 |
| 19 |
Clive |
$2,881 |
$4,680 |
$6,552 |
| 20 |
Grinnell |
$2,884 |
$4,686 |
$6,560 |
| 21 |
Waverly |
$2,888 |
$4,691 |
$6,567 |
| 22 |
Bettendorf |
$2,911 |
$4,728 |
$6,620 |
| 23 |
Waukee |
$2,958 |
$4,806 |
$6,728 |
| 24 |
Harlan |
$2,999 |
$4,872 |
$6,820 |
| 25 |
Nevada |
$2,999 |
$4,872 |
$6,821 |
| 26 |
North Liberty |
$3,007 |
$4,885 |
$6,839 |
| 27 |
Maquoketa |
$3,035 |
$4,931 |
$6,903 |
| 28 |
Fort Madison |
$3,043 |
$4,943 |
$6,920 |
| 29 |
Adel |
$3,046 |
$4,948 |
$6,927 |
| 30 |
Tiffin |
$3,057 |
$4,966 |
$6,953 |
| 31 |
Spencer |
$3,084 |
$5,009 |
$7,013 |
| 32 |
Clarinda |
$3,086 |
$5,013 |
$7,018 |
| 33 |
Forest City |
$3,095 |
$5,028 |
$7,039 |
| 34 |
Humboldt |
$3,099 |
$5,035 |
$7,048 |
| 35 |
Manchester |
$3,103 |
$5,041 |
$7,057 |
| 36 |
Hiawatha |
$3,117 |
$5,063 |
$7,089 |
| 37 |
Fairfield |
$3,119 |
$5,066 |
$7,093 |
| 38 |
Oskaloosa |
$3,121 |
$5,070 |
$7,097 |
| 39 |
Anamosa |
$3,128 |
$5,081 |
$7,114 |
| 40 |
Muscatine |
$3,140 |
$5,101 |
$7,142 |
| 41 |
Decorah |
$3,147 |
$5,112 |
$7,157 |
| 42 |
Shenandoah |
$3,149 |
$5,115 |
$7,161 |
| 43 |
Pleasant Hill |
$3,153 |
$5,122 |
$7,171 |
| 44 |
Mount Vernon |
$3,154 |
$5,124 |
$7,174 |
| 45 |
Dewitt |
$3,167 |
$5,144 |
$7,202 |
| 46 |
Mason City |
$3,167 |
$5,145 |
$7,203 |
| 47 |
West Des Moines |
$3,169 |
$5,148 |
$7,207 |
| 48 |
Huxley |
$3,177 |
$5,160 |
$7,225 |
| 49 |
Camanche |
$3,177 |
$5,161 |
$7,225 |
| 50 |
Cedar Falls |
$3,199 |
$5,197 |
$7,276 |
| 51 |
Mount Pleasant |
$3,218 |
$5,228 |
$7,319 |
| 52 |
Charles City |
$3,232 |
$5,251 |
$7,351 |
| 53 |
Independence |
$3,239 |
$5,262 |
$7,367 |
| 54 |
Iowa Falls |
$3,241 |
$5,265 |
$7,371 |
| 55 |
Sioux City |
$3,242 |
$5,266 |
$7,372 |
| 56 |
Atlantic |
$3,244 |
$5,269 |
$7,376 |
| 57 |
Indianola |
$3,246 |
$5,273 |
$7,382 |
| 58 |
Altoona |
$3,253 |
$5,285 |
$7,399 |
| 59 |
Coralville |
$3,257 |
$5,290 |
$7,406 |
| 60 |
Oelwein |
$3,268 |
$5,309 |
$7,432 |
| 61 |
Johnston |
$3,279 |
$5,326 |
$7,457 |
| 62 |
Bondurant |
$3,287 |
$5,339 |
$7,475 |
| 63 |
Denison |
$3,293 |
$5,349 |
$7,488 |
| 64 |
Ankeny |
$3,298 |
$5,357 |
$7,500 |
| 65 |
Marion |
$3,309 |
$5,375 |
$7,524 |
| 66 |
Estherville |
$3,321 |
$5,394 |
$7,552 |
| 67 |
Urbandale |
$3,328 |
$5,406 |
$7,569 |
| 68 |
Storm Lake |
$3,332 |
$5,412 |
$7,577 |
| 69 |
Hampton |
$3,335 |
$5,418 |
$7,585 |
| 70 |
Glenwood |
$3,340 |
$5,426 |
$7,597 |
| 71 |
Polk City |
$3,340 |
$5,426 |
$7,597 |
| 72 |
Boone |
$3,343 |
$5,431 |
$7,603 |
| 73 |
Burlington |
$3,383 |
$5,496 |
$7,694 |
| 74 |
Windsor Heights |
$3,393 |
$5,512 |
$7,716 |
| 75 |
Vinton |
$3,400 |
$5,523 |
$7,732 |
| 76 |
Grimes |
$3,401 |
$5,525 |
$7,735 |
| 77 |
Jefferson |
$3,425 |
$5,564 |
$7,790 |
| 78 |
Knoxville |
$3,439 |
$5,586 |
$7,820 |
| 79 |
Cedar Rapids |
$3,461 |
$5,622 |
$7,870 |
| 80 |
Osceola |
$3,477 |
$5,649 |
$7,908 |
| 81 |
Marshalltown |
$3,486 |
$5,662 |
$7,927 |
| 82 |
Perry |
$3,502 |
$5,689 |
$7,965 |
| 83 |
Winterset |
$3,522 |
$5,721 |
$8,009 |
| 84 |
Newton |
$3,549 |
$5,765 |
$8,071 |
| 85 |
Washington |
$3,590 |
$5,832 |
$8,164 |
| 85 |
Waterloo |
$3,590 |
$5,832 |
$8,164 |
| 87 |
Chariton |
$3,592 |
$5,835 |
$8,169 |
| 88 |
Iowa City |
$3,604 |
$5,854 |
$8,196 |
| 89 |
Council Bluffs |
$3,611 |
$5,866 |
$8,212 |
| 90 |
Centerville |
$3,628 |
$5,894 |
$8,252 |
| 91 |
Keokuk |
$3,674 |
$5,967 |
$8,354 |
| 92 |
Norwalk |
$3,681 |
$5,980 |
$8,372 |
| 93 |
Creston |
$3,682 |
$5,981 |
$8,373 |
| 94 |
Davenport |
$3,761 |
$6,109 |
$8,553 |
| 95 |
Des Moines |
$3,820 |
$6,206 |
$8,688 |
| 96 |
Webster City |
$3,837 |
$6,234 |
$8,727 |
| 97 |
Clinton |
$3,865 |
$6,279 |
$8,791 |
| 98 |
Red Oak |
$3,901 |
$6,337 |
$8,872 |
| 99 |
Ottumwa |
$3,902 |
$6,338 |
$8,873 |
| 100 |
Fort Dodge |
$3,979 |
$6,463 |
$9,049 |
The estimates do not take into account homestead credits, military exemptions, or special taxing authorities within a city such as a Self Supporting Municipal Improvement District, Benefited Fire, etc.
The consolidated rate for those cities with multiple school districts reflects the school district's tax rate containing the majority of value in the city.
Sources:
Median owner-occupied house value: U.S. Census Bureau
Consolidated property tax rates: Iowa Department of Management
Iowa's Assessment Limitations (Rollback): Iowa Department of Revenue
Download the State of Iowa's Excel spreadsheet with a built-in calculator for both residential and commercial property tax bills.