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County tax profile · 2026 · Census ACS + IRS data

Property Tax & Income in Buena Vista County, Iowa

Buena Vista County has an effective property tax rate of 1.21%. On the median home value of $159,500, that's roughly $1,931 per year. Median household income is $71,719.

Effective Property Tax Rate1
1.21%
median tax $1,931 ÷ median home $159,500
Median Home Value1
$159,500
owner-occupied
Median Household Income1
$71,719
per-capita $34,666
Est. Annual Tax on Median Home1
$1,931
at 1.21% effective rate

What you'll pay, at a glance

Property taxes are the largest local tax most homeowners pay. The effective rate measures the real tax bill as a share of home value — a more useful number than the nominal “mill rate,” because assessment practices vary county to county.

MetricBuena Vista CountyIowa (state context)
Effective property tax rate11.21%1.32%
Median home value1$159,500—
State income tax3top rate 3.80%top rate 3.80%
State sales tax36.94% combined6.94% combined

How this is calculated

The effective property tax rate is the median real-estate tax bill divided by the median home value — both for owner-occupied homes, from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS 5-year estimates)1. Median income is also from the ACS1. Federal and state income-tax figures use IRS2 and Tax Foundation3 data.

About Buena Vista County, IA

In Buena Vista County, Iowa, the median home value of $159,500 carries an annual property tax bill of $1,931, based on an effective rate of 1.211%. That rate sits below Iowa's statewide median of 1.319% and places the county 74th among the state's 99 counties, so buyers here pay a smaller share of home value in taxes than many Iowans elsewhere. Against the national median effective rate of 0.794%, however, the county's levy runs higher. Households earning a median of $71,719 would devote roughly 2.7% of that income to real-estate taxes, while per-capita income stands at $34,666. Communities such as Albert City, Marathon, and Newell anchor this rural northwest Iowa county, where entry into homeownership generally requires less upfront capital than in Iowa's pricier metros, even though the tax rate itself isn't the lowest in the state.

Frequently asked questions

What is the property tax rate in Buena Vista County, IA?
The effective rate is 1.21% — meaning the median tax bill equals about 1.21% of the median home value.
How much are property taxes on a median home?
On the median home ($159,500), the estimated annual bill is about $1,931.
Is Buena Vista County's rate high or low?
Compare it to the state median of 1.32% and the national average near 1.1%.
How does the effective rate differ from my mill rate?
A mill rate is the nominal levy per $1,000 of assessed value. The effective rate reflects what you actually pay after exemptions and assessments — it's the median tax bill as a share of median home value, so it better predicts your real cost.
Will a reassessment raise my tax bill?
Not necessarily. If your home's assessed value rises, your bill can go up, but only if the mill rate and exemptions stay flat. Contact the Buena Vista County assessor's office to review your current assessment.
Can I appeal my property tax assessment?
Yes. Most counties allow an appeal when you believe the assessed value exceeds the market value. File with the Buena Vista County assessor within the local deadline, typically with comparable sales as evidence.
Sources
[1] U.S. Census Bureau — ACS 5-Year (2023) — Median home value (B25077), median real-estate taxes (B25103), median household income (B19013), per-capita income (B19301).
[2] IRS — Statistics of Income — County income, AGI, and real-estate taxes paid.
[3] Tax Foundation — State income, sales, corporate, and estate/inheritance tax rates.