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County tax profile · 2026 · Census ACS + IRS data

Property Tax & Income in Clayton County, Iowa

Clayton County has an effective property tax rate of 1.29%. On the median home value of $168,500, that's roughly $2,181 per year. Median household income is $67,242.

Effective Property Tax Rate1
1.29%
median tax $2,181 ÷ median home $168,500
Median Home Value1
$168,500
owner-occupied
Median Household Income1
$67,242
per-capita $38,594
Est. Annual Tax on Median Home1
$2,181
at 1.29% 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.

MetricClayton CountyIowa (state context)
Effective property tax rate11.29%1.32%
Median home value1$168,500—
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 Clayton County, IA

Clayton County's effective property tax rate of 1.294% sits just under Iowa's statewide median of 1.319%, placing it 56th among the state's 99 counties. That ranking lands the county slightly on the favorable side of the middle — a homeowner in Elkader or elsewhere in the county pays a rate marginally gentler than what many Iowans face. Against the national median of 0.794%, though, the difference is stark: property taxes here run well above what a typical American county charges. On a median home value of $168,500, that rate produces an annual bill of about $2,181. With median household income at $67,242 and per-capita income of $38,594, the tax consumes a noticeable share of earnings, a reflection of Iowa's broader reliance on property taxation rather than a quirk specific to this county.

Frequently asked questions

What is the property tax rate in Clayton County, IA?
The effective rate is 1.29% — meaning the median tax bill equals about 1.29% of the median home value.
How much are property taxes on a median home?
On the median home ($168,500), the estimated annual bill is about $2,181.
Is Clayton 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 Clayton 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 Clayton 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.