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County tax profile · 2026 · Census ACS + IRS data

Property Tax & Income in Decatur County, Iowa

Decatur County has an effective property tax rate of 1.61%. On the median home value of $113,900, that's roughly $1,831 per year. Median household income is $59,044.

Effective Property Tax Rate1
1.61%
median tax $1,831 ÷ median home $113,900
Median Home Value1
$113,900
owner-occupied
Median Household Income1
$59,044
per-capita $30,020
Est. Annual Tax on Median Home1
$1,831
at 1.61% 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.

MetricDecatur CountyIowa (state context)
Effective property tax rate11.61%1.32%
Median home value1$113,900—
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 Decatur County, IA

In Decatur County, Iowa, the median home value of $113,900 makes buying here far less expensive than in many parts of the country, though owners pay for that savings through a higher tax rate. The county's effective property tax rate of 1.608% sits well above Iowa's statewide median of 1.319% and ranks fifth among the state's 99 counties. On a median-priced home, that works out to an annual real-estate tax bill of $1,831. Median household income in the county is $59,044, with per-capita income at $30,020. Buyers weighing a move to Davis City, Decatur, Garden Grove, or elsewhere in the county should factor that tax bill into their budget alongside the low purchase price, since the two together shape what a home here actually costs each year.

Frequently asked questions

What is the property tax rate in Decatur County, IA?
The effective rate is 1.61% — meaning the median tax bill equals about 1.61% of the median home value.
How much are property taxes on a median home?
On the median home ($113,900), the estimated annual bill is about $1,831.
Is Decatur 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 Decatur 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 Decatur 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.