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County tax profile · 2026 · Census ACS + IRS data

Property Tax & Income in Jefferson County, Iowa

Jefferson County has an effective property tax rate of 1.41%. On the median home value of $163,400, that's roughly $2,311 per year. Median household income is $61,620.

Effective Property Tax Rate1
1.41%
median tax $2,311 ÷ median home $163,400
Median Home Value1
$163,400
owner-occupied
Median Household Income1
$61,620
per-capita $36,823
Est. Annual Tax on Median Home1
$2,311
at 1.41% 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.

MetricJefferson CountyIowa (state context)
Effective property tax rate11.41%1.32%
Median home value1$163,400—
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 Jefferson County, IA

In Jefferson County, Iowa, homes sell for a median of $163,400, and the annual property tax bill on such a home comes to about $2,311. That works out to an effective rate of 1.414%, which sits above Iowa's statewide median of 1.319% and ranks 24th among the state's 99 counties. Buyers weighing a move to Fairfield or the smaller communities of Batavia and Libertyville will find that the area's comparatively affordable home prices help offset the higher tax rate; the median household income of $61,620 covers that $2,311 bill with room to spare, and per-capita income stands at $36,823. Nationally, the picture shifts, since the U.S. median effective rate is just 0.794%, meaning Iowans here pay a noticeably larger share of home value in taxes than the average American. Even so, the low entry price keeps overall ownership costs within reach for many budgets.

Frequently asked questions

What is the property tax rate in Jefferson County, IA?
The effective rate is 1.41% — meaning the median tax bill equals about 1.41% of the median home value.
How much are property taxes on a median home?
On the median home ($163,400), the estimated annual bill is about $2,311.
Is Jefferson 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 Jefferson 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 Jefferson 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.