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County tax profile · 2026 · Census ACS + IRS data

Property Tax & Income in Johnson County, Iowa

Johnson County has an effective property tax rate of 1.52%. On the median home value of $308,600, that's roughly $4,681 per year. Median household income is $74,935.

Effective Property Tax Rate1
1.52%
median tax $4,681 ÷ median home $308,600
Median Home Value1
$308,600
owner-occupied
Median Household Income1
$74,935
per-capita $45,136
Est. Annual Tax on Median Home1
$4,681
at 1.52% 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.

MetricJohnson CountyIowa (state context)
Effective property tax rate11.52%1.32%
Median home value1$308,600—
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 Johnson County, IA

Johnson County's effective property tax rate of 1.517% lands well above Iowa's statewide median of 1.319%, placing it 11th among the state's 99 counties. That gap matters in a place like Iowa City, where a median home value of $308,600 generates an annual tax bill of roughly $4,681. Against the national median rate of 0.794%, the county's figure is nearly double, a striking difference that shapes what owning property costs here. Households earning a median of $74,935 devote a meaningful share of income to real-estate taxes, even though per-capita income reaches $45,136. Coralville and Hills share these same countywide dynamics. Ranking in the state's top tier signals that local levies run heavier than most Iowans experience, and far heavier than the country as a whole.

Frequently asked questions

What is the property tax rate in Johnson County, IA?
The effective rate is 1.52% — meaning the median tax bill equals about 1.52% of the median home value.
How much are property taxes on a median home?
On the median home ($308,600), the estimated annual bill is about $4,681.
Is Johnson 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 Johnson 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 Johnson 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.