Property Tax in Johnson County, Iowa
The median real estate tax bill in Johnson County, Iowa is $4,587 per year, and the median home is worth $293,100. Both figures are the US Census Bureau's survey medians for owner-occupied households (US Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates, 2023).
What the Johnson County numbers mean
Read the two medians together: $4,587 is the middle tax bill among owner-occupied households in Johnson County, and $293,100 is the middle home value. Neither figure describes a specific property — together they describe the typical homeowner's situation in the county.
The derived effective rate for Johnson County is 1.56% (median tax ÷ median value). Treat it as an estimate for comparison only: it comes from survey medians of different households, not from the county's rate schedule.
The key figures for Johnson County
| Measure | Johnson County |
|---|---|
| Median real estate taxes paid per year | $4,587 |
| Median home value | $293,100 |
| Derived effective rate* | 1.56% |
| Equivalent monthly tax | $382 |
| Tax per $100,000 of value (derived) | $1,565 |
| Illustrative tax on a $400,000 home (derived rate) | $6,260 |
For context, the Iowa medians are $2,795 of tax on $195,900 of value, and the US medians are $2,969 on $303,400. *Derived figures are estimates from Census medians, not official rates.
Johnson County at a glance
- Median tax rank in Iowa: #2 of 99 counties
- Median home value rank in Iowa: #2 of 99
- Population rank in Iowa: #4 of 99 (154,881 residents)
- Population density rank: #4 of 99 (253 people per square mile)
- Land area rank in Iowa: #20 of 99 (612 sq mi, 1.1% of the combined county land area)
- Median tax as a monthly figure: $382; per $1,000 of home value: $1.56
How Johnson County compares
Of the 99 Iowa counties with published data, 1 have a higher median property tax bill than Johnson County's $4,587, putting the county at #2 in the state. Its bill is about 64% higher than the state median of $2,795 and about 54% higher than the national median of $2,969.
Rates and values pull in opposite directions: an expensive housing market can produce big bills at ordinary rates. Here the derived rate is 1.56%, versus 0.98% derived nationally, and the median home value ranks #2 within Iowa.
Some extra context for Johnson County: the median bill works out to about $382 a month, and the derived rate equals roughly $1,565 of tax per $100,000 of home value. The county is home to 154,881 people — the #4 most populous county in Iowa, spread over 612 square miles, a density of about 253 people per square mile. Its median home value, $293,100, ranks #2 among the state's 99 counties with data.
Zooming out: of 3133 counties nationwide with published Census figures, only 153 record a higher median tax bill than Johnson County — it sits in the top 5% nationally. The county holds roughly 4.8% of Iowa's people. Its homes are worth more than the state norm (median $293,100 versus $195,900), and a decade at the derived rate of 1.56% adds up to about 15.65% of the median home's value in tax. The cheapest county in the state, Pocahontas County, medians $1,066 — $3,521 less than Johnson County per year.
Counties nearest Johnson County in the Iowa ranking
| County | Median tax paid | Median home value | Derived rate* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dallas County, IA | $4,849 | $333,400 | 1.45% |
| Polk County, IA | $4,364 | $248,400 | 1.76% |
| Warren County, IA | $3,797 | $252,800 | 1.50% |
Johnson County and its population peers
Counties of a similar size can tax very differently. The table below shows the counties closest to Johnson County in population across the United States, with their median bills and home values. Within the group of 9, Johnson County ($4,587) ranks #2 of 9 by median tax paid.
| County | Population | Median tax paid | Median home value | Derived rate* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Fe County, NM | 155,175 | $2,110 | $416,900 | 0.51% |
| Washington County, MD | 155,033 | $2,444 | $275,900 | 0.89% |
| Merrimack County, NH | 155,018 | $6,617 | $330,600 | 2.00% |
| Monroe County, MI | 155,001 | $2,492 | $215,700 | 1.16% |
| Wilson County, TN | 153,587 | $1,743 | $397,000 | 0.44% |
| Penobscot County, ME | 153,571 | $2,435 | $193,800 | 1.26% |
| Berrien County, MI | 153,411 | $2,357 | $211,400 | 1.11% |
| Scott County, MN | 152,957 | $4,195 | $393,500 | 1.07% |
The closest population match is Monroe County, Michigan (155,001 residents), where the median real estate tax paid is $2,492 on a median home value of $215,700 — $2,095 more than Johnson County pays.
Inside Iowa itself, the counties closest to Johnson County in population are Linn County (229,463 residents, median tax $3,396 on a median value of $204,400); Scott County (174,302 residents, median tax $3,221 on a median value of $212,500); Black Hawk County (130,693 residents, median tax $2,790 on a median value of $182,400); Woodbury County (105,760 residents, median tax $2,542 on a median value of $172,000). Same state, same broad tax framework — yet the median bills still differ, because assessed values and the mix of county, municipal and school-district rates are set locally.
How the tax is worked out
Think of the final bill as three ingredients: the assessed value of the property, the exemptions subtracted from it, and the combined rate of every district the property sits in. Johnson County's medians imply a derived rate of 1.56%; applied illustratively, a $400,000 home would owe about $6,260 a year, or around $522 a month spread evenly. Individual properties depart from the illustration in both directions.
Illustrative bills in Johnson County at the derived rate
The derived rate of 1.56% is only an estimate built from medians, but applying it to different home values gives a sense of scale for Johnson County — and a quick way to compare with the state derived rate of 1.43% and the US figure of 0.98%:
| Home value | Illustrative tax / year | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| $150,000 | $2,348 | $196 |
| $250,000 | $3,912 | $326 |
| $350,000 | $5,478 | $456 |
| $500,000 | $7,825 | $652 |
| $750,000 | $11,738 | $978 |
Illustration only: real bills are computed from the assessed value, exemptions, and the combined rates of the property's actual taxing districts.
Checking your assessment in Johnson County
If your bill looks wrong, work through these steps:
1. Get your property record card from the assessor and check the basics — living area, lot size, bedrooms, condition, and any exemptions you should have.
2. Compare your assessed value with recent sale prices of similar homes in Johnson County.
3. Talk to the assessor's office informally first; clear errors are often fixed without a hearing.
4. If needed, file a formal appeal with the local review board before the deadline on your assessment notice, with your evidence attached.
5. Keep paying the bill as issued while the appeal runs, unless your notice says otherwise — unpaid taxes accrue penalties regardless of an appeal.
More Iowa counties
Frequently asked questions
What is the median property tax in Johnson County, Iowa?
The median real estate tax paid in Johnson County, Iowa is $4,587 per year, on a median home value of $293,100 (US Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates, 2023).
What is the effective property tax rate in Johnson County, Iowa?
The derived effective rate is 1.56% — the median bill ($4,587) expressed as a share of the median home value ($293,100). No authority sets a rate this way; it exists to make counties with different home prices comparable.
How does Johnson County compare with the rest of Iowa?
Johnson County ranks #2 of 99 Iowa counties with published data by median taxes paid. Its median bill of $4,587 is about 64% higher than the Iowa median of $2,795.
How are property taxes calculated in Johnson County, Iowa?
Three steps produce the bill: an assessment of market value by the local assessor, a reduction for exemptions you qualify for (a homestead exemption is the common one), and multiplication by the combined rates of the county, municipality, school district and any special districts covering the property. The median result in Johnson County is $4,587 of tax on a $293,100 median home value.
Can I appeal my property tax assessment in Johnson County, Iowa?
Yes. Request your property record card from the Johnson County assessor's office and check it for errors, then compare your assessed value with recent sales of similar homes. If it still looks too high, file a formal appeal with the local review board named on your assessment notice before the deadline printed on the notice — windows are short, often 30 to 90 days.