Property taxIowaCensus ACS 2020–2024
Buena Vista County, Iowa property tax rate
Homeowners in Buena Vista County pay a median $1,931 a year in property tax, an effective rate of 1.21% of home value.The median home is worth $159,500. That rate is 13% lower than the Iowa rate (1.39%) and 29% higher than the US rate (0.94%). It is the 74th highest of 99 counties in Iowa.
Compared with the state and the US
Buena Vista County's rate is 29% higher than the US rate
Effective property tax rate (median tax ÷ median home value). Grey ticks: the other 98 counties in Iowa.
U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates.
Estimate your property tax in Buena Vista County
Home value × the county's effective rate. Change the value to see your estimate.
$161 a month at 1.21%, the effective rate for Buena Vista County.
| At the Iowa rate (1.39%) | $2,221 |
| At the US rate (0.94%) | $1,495 |
An estimate from Census averages, not your bill. Your tax depends on your assessed value, local levies and any exemptions (homestead, senior, veteran) you claim.
Neighbouring counties
Calhoun County has the highest rate next to Buena Vista County
Effective property tax rate of every county that borders Buena Vista County
| County | Effective rate |
|---|---|
| Calhoun County median $1,567 | 1.32% |
| Buena Vista County median $1,931 | 1.21% |
| Palo Alto County median $1,474 | 1.20% |
| Ida County median $1,260 | 1.16% |
| Clay County median $2,050 | 1.15% |
| Pocahontas County median $1,111 | 1.13% |
| Sac County median $1,556 | 1.10% |
| Cherokee County median $1,569 | 0.99% |
| O'Brien County median $1,701 | 0.98% |
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimates; county adjacency file 2024.
What homeowners pay
30% of Buena Vista County homeowners pay $3,000 or more a year (US 49%)
Owner-occupied homes by yearly real estate taxes paid, with and without a mortgage combined
| Yearly property tax paid | Share of homeowners |
|---|---|
| No real estate taxes paid | 3% |
| Less than $800 | 16% |
| $800 to $1,499 | 18% |
| $1,500 to $1,999 | 17% |
| $2,000 to $2,999 | 17% |
| $3,000 or more | 30% |
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimates, table B25102.
Median tax with a mortgage: $2,125; without a mortgage: $1,725. Homes with a mortgage tend to be newer, bought more recently and worth more.
Five years earlier
The median tax bill rose 23% between the 2015–2019 and 2020–2024 surveys while median home value rose 38%, so the effective rate went down from 1.35% to 1.21%.
| 2015–2019 | 2020–2024 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median property tax paid | $1,565 | $1,931 | +23% |
| Median home value | $115,600 | $159,500 | +38% |
| Effective rate | 1.35% | 1.21% | -0.14 pts |
Where to check your own bill
Your actual bill is set locally: the county assessor values your home, and the county, city, school district and other local districts each set a rate on that value. Exemptions such as a homestead exemption can cut the bill. Check your assessment and bill with the Buena Vista County assessor or tax collector.
State rules and exemptions: Iowa Department of Revenue, Iowa property tax overview.
Questions and answers
- What is the property tax rate in Buena Vista County?
- The effective rate is 1.21%: homeowners paid a median $1,931 a year on a median home value of $159,500 (Census ACS 2020-2024). The Iowa rate is 1.39% and the US rate 0.94%.
- How much is property tax on a $300,000 house in Buena Vista County?
- About $3,632 a year ($303 a month) at the county's effective rate of 1.21%. Your bill depends on your assessed value, local levies and exemptions.
- Is property tax in Buena Vista County high?
- Buena Vista County's rate is 13% lower than the Iowa rate and 29% higher than the US rate. It ranks 74th of 99 counties in Iowa and 723 of 3,134 US counties (1 = highest).
- Why might my bill be different?
- The rate here is an average across homeowners. Bills depend on when the home was last assessed, the levies of your city and school district, and exemptions or caps you qualify for.
Related
- Iowa property tax rates by county1.39%
- Property taxes by stateall 50 states and DC
- Property tax calculatorany US county
- Where do my state taxes go in Iowa?state budget
- Iowa income tax calculatortake-home pay
Sources and notes
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates (released December 2025), tables B25103 (median real estate taxes paid by mortgage status), B25077 (median value), B25102 (mortgage status by real estate taxes paid), B25090 and B25082 (aggregate taxes paid and aggregate value) and B25003 (tenure). Owner-occupied homes. Public domain.
- Five years earlier: ACS 2015–2019 5-year estimates, tables B25103 and B25077. Dollars are nominal.
- Effective rate = median real estate taxes paid ÷ median home value. Taxes are what homeowners report paying for the year; values are what they say the home would sell for. Where the Census Bureau caps the median tax at “$10,000+”, the rate is total taxes paid ÷ total home value instead. ± figures are the Census 90% margins of error.
- Page built 2026-10-10.