Polk County, Iowa Property Tax
The Polk County property tax rate is 1.6%, which is well above the national and state averages.
Written by Patrick Price
Reviewed by Melanie Reiff
Table of Contents
- Property tax 101
- What is the property tax rate in Polk County?
- How to pay property taxes in Polk County
- How to save money on homeowners and car insurance in Iowa
- FAQs
Load full table of contents
With an average tax rate of 1.6%, Polk County, Iowa, residents pay an average of $2,395 a year in property taxes.
No one likes paying property taxes. Unfortunately, it is an unavoidable aspect of being a homeowner. Property taxes can be a significant expense, so it’s important to plan and budget ahead. Often, this is easier said than done since tax rates vary depending on your home’s location and value, and rates change from one year to the next.
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Property tax 101
Before we begin exploring Polk County property taxes, there are a few basics we should review. Veteran homeowners may already be familiar with these, but for those that have never paid property taxes, here’s what you need to know:
- Property taxes are annual charges equal to a percentage of your home’s fair market value.
- Property taxes are paid to your local government,which uses the money to pay for essential public works and community services.
- You’ll have to pay property taxes for any non-exempt real property that you own. This includes things like your home and other buildings, plus any land that you own.
- Your local government will set the local tax rate each year, and a local tax assessor will estimate your home’s value.
- Tax rates will change frequently in response to fluctuations in the current market conditions and your local government’s budget.
In essence, property taxes are how your local government pays for essential community upkeep, improvement, and services. Collecting taxes from property owners ensures that long-term members of the community with a vested financial interest in its welfare, who benefit from its well-being, contribute to the cost of maintaining it.
Property taxes may be annoying at times, but without them, we wouldn’t have local law enforcement, roads, or public education.
What is the property tax rate in Polk County?
Polk County’s average tax rate is 1.6% of assessed home values, which is significantly higher than the national average of 1.1% and the Iowa state average of 1.29%.
In actual dollar amounts, this average rate of 1.6% means that Polk County homeowners will typically pay an average of $2,395 a year in property taxes. The relatively low property values in Polk County mean that, despite the above-average tax rate, Polk residents will pay less in property taxes on average than most homeowners. For context, the average total property tax bill nationwide is $3,336.
How Polk County property taxes are determined
Most states determine your property tax obligation for a given year by multiplying your home’s assessed value by the local tax rate. In Polk County, however, the process is a bit more complex. Here’s a quick overview of how it works:
- A local tax assessor or the Iowa Department of Revenue will use current market trends and your home’s market value to estimate its worth and assign it an assessed value.
- The tax assessor adds up the assessed values of all properties within each classification and reports the total to the county auditor and the Iowa Department of Revenue (IDR).
- The IDR uses two processes referred to as equalization and rollbacks to make adjustments to the values. They do this to ensure that values are comparable among jurisdictions and consistent with inflation.
- Each taxing authority (cities, towns, school districts, etc.) calculates its budget for the upcoming year based on its projected expenses and existing capital.
- These budgets are submitted to the county auditor,who uses them to determine the “dollars per thousand” for each taxing authority that year. This figure refers to how many tax dollars will be charged per thousand dollars of a home’s assessed value.
- The dollars per thousand for every taxing authority are added together to determine the consolidated levy for each taxing district. This figure is essentially used as the effective tax rate.
- Once the consolidated levy is determined, all applicable exemptions and subtractions are made, and the final tax obligation for each property is established.
- Tax bills are mailed out to each property owner.
Key Takeaway If that seemed a bit hard to follow, don’t worry. Basically, what you’ll need to know is this—your total tax obligation will be the result of the local government’s budget, the tax assessor’s evaluation of your home’s worth, calculations made by the IDC and the county auditor, and state laws.
What do Polk County property taxes pay for?
Like all counties, Polk uses revenue from property taxes to fund essential infrastructure upkeep and improvement, public works, and community services. These include (but are not limited to):
- Law enforcement
- Public education, libraries, and museums
- Public health and safety
- Roads, highways, and public transportation
In addition to these expenses, Polk County has listed a few high-priority areas that will receive special financial attention. These key budget items will include:
- Financial support for the Iowa Events Center Hotel
- Polk County Water and Land Legacy Projects
- Broadway Avenue Multimodal Improvements Project
- NW 66th Avenue/NW 26th Street Corridor Improvement Project
- Watershed Management Authorities
If you would like more details on these projects or to see a complete list of all county government spending, the Polk County 2021
Comprehensive Financial Report
is available to the public online.How to pay property taxes in Polk County
Polk County property taxes are levied annually and can be paid in two equal payments. These are due on September 1st and March 1st. If you would prefer to pay your entire balance in a single payment, you can do so on September 1st.
Property owners in Polk County have the option of paying their taxes online, by mail, in person, or over the phone. Here’s what you’ll need to do:
- By mail: You can mail in your payment in the form of a check, money order, or cashier's check. These should be made out to Mary L. Wells, Polk County Treasurer, and mailed to: Polk County Treasurer, Polk County Administration Building, 111 Court Avenue, Room 154 Des Moines, IA 50309-2298.
- In-person: You can pay in person using cash, check, cashier check, money order, e-check, or credit/debit card at: Polk County Administration Building, 111 Court Avenue, Room 154 Des Moines, IA 50309-2298.
- Over the phone: You can pay over the phone using a credit or debit card by calling 515-286-3030.
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FAQs
When are property taxes due in Polk County?
Polk County property taxes are due on September 1st and March 1st. If you would rather make one payment and settle the entire balance on September 1st, you can.
How do I get my Iowa property tax statement?
Your tax bill will be mailed out to you, typically in July or August. If you do not receive it, you’ll need to contact the
Polk County Treasurer's Office
.
Are property taxes high in Polk County?
Yes and no. The Polk County average tax rate is 1.6%, which is a good bit higher than the national average. However, the actual dollar amount the average Polk County property owner ends up paying is only $2,395—which is significantly lower than in most counties.
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