Washington County taxes - how do we compare?

Its safe to say that no one wants to pay too much in taxes. But how do property taxes in Washington County compare against the other 98 counties in Iowa?

First, it is important to know that although County Treasurers collect Iowan's property tax, it isn't all the County's to keep.  Only a portion of your property tax bill is for the County.

Washington County has particularly low property taxes, especially in the rural, unincorporated areas. Of the 99 Counties in Iowa, Washington County's rural levy of $2.85 is the 74th highest.  This levy pays for secondary roads and other services only for rural property owners. 

The "countywide" levy of $7.77 is the 20th highest rate in the state. This levy covers a broader range of services, including mental health services, public health, veterans services, county attorney, and other services that are for the benefit of the entire county, not just the rural area.

Combined, the total Washington County levy is $10.62, which ranks 36th in Iowa.

This information comes from the Iowa State Association of Counties (ISAC)'s County Budget Summaries web page.

All in all, Washington County has pretty affordable county taxes.
FY 2009 Iowa County Tax Levy Rates