Des Moines property taxes
Des Moines has 21 residential taxing districts in the Polk and Warren county auditors' rate tables, with consolidated rates from $40.19182 to $46.09503 per $1,000 of taxable value. These are the rates on the bills paid in September 2026 and March 2027, which are based on values as of January 1, 2025.
Taxing districts in Des Moines
The school levy runs from $12.49559 to $17.98937 and everything else on the bill from $7.87741 to $13.33623. The city levy ($16.61000) is the same in all 21.
| School district | County | Rate per $1,000 | School | City | County and everything else | Compared with the median |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saydel | Polk | 40.19182 | 12.49559 | 16.61000 | 11.08623 | +$2.55 |
| West Des Moines | Polk | 40.74256 | 13.04633 | 16.61000 | 11.08623 | +$3.11 |
| Johnston | Polk | 42.61235 | 14.91612 | 16.61000 | 11.08623 | +$4.98 |
| Johnston, Urbandale sanitary sewer district | Polk | 42.81890 | 14.91612 | 16.61000 | 11.29278 | +$5.18 |
| Southeast Polk | Polk | 43.11995 | 15.42372 | 16.61000 | 11.08623 | +$5.48 |
| Des Moines Independent | Polk | 43.74496 | 16.04873 | 16.61000 | 11.08623 | +$6.11 |
| Des Moines Independent, Urbandale-Windsor Heights sanitary sewer district | Polk | 44.15439 | 16.04873 | 16.61000 | 11.49566 | +$6.52 |
| Carlisle | Polk | 44.92549 | 17.22926 | 16.61000 | 11.08623 | +$7.29 |
| Des Moines Independent, Downtown SSMID | Polk | 45.04496 | 16.04873 | 16.61000 | 12.38623 | +$7.41 |
| Des Moines Independent, Sherman Hill SSMID | Polk | 45.24496 | 16.04873 | 16.61000 | 12.58623 | +$7.61 |
| Des Moines Independent, Beaverdale SSMID | Polk | 45.49494 | 16.04873 | 16.61000 | 12.83621 | +$7.86 |
| Des Moines Independent, Roosevelt Cultural SSMID | Polk | 45.49498 | 16.04873 | 16.61000 | 12.83625 | +$7.86 |
| Urbandale | Polk | 45.68560 | 17.98937 | 16.61000 | 11.08623 | +$8.05 |
| Des Moines Independent, Highland Park SSMID | Polk | 45.99492 | 16.04873 | 16.61000 | 13.33619 | +$8.36 |
| Des Moines Independent, SW 9th Corridor SSMID | Polk | 45.99495 | 16.04873 | 16.61000 | 13.33622 | +$8.36 |
| Des Moines Independent, Ingersoll Grand SSMID | Polk | 45.99496 | 16.04873 | 16.61000 | 13.33623 | +$8.36 |
| Urbandale, Urbandale-Windsor Heights sanitary sewer district | Polk | 46.09503 | 17.98937 | 16.61000 | 11.49566 | +$8.46 |
| Des Moines Independent | Warren | 40.53614 | 16.04873 | 16.61000 | 7.87741 | +$2.90 |
| Norwalk | Warren | 41.05076 | 16.56335 | 16.61000 | 7.87741 | +$3.41 |
| Indianola | Warren | 41.60049 | 17.11308 | 16.61000 | 7.87741 | +$3.96 |
| Carlisle | Warren | 41.71667 | 17.22926 | 16.61000 | 7.87741 | +$4.08 |
Rates from the Polk and Warren county auditors' tables for January 1, 2025 values. "County and everything else" is the total less the city and school levies, as the county tables list them. "Compared with the median" is the rate less the median ($37.63716) of all 107 residential city taxing districts covered here. An SSMID is a self-supported municipal improvement district (Iowa Code chapter 386). Agricultural land, tax-increment (TIF) sub-districts that Dallas County lists separately, which carry the same rate as their base district, and city tax-exemption districts are left out. A city's parts in any other county are not covered here.
As the county tables list them: DES MOINES CITY/SAYDEL SCH (Polk County State District Code 770139); DES MOINES CITY/WDM SCH (Polk County State District Code 770250); DES MOINES CITY/JOHNSTON SCH (Polk County State District Code 770137); DES MOINES CITY/JOHNSTON SCH/URB SS (Polk County State District Code 770149); DES MOINES CITY/SE-POLK SCH (Polk County State District Code 770152); DES MOINES CITY/DM SCH (Polk County State District Code 770131); DES MOINES CITY/DM SCH/URB WIND-HTS SS (Polk County State District Code 770132); DES MOINES CITY/CARLISLE SCH (Polk County State District Code 770248); DES MOINES CITY/DM SCH/DOWNTOWN SSMID (Polk County State District Code 770434); DES MOINES CITY/DM SCH/SHERMAN HILL SSMID (Polk County State District Code 770435); DES MOINES CITY/DM SCH/BEAVERDALE SSMID (Polk County State District Code 770214); DES MOINES CITY/DM SCH/ROOSEVELT CULTURAL SSMID (Polk County State District Code 770151); DES MOINES CITY/URB SCH (Polk County State District Code 770947); DES MOINES CITY/DM SCH/HIGHLAND PARK SSMID (Polk County State District Code 770639); DES MOINES CITY/DM SCH/SW 9TH CORRIDOR SSMID (Polk County State District Code 770146); DES MOINES CITY/DM SCH/INGERSOLL GRAND SSMID (Polk County State District Code 770696); DES MOINES CITY/URB SCH/URB WIND-HTS SS (Polk County State District Code 771141); DES MOINES CITY/DES MOINES SCH/DES MOINES FIRE (Warren County State ID # 233); DES MOINES CITY/NORWALK SCH/DES MOINES FIRE (Warren County State ID # 235); DES MOINES CITY/INDIANOLA SCH/DES MOINES FIRE (Warren County State ID # 251); DES MOINES CITY/CARLISLE SCH (Warren County State ID # 275).
How the Des Moines rates compare
Among the 107 residential city taxing districts this site covers in the Polk, Dallas and Warren county tables, the lowest Des Moines rate (Polk Co., Saydel schools, $40.19182) is the 29th highest, and the highest (Polk Co., Urbandale schools, Urbandale-Windsor Heights sanitary sewer district, $46.09503) is the highest.
The median of those 107 rates is $37.63716: all 21 Des Moines districts are above it. The Des Moines city levy, $16.61000 per $1,000, is the 4th highest of the 44 city levies this site covers in the three counties.
Example bills
The yearly tax in each Des Moines taxing district on a home assessed at $208,053, $300,000 and $400,000, figured the way the estimator figures it: the value × 44.5345% rollback ÷ 1,000 × the rate, less the homestead credit. $208,053 is Zillow's typical home value for Des Moines (Zillow Home Value Index, September 2026), used here as if it were the assessed value, which it may not be. The other two are round example values.
| District | $208,053Zillow typical value | $300,000 | $400,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Polk Co., Saydel schools | $3,529.041.70% of value | $5,174.821.72% of value | $6,964.761.74% of value |
| Polk Co., West Des Moines schools | $3,577.401.72% of value | $5,245.731.75% of value | $7,060.201.77% of value |
| Polk Co., Johnston schools | $3,741.581.80% of value | $5,486.471.83% of value | $7,384.211.85% of value |
| Polk Co., Johnston schools, Urbandale sanitary sewer district | $3,759.711.81% of value | $5,513.061.84% of value | $7,420.001.85% of value |
| Polk Co., Southeast Polk schools | $3,786.151.82% of value | $5,551.821.85% of value | $7,472.171.87% of value |
| Polk Co., Des Moines Independent schools | $3,841.031.85% of value | $5,632.291.88% of value | $7,580.481.90% of value |
| Polk Co., Des Moines Independent schools, Urbandale-Windsor Heights sanitary sewer district | $3,876.981.86% of value | $5,685.011.90% of value | $7,651.431.91% of value |
| Polk Co., Carlisle schools | $3,944.681.90% of value | $5,784.291.93% of value | $7,785.051.95% of value |
| Polk Co., Des Moines Independent schools, Downtown SSMID | $3,955.171.90% of value | $5,799.671.93% of value | $7,805.751.95% of value |
| Polk Co., Des Moines Independent schools, Sherman Hill SSMID | $3,972.731.91% of value | $5,825.421.94% of value | $7,840.411.96% of value |
| Polk Co., Des Moines Independent schools, Beaverdale SSMID | $3,994.681.92% of value | $5,857.611.95% of value | $7,883.731.97% of value |
| Polk Co., Des Moines Independent schools, Roosevelt Cultural SSMID | $3,994.691.92% of value | $5,857.621.95% of value | $7,883.731.97% of value |
| Polk Co., Urbandale schools | $4,011.421.93% of value | $5,882.161.96% of value | $7,916.771.98% of value |
| Polk Co., Des Moines Independent schools, Highland Park SSMID | $4,038.581.94% of value | $5,921.981.97% of value | $7,970.371.99% of value |
| Polk Co., Des Moines Independent schools, SW 9th Corridor SSMID | $4,038.591.94% of value | $5,921.991.97% of value | $7,970.371.99% of value |
| Polk Co., Des Moines Independent schools, Ingersoll Grand SSMID | $4,038.591.94% of value | $5,921.991.97% of value | $7,970.371.99% of value |
| Polk Co., Urbandale schools, Urbandale-Windsor Heights sanitary sewer district | $4,047.371.95% of value | $5,934.871.98% of value | $7,987.722.00% of value |
| Warren Co., Des Moines Independent schools | $3,559.281.71% of value | $5,219.151.74% of value | $7,024.431.76% of value |
| Warren Co., Norwalk schools | $3,604.461.73% of value | $5,285.411.76% of value | $7,113.601.78% of value |
| Warren Co., Indianola schools | $3,652.731.76% of value | $5,356.191.79% of value | $7,208.871.80% of value |
| Warren Co., Carlisle schools | $3,662.931.76% of value | $5,371.151.79% of value | $7,229.001.81% of value |
The Polk and Warren tables do not say how they round, so these bills are shown to the cent. The bills leave out the 65-or-older and military exemptions; the property tax estimator includes them.
One bill, step by step
Polk Co., Des Moines Independent schools, a home assessed at $300,000:
- $300,000 assessed value × 44.5345% rollback = $133,603
- taxable value $133,603 ÷ 1,000 × $43.74496 levy rate = $5,844.46
- minus the homestead credit, the levy on the first $4,850 of value = $212.16
- net tax $5,632.29, paid in two halves of about $2,816.15. Polk County's table does not say how the bill is rounded, so this is not rounded
Look up a home in Des Moines
Your tax statement names your district. Not sure? Look up the parcel on the county assessor's or treasurer's site.
- Polk County Assessor · Polk County Treasurer
- Warren County Assessor · Warren County Treasurer
- School district pages: Carlisle, Des Moines Independent, Indianola, Johnston, Norwalk, Saydel, Southeast Polk, Urbandale, West Des Moines
- Buying a home in Des Moines, the area guide
- Estimate the tax on a home in Des Moines →
How Iowa figures the bill
- Assessed value. The city or county assessor values the home as of January 1.
- Rollback. Only part of that value is taxed. The Iowa Department of Revenue sets the share each year for all residential property in the state (Iowa Code §441.21). For values as of January 1, 2025 it is 44.5345% (the Department's 2025 order).
- Exemptions come off the taxable value: $6,500 if the owner was 65 or older by January 1 of the assessment year (§425.1A), and $4,000 for an eligible veteran who has claimed the military service exemption (§426A.11). Both amounts come from the same 2023 law (2023 Iowa Acts, chapter 71, in the Code's history notes), which the Department of Revenue calls HF 718.
- Homestead credit. If you own and live in the home and have claimed it, the credit equals the levy on the first $4,850 of value (§425.1).
The example bills above take off the homestead credit, but a new owner must file a homestead claim with the assessor by July 1 of the year it is claimed for (Iowa Code §425.2), so someone buying now first gets the 10% homestead exemption on January 1, 2027 values, not this credit (Department of Revenue).
The estimator page has the whole method, including installments and rounding.
What changes for the bills paid in September 2027 and March 2028
Two changes already made apply to values as of January 1, 2026, which are taxed in the fiscal year that starts July 1, 2027:
- The Department of Revenue's 2026 order sets the residential rollback at 45.6926%.
- Senate File 2472 (2026) replaces the homestead credit with a homestead exemption of 10% of the home's taxable value, at least $5,500 and at most $20,000. The Department will adjust the $20,000 maximum for inflation for each assessment year from 2027 on (Department of Revenue). Owners who had the credit or exemption before July 1, 2026 get the new exemption without refiling if they still qualify.
The levy rates for that year are not set yet, so this page does not estimate those bills.
Sources
- Polk County Auditor, Consolidated Tax Levy Rates For Polk County, Iowa: For 2025 Assessed Valuations, Taxes Payable September 2026 and March 2027 (City Non-Agricultural section). Retrieved November 5, 2026. (listing page)
- Warren County Auditor, Warren County Tax Rates for Property Assessed January 1, 2025 and to be Collected July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027 (updated). Retrieved November 5, 2026. (listing page)
- Iowa Department of Revenue, Order Certifying Percentages for Assessment Limitations: percentages of 2025 actual value (dated October 27, 2025; issued November 1, 2025) (archived copy). Retrieved November 5, 2026. (original link) The Department's link now serves the 2026 order. The 2025 order is read from the copy archived on November 16, 2025; the Department's homestead guidance page uses the same 44.5345% for assessment year 2025.
- Iowa Legislature, Iowa Code 2026, section 441.21 (actual, assessed and taxable value). Retrieved November 5, 2026.
- Iowa Legislature, Iowa Code 2026, section 425.1A (homestead tax exemption, age 65 or older). Retrieved November 5, 2026.
- Iowa Legislature, Iowa Code 2026, section 426A.11 (military service exemptions). Retrieved November 5, 2026.
- Iowa Legislature, Iowa Code 2026, section 425.1 (homestead credit fund). Retrieved November 5, 2026.
- Iowa Legislature, Iowa Code 2026, section 425.2 (qualifying for the homestead credit: claim filed by July 1 of the year claimed; a buyer refiles). Retrieved November 5, 2026.
- Iowa Department of Revenue, Homestead Tax Credit and Exemption. Retrieved November 5, 2026.
- Iowa Department of Revenue, Order Certifying Percentages for Assessment Limitations: percentages of 2026 actual value (dated October 27, 2026; issued November 1, 2026). Retrieved November 5, 2026.
- Iowa Legislature, Iowa Code 2026, chapter 386 (self-supported municipal improvement districts). Retrieved November 5, 2026.
- Polk County Assessor, County Assessor (property search; homestead credit and military exemption applications). Retrieved November 5, 2026.
- Polk County Treasurer, Property Tax (payment schedule, parcel and payment search). Retrieved November 5, 2026.
- Warren County Assessor, Assessor (property search, credits and exemptions). Retrieved November 5, 2026.
- Warren County Treasurer, Treasurer (property tax division, online payment). Retrieved November 5, 2026.
An estimate for planning, not tax advice. Check your parcel's district and value with the county assessor, and the amount due with the county treasurer.