The TaxLienSimple Index · IA · 2026

Iowa Tax-Lien & Tax-Deed Investing

What Iowa statute actually pays — return, redemption and bid method — cross-referenced with the live auction inventory we track. Every figure traces to state law or a county source.

57 /100

Tier B National rank #11 of 51

Sale type

Tax Lien

Statutory return / penalty

2% per month = 24%/yr

Redemption period

1 year 9 months, then a 90-day notice must expire (~2 years total)

Bid method

n/a

Sale season

third Monday in June; adjourned sales may follow

What you buy

tax lien certificate

Statutory note. Iowa sells by bidding down the undivided ownership percentage taken (not interest); the 24%/yr rate is fixed, and any fraction of a month counts as a full month.

2,398live parcels tracked

7counties with inventory

#11of 51 jurisdictions

Read the score correctly. The TaxLienSimple Index is a 0–100 research guide built from statutory terms and the inventory we track — not a yield, a guarantee, or investment advice. Realized returns depend on competition, redemption and your own due diligence. Verify every figure with the county before bidding.

Remote Investor Snapshot

Verified public-data profile for out-of-area investors — every figure below traces to the cited government source. Blank fields mean the source does not publish that value for this area (we never estimate).

Market & demographics

Population

3,188,836

5-yr population growth

+2.3% growing

Median household income

$70,571

Median age

38.4

Poverty rate

11.1%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year 2022

Housing market

Median home value

$181,600

Median gross rent

$914/mo

Owner-occupied

71.5% 28.5% renter

Vacancy rate

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year 2022

Property-tax burden

Median real-estate taxes

$2,703/yr

Effective property-tax rate

1.49% of home value

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year 2022

Natural-hazard risk & safety

Unemployment rate

2.9%

Source: FEMA National Risk Index (2023); U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, LAUS (2023 annual)

Growth & livability signals

New residential permits

11,230 units, 2023

Broadband subscription

86.3%

Bachelor's degree +

30.3%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey (2023); U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2022 (household broadband subscription; FCC availability not yet integrated); U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2022 (educational attainment — school-quality proxy; NCES ratings not yet integrated)

Risk & opportunity flags

Opportunity Zone tracts

62 tax-advantaged

EPA Superfund (NPL) sites

EPA Brownfield sites

1,056

Source: U.S. Treasury CDFI Fund / IRS designated Opportunity Zones; U.S. EPA (SEMS National Priorities List; ACRES Brownfields)

Counties we track in Iowa

#	County	TaxLienSimple Index	Live parcels
1	Johnson County	B 60	1,294
2	Dubuque County	B 59	653
3	Scott County	B 59	19
4	Polk County	B 58	253
5	Linn County	B 58	167
6	Pottawattamie County	B 58	6
7	Story County	B 58	6

See the actual parcels in Iowa

Browse the live tax-lien, deed and foreclosure inventory we track — search by county, redemption window and opening bid.

Browse live auction inventory →

The TaxLienSimple Index is a 0–100 research guide built from statutory terms and the inventory we track — not a yield, a guarantee, or investment advice. Realized returns depend on competition, redemption and your own due diligence. Verify every figure with the county before bidding.

© 2026 TaxLienSimple · The TaxLienSimple Index is compiled from state tax statutes and county treasurer/tax-collector offices; live inventory counts reflect parcels currently tracked by TaxLienSimple and update continuously. Nothing here is investment or legal advice.