Homesteading in Iowa
Explore 99 counties and state-level regulations for homesteaders in Iowa.
Iowa uses a Riparian water rights system , enforces statewide IRC building codes , and has constitutional carry. The effective property tax rate is 1.43%.
State Regulations
Water Rights
System: Riparian
Follows regulated riparian doctrine. Water use permits required from DNR for withdrawals exceeding 25,000 gallons per day.
Statute: Iowa Code § 455B.261 et seq.
Building Codes
Statewide IRC: Yes (statewide)
State Building Code applies statewide; residential code based on IRC. Cities and counties must enforce the state code.
Statute: Iowa Code § 103A.7
Gun Laws
Open Carry: Yes
Constitutional Carry: Yes
Permitless carry for persons 21 and older effective July 2021. Open carry legal. Permit to acquire no longer required.
Statute: Iowa Code § 724.1A; Iowa Code § 724.4
Right to Farm
Protected: Yes
Protects farms from nuisance claims if the operation was in existence before surrounding land use changed. Includes animal feeding operation nuisance protections with a two-year requirement.
Statute: Iowa Code § 352.11
Counties in Iowa
99 counties · Click column headers to sort
| County | Population | Median Home | Property Tax | Growing Days | Overall Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adair County | 7,479 | $131,600 | $1,757 | 75 | Relatively Low |
| Adams County | 3,680 | $109,400 | $1,406 | 76 | Very Low |
| Allamakee County | 14,046 | $156,900 | $1,925 | 68 | Very Low |
| Appanoose County | 12,279 | $113,900 | $1,509 | 77 | Very Low |
| Audubon County | 5,651 | $99,900 | $1,223 | 74 | Very Low |
| Benton County | 25,652 | $189,000 | $2,482 | 72 | Very Low |
| Black Hawk County | 131,041 | $172,500 | $2,739 | 71 | Relatively Low |
| Boone County | 26,700 | $171,600 | $2,578 | 72 | Very Low |
| Bremer County | 25,012 | $202,600 | $2,795 | 70 | Very Low |
| Buchanan County | 20,631 | $166,200 | $2,286 | 71 | Very Low |
| Buena Vista County | 20,687 | $138,100 | $1,786 | 70 | Very Low |
| Butler County | 14,376 | $146,300 | $2,015 | 70 | Very Low |
| Calhoun County | 9,893 | $104,900 | $1,438 | 71 | Relatively Low |
| Carroll County | 20,728 | $162,000 | $1,767 | 72 | Relatively Low |
| Cass County | 13,116 | $127,400 | $1,852 | 75 | Relatively Low |
| Cedar County | 18,479 | $180,700 | $2,295 | 73 | Very Low |
| Cerro Gordo County | 42,979 | $145,200 | $2,182 | 68 | Relatively Low |
| Cherokee County | 11,601 | $145,300 | $1,485 | 70 | Very Low |
| Chickasaw County | 11,957 | $151,700 | $1,723 | 68 | Very Low |
| Clarke County | 9,737 | $127,200 | $2,227 | 76 | Very Low |
| Clay County | 16,423 | $151,400 | $1,878 | 68 | Very Low |
| Clayton County | 17,123 | $149,500 | $2,123 | 69 | Very Low |
| Clinton County | 46,488 | $144,900 | $2,315 | 73 | Relatively Low |
| Crawford County | 16,450 | $118,400 | $1,509 | 72 | Relatively Low |
| Dallas County | 100,367 | $314,900 | $4,664 | 74 | Relatively Low |
| Davis County | 9,093 | $140,300 | $2,171 | 77 | Relatively Low |
| Decatur County | 7,684 | $97,000 | $1,828 | 77 | Very Low |
| Delaware County | 17,523 | $154,600 | $2,136 | 71 | Relatively Low |
| Des Moines County | 38,824 | $135,300 | $2,077 | 76 | Relatively Low |
| Dickinson County | 17,692 | $236,100 | $2,363 | 67 | Very Low |
| Dubuque County | 98,812 | $210,300 | $2,814 | 71 | Relatively Low |
| Emmet County | 9,349 | $102,700 | $1,497 | 67 | Very Low |
| Fayette County | 19,519 | $123,000 | $1,651 | 69 | Relatively Low |
| Floyd County | 15,601 | $128,800 | $1,756 | 68 | Relatively Low |
| Franklin County | 10,015 | $108,200 | $1,478 | 70 | Very Low |
| Fremont County | 6,639 | $140,400 | $1,813 | 77 | Very Low |
| Greene County | 8,801 | $119,100 | $1,572 | 72 | Very Low |
| Grundy County | 12,351 | $166,300 | $1,886 | 71 | Very Low |
| Guthrie County | 10,619 | $153,100 | $2,140 | 74 | Very Low |
| Hamilton County | 14,979 | $116,000 | $1,611 | 71 | Relatively Low |
| Hancock County | 10,790 | $116,000 | $1,449 | 68 | Very Low |
| Hardin County | 16,861 | $109,300 | $1,556 | 71 | Relatively Low |
| Harrison County | 14,623 | $152,000 | $2,095 | 74 | Very Low |
| Henry County | 20,436 | $145,200 | $2,295 | 76 | Very Low |
| Howard County | 9,479 | $125,100 | $1,636 | 68 | Very Low |
| Humboldt County | 9,606 | $134,300 | $1,884 | 70 | Very Low |
| Ida County | 6,969 | $108,000 | $1,147 | 71 | Very Low |
| Iowa County | 16,575 | $175,600 | $2,402 | 74 | Very Low |
| Jackson County | 19,470 | $162,100 | $1,958 | 72 | Very Low |
| Jasper County | 37,808 | $163,800 | $2,414 | 74 | Relatively Low |
| Jefferson County | 15,785 | $141,500 | $2,273 | 76 | Very Low |
| Johnson County | 153,360 | $277,800 | $4,451 | 74 | Relatively Moderate |
| Jones County | 20,733 | $165,200 | $2,145 | 72 | Very Low |
| Keokuk County | 10,026 | $105,500 | $1,433 | 75 | Very Low |
| Kossuth County | 14,718 | $118,800 | $1,357 | 68 | Very Low |
| Lee County | 33,442 | $121,000 | $1,806 | 77 | Relatively Low |
| Linn County | 229,308 | $188,800 | $3,262 | 72 | Relatively Moderate |
| Louisa County | 10,823 | $125,500 | $1,703 | 75 | Very Low |
| Lucas County | 8,666 | $111,000 | $1,696 | 76 | Very Low |
| Lyon County | 12,023 | $190,800 | $1,875 | 67 | Very Low |
| Madison County | 16,609 | $230,500 | $3,530 | 75 | Very Low |
| Mahaska County | 22,059 | $135,100 | $1,861 | 75 | Very Low |
| Marion County | 33,487 | $192,300 | $2,658 | 75 | Very Low |
| Marshall County | 40,049 | $125,900 | $1,946 | 72 | Relatively Low |
| Mills County | 14,605 | $225,500 | $3,173 | 76 | Very Low |
| Mitchell County | 10,537 | $149,200 | $1,784 | 68 | Very Low |
| Monona County | 8,671 | $108,700 | $1,301 | 72 | Very Low |
| Monroe County | 7,574 | $128,000 | $2,112 | 76 | Very Low |
| Montgomery County | 10,285 | $99,300 | $1,858 | 76 | Very Low |
| Muscatine County | 42,968 | $159,000 | $2,608 | 74 | Relatively Low |
| O'Brien County | 14,138 | $141,900 | $1,491 | 68 | Very Low |
| Osceola County | 6,149 | $114,800 | $1,170 | 67 | Very Low |
| Page County | 15,225 | $112,400 | $1,644 | 77 | Very Low |
| Palo Alto County | 8,938 | $117,000 | $1,464 | 68 | Very Low |
| Plymouth County | 25,621 | $199,800 | $2,303 | 70 | Relatively Low |
| Pocahontas County | 7,061 | $90,400 | $1,054 | 70 | Very Low |
| Polk County | 493,378 | $232,000 | $4,208 | 74 | Relatively Moderate |
| Pottawattamie County | 93,543 | $169,400 | $2,898 | 75 | Relatively Low |
| Poweshiek County | 18,608 | $173,600 | $2,352 | 74 | Very Low |
| Ringgold County | 4,690 | $143,100 | $1,790 | 77 | Very Low |
| Sac County | 9,778 | $119,500 | $1,316 | 71 | Very Low |
| Scott County | 174,315 | $198,000 | $3,108 | 74 | Relatively Moderate |
| Shelby County | 11,737 | $152,900 | $1,932 | 74 | Very Low |
| Sioux County | 35,815 | $220,700 | $2,653 | 68 | Relatively Low |
| Story County | 98,573 | $229,100 | $3,453 | 72 | Relatively Low |
| Tama County | 17,017 | $129,400 | $1,921 | 72 | Relatively Low |
| Taylor County | 5,916 | $104,500 | $1,325 | 77 | Very Low |
| Union County | 12,107 | $113,800 | $1,863 | 76 | Relatively Low |
| Van Buren County | 7,207 | $107,700 | $1,400 | 77 | Very Low |
| Wapello County | 35,292 | $105,800 | $1,837 | 76 | Relatively Low |
| Warren County | 52,709 | $234,300 | $3,667 | 75 | Very Low |
| Washington County | 22,534 | $182,400 | $2,527 | 75 | Relatively Low |
| Wayne County | 6,484 | $98,700 | $1,392 | 77 | Very Low |
| Webster County | 36,986 | $130,400 | $1,961 | 71 | Relatively Low |
| Winnebago County | 10,704 | $121,700 | $1,829 | 67 | Very Low |
| Winneshiek County | 20,050 | $225,400 | $2,630 | 68 | Very Low |
| Woodbury County | 105,526 | $158,000 | $2,471 | 71 | Relatively Moderate |
| Worth County | 7,417 | $130,600 | $1,523 | 68 | Very Low |
| Wright County | 12,897 | $105,400 | $1,604 | 70 | Very Low |
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