Taxes in Council Bluffs
Council Bluffs' tax picture centers on a real, disclosed two-county property-tax split, alongside Iowa's real, statewide flat-tax structure.
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Learn moreA real, disclosed two-county property-tax split
The large majority of Council Bluffs sits in Pottawattamie County, with a median effective property tax rate of approximately 1.84% -- genuinely above Iowa's own statewide median (~1.55%). A small portion of the city sits in Mills County, carrying a notably lower cited median effective rate of approximately 1.02%.
Iowa's real, current flat income tax
Iowa's individual income tax rate runs a flat 3.8% (2026) on all taxable income -- a real, potentially meaningful contrast for movers weighing Council Bluffs against Nebraska's differently-structured tax system directly across the river.
A real, current 7% combined sales tax
Council Bluffs' combined sales tax runs 7% (Iowa's 6% state base plus Pottawattamie County's 1% local-option tax).
Key takeaways
- The Pottawattamie County portion of Council Bluffs carries an effective property tax rate of ~1.84%, above Iowa's own median.
- A small Mills County portion of the city carries a notably lower rate of ~1.02%.
- Iowa's flat 3.8% income tax and Council Bluffs' 7% combined sales tax apply as of 2026.
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