Taxes & Insurance in Oskaloosa
Oskaloosa's tax and insurance picture combines a real, elevated property tax rate with Iowa's genuinely favorable statewide income-tax and insurance profile.
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Learn moreMahaska County's own highest property tax rate
Ownwell cites Oskaloosa's median effective property tax rate at 1.72% -- the highest within Mahaska County, above the county's own 1.54% overall average -- though the resulting median bill ($2,016) still runs below the national median of approximately $2,400 (base record).
Iowa's real, completed flat income tax
Iowa's flat individual income tax rate reached its final, real 3.8% rate for 2026, with full exemption of Social Security and qualifying retirement income for residents 55 or older (base record).
A favorable statewide insurance baseline
Iowa's statewide average homeowners premium ran approximately $2,527-$2,664/year, below the national average of approximately $2,844/year -- even as Iowa rates rose a real 28% during 2025 alone (base record).
Key takeaways
- Oskaloosa's effective property tax rate (1.72%) is the highest cited within Mahaska County, though its median bill stays modest.
- Iowa's flat 3.8% income tax and full retirement-income exemption for residents 55+ apply statewide.
- Iowa's statewide homeowners-insurance average runs below the national average, despite a real 28% single-year 2025 increase.
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