50238 Property Tax Rate
Russell, Iowa · Part of Lucas County
Effective Tax Rate
0.95%
62% below state avgMedian Annual Tax
$785
$65/mo escrow
Estimate Your Tax
Annual Tax
$785
Monthly
$65
Eff. Rate
0.95%
Buyer decision brief
What ZIP 50238 means for your housing budget
Use this ZIP page to compare recurring tax burden before you compare listing prices. The numbers below are Census ZCTA estimates, so they are strongest for neighborhood comparison and weakest for parcel-specific tax planning.
Monthly escrow signal
$65/mo
Based on median annual tax paid
State context
0.33 percentage points below the Iowa average
Iowa average: 1.28%
Data confidence
Moderate confidenceThe Census margin of error is $249, about 32% of the median tax estimate.
Verify before you offer
- Confirm parcel assessed value with Lucas County assessor.
- Check homestead, senior, veteran, and disability exemptions.
- Ask whether purchase triggers reassessment or value-cap reset.
- Review school district and special assessment boundaries.
Lower-rate similar ZIPs
This is informational content, not tax, legal, or mortgage advice. Local assessor records remain the source of truth for a specific property.
Data confidence ledger
Can you trust ZIP 50238 for comparison?
ACS vintage
2019-2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
Five-year Census ZCTA estimates.
ZCTA caveat
Census area, not parcel boundary
USPS ZIP routes and taxing districts can differ inside the same area.
Field completeness
3/3 required fields
Median tax, home value, and derived rate are present.
MOE status
Moderate ACS confidence
$249 tax MOE, 32% of the median tax estimate.
Last site refresh
March 10, 2026
Dataset and page-quality audit run locally before publication.
County fallback
County context only
Lucas County is used for assessor verification and broader context.
Tax bill anatomy
What can change your actual bill in ZIP 50238
Use the ZIP estimate to compare neighborhoods, then verify these parcel-level inputs before relying on a payment estimate.
Assessed value
The ZCTA median home value is $82,600, but your bill starts with the local assessed value for a specific parcel.
Effective rate
The displayed rate is 0.95%, derived from median tax paid divided by median home value.
Exemptions
Homestead, senior, veteran, disability, and local exemptions can reduce taxable value. Confirm eligibility before estimating escrow.
Reassessment
A purchase can change assessed value depending on Iowa and county rules. Ask how sale price affects the next assessment cycle.
Escrow impact
The median tax paid in this ZCTA equals about $65 per month before insurance, HOA dues, or special assessments.
Assessor verification
Lucas County assessor or tax collector records are the source of truth for parcel taxes, appeal windows, and exemptions.
How ZIP 50238 Compares
Median Annual Property Tax
ZIP 50238
0.95%
Effective rate
Iowa Avg
1.28%
Effective rate
National Avg
1.10%
Effective rate
State Ranking
Property Tax Rank in Iowa
Lower than 87% of ZIP codes in Iowa(13th percentile, 908 ZIPs compared)
Property Tax Analysis
Property Tax Insights for ZIP 50238
Property owners in ZIP code 50238 (Russell, Iowa) pay a median of $785/year in property taxes on homes valued at $82,600. This translates to an effective tax rate of 0.95%, which is 26% below the Iowa state average of 1.28%.
The monthly property tax burden for a median-valued home in 50238 is approximately $65, which factors into escrow payments on mortgages. This ZIP code is located within Lucas County. This is $1,280 less than the Iowa average of $2,065/year.
Compared to similar ZIP codes in Iowa, 50238 has higher property taxes. ZIP codes with similar effective rates include 50076 (0.95%) and 51019 (0.95%).
In Russell, property taxes represent approximately 1.2% of the median household income of $67,708, providing context for the relative tax burden on homeowners in this area.
If you're considering purchasing a home in 50238, keep in mind that property taxes are based on the assessed value assigned by the local assessor, which may differ from the purchase price. In some states, properties are reassessed at or near the sale price upon transfer of ownership. For the most current tax information for a specific property, consult Lucas County's tax assessor directly.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the property tax rate in ZIP code 50238?
How much are property taxes in Russell, IA (50238)?
How does ZIP 50238 compare to the Iowa average?
What is the median home value in ZIP 50238?
What county is ZIP code 50238 in?
Margin of Error
The median property tax estimate for this ZIP code has a margin of error of ±$249. ZCTA-level data has wider margins than county-level estimates due to smaller sample sizes.
County-Level Data
ZIP code 50238 is part of Lucas County, Iowa. View the full county profile for broader context and more data.
View Lucas County on TaxByCounty →Why compare these ZIPs?
Better comparison set for ZIP 50238
Each ZIP highlights a homebuyer tradeoff: lower rate, stronger value context, shared county rules, city boundary changes, or nearby missing data.
50151
Lucas, IA
0.03 percentage points lower than ZIP 50238.
Rate
0.92%
Tax
$1,317
Quality
77
50061
Cumming, IA
$434,000 higher median home value than ZIP 50238.
Rate
1.39%
Tax
$7,155
Quality
80
50323
Urbandale, IA
$374,000 higher median home value than ZIP 50238.
Rate
1.58%
Tax
$7,195
Quality
89
51355
Okoboji, IA
0.02 percentage points lower than ZIP 50238.
Rate
0.93%
Tax
$4,115
Quality
77
50074
Ellston, IA
$352,700 higher median home value than ZIP 50238.
Rate
1.15%
Tax
$5,000
Quality
79
52411
Cedar Rapids, IA
$341,900 higher median home value than ZIP 50238.
Rate
1.46%
Tax
$6,217
Quality
94
51331
Arnolds Park, IA
$333,200 higher median home value than ZIP 50238.
Rate
0.96%
Tax
$4,000
Quality
77
50226
Polk City, IA
$308,000 higher median home value than ZIP 50238.
Rate
1.62%
Tax
$6,327
Quality
82
Data from U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2019-2023 5-Year Estimates (ZCTA level). ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census approximations of USPS ZIP codes.
Estimates are informational only and should not be used as financial or legal advice.