Another type of genealogy record that provides tremendous value is tax records. Like city directories and voting registers, they provide information for us between federal censuses. They also can go back to colonial times.
Types of Taxes
- Income tax
- Federal direct tax
- Poll or head tax
- Real property, e.g., land
- Personal property, e.g., livestock, equipment, carriages, enslaved persons
- Other, such as special levies for roads, schools, etc.
Types of Information
- Date
- Residence address; property, license, or goods; value; tax amount; possibly profession, occupation, or trade
- Name of taxpayer, usually white adult males
- Town/township/city, county, and state of residence
- Owner and/or renter of the property
- Number of white adult males in the home
- Type and value of property
- Livestock owned
- Personal property owned
- Amount of tax owed
- Profession, occupation, or trade
- Number of school-aged children
- Number of enslaved persons
Derivative information, such as birth date, death date, and date of marriage can often be estimated or determined from the presence or absence of a person in a tax list.
Good primers regarding the genealogical value of tax records and more details can be found in these articles:
- The Genealogical Benefits of Tax Records
- Using Poll Tax Records for Genealogy
- Genealogy 101: Tax Records
- Back to the Basics with Tax Records: Part 1
- Back to the Basics with Tax Records: Part 2
- Back to the Basics with Tax Records: Part 3
- United States Taxation
- The Value of Using US Tax Records in Genealogy Research
Note: Some of the links listed take you to a FamilySearch Collection of digital images. Near the bottom of the page under Film/Digital Notes is the name of each sub-collection. If there is a camera icon at the right of the name (in the Format column) then the collections’ images are browsable. If there is a camera with a key icon, it is only available at a Family History Center or affiliated library. If there is a film reel icon, then it is only available in microfilm format, not digital. To take full advantage, please make sure that you are logged in to FamilySearch. The results may be different if you are signed in, rather than not.
(Updated August 2023)
Iowa Tax Records
Listed below are links to tax records that are available for free online for the state:
- Adair County, Old Age Assistance Tax, 1934-1936
- Adair County, Tax Deed Records, 1873-1954
- Adams County, Old Age Assistance Tax Lists, 1934-1936
- Adams County, Tax Deed Records, 1876-1885; Tax Sale Records, 1889-1964
- Allamakee County, Old Age Assistance Tax Record, 1934-1935
- Appanoose County, Collateral Inheritance Tax and Lien, 1941-1980
- Appanoose County, Old Age Assistance Tax, 1934-1938
- Audubon County, Tax and Lien Books, 1900-1925
- Audubon County, Tax Records, 1861-1940
- Benton County, Tax Records, 1934-1966
- Benton County, Land Records, 1847-1966
- Benton County, Tax Records, 1859-1890
- Black Hawk County, Old Age Assistance Tax, 1934-1936
- Boone County, Tax Deed Records, 1865-1938
- Bremer County Old Age Assistance Head Tax, 1934-1937
- Buchanan County Old Age Assistance Tax, 1934-1937
- Buchanan County, Incumbrances and Liens, 1800-1941
- Buena Vista County, Old Age Assistance Tax, 1934-1935
- Butler County, Old Age Assistance Record, 1935-1952
- Calhoun County, Deed Indexes, 1855-1901; Deed Records, 1856-1947
- Calhoun County, Old Age Assistance Tax, 1934-1936
- Carroll County, Tax Sale Deed Records, V. A-B, 1868-1936
- Carroll County, Inheritance Tax and Lien Book, 1896-1941
- Carroll County, Old Age Assistance Records, 1934
- Cass County, Old Age Assistance Tax, 1934-1936
- Cedar County, Probate Records, 1835-1953; Indexes, 1839-1975
- Cedar County, County Assessor’s Books, 1922-1932
- Cedar County, County Assessor’s Books, 1937
- Cedar County, Tax Records, 1897-1939
- Cerro Gordo County, Old Age Assistance Tax, 1934-1936
- Cerro Gordo County, Tax Roll and Assessor Indexes
- Cherokee County, Old Age Pension Tax, 1934-1936
- Chickasaw County, Assessor’s Book for 1871, Dresden Township
- Clarke County, Deeds, 1853-1931; Index, 1853-1902
- Clarke County, Index and Record of Income Sales Tax and Old Age Assistance Liens and Releases, Vol. 1, 1935-1951
- Clarke County, Treasurer’s Tax Deeds, 1883-1889
- Clay County, Old Age Assistance Tax Records, 1934-1936
- Clayton County, Deeds, 1839-1934
- Clayton County, Old Age Pension Taxes, 1937-1965
- Clayton County, Tax Records
- Clayton County, Tax Records, 1861-1978
- Clayton County, Town Lot Deeds, 1840-1948
- Clinton County, Old Age Assistance Cards, 1841-1937
- Clinton County, Town Lot Deed Records, 1864-1920
- Clinton County, Transfer of Lands, 1867-1997
- Council Bluffs, Tax Sale Register, 1858-1871; Redemption Record, 1869-1892
- Crawford County, Inheritance Tax and Lien Records, 1898-1945
- Crawford County, Town Lot Deeds, 1866-1925
- Dallas County, Land Records, 1850-1936; Indexes, 1850-1903
- Dallas County, Minute Book, 1855-1860
- Dallas County, Miscellaneous Land Records, 1867-1930; Indexes, 1875-1921
- Dallas County, Old Age Assistance Tax, 1934-1937
- Dallas County, Register of Sales of Real Estate for Delinquent Taxes, 1857-1896
- Delaware County, City, County, State and Federal Tax Records
- Des Moines County, Collateral Inheritance Tax and Lien Books, 1898-1944
- Dickinson County, Old Age Assistance Tax, 1935-1936
- Directory of Johnson County, 1878-79, Comprising a Complete List of All Resident Tax Payers
- Dubuque County, Old Age Assistance Record, 1934-1937
- Dubuque County, Tax List Books, 1853-1906
- Emmet County, Old Age Assistance Tax, 1935
- Farmington, Assessor’s Book for Farmington City, 1869-1898
- Fayette County – Public Records – Old Age Assistance Tax File
- Fayette County, Old Age Assistance Tax File
- Fayette County, Tax Lists of Fayette County, 1865-1890
- Floyd County, Taxation Records, 1898-1937
- Franklin County, List of Taxes sent to other counties, 1858-1878
- Franklin County, Old Age Assistance Tax, 1934-1936
- Fremont County, Tax Sale Deed Record, 1867-1935
- Garden Grove Township, Board of Health Records, 1880-1893
- Greene County, Naturalization Records, 1879-1945
- Greene County, Old Age Assistance Tax, 1850-1935
- Grundy County, Old Age Assistance Head Tax, 1934-1936
- Grundy County, Tax Lists, 1856-1861
- Guthrie County, Treasurer’s Tax Deeds, V. A, 1872-1895
- Hamilton County, Land Transfer Records
- Hamilton County, Old Age Assistance Tax, 1934-1935
- Hancock County, Old Age Assistance Head Tax, 1840-1914
- Hancock County, Pension Assessment Tax List, 193
- Hancock County, Tax Deed Record, Town Lots, 1886-1963
- Hancock County, Tax Sale Deed Index 1869-1872; Tax Sale Deeds, 1865-1965
- Howard County, Old Age Assistance Tax, 1935-1937
- Humboldt County, Old Age Pension Tax, 1934-1936
- Ida County, Old Age Pension Tax, 1934-1936
- Iowa City Assessor’s Book, 1859-1912
- Iowa, Internal Revenue Assessment Lists, 1862-1866
- Iowa, Old age Assistance Records, 1934-1958
- Iowa, Old Age Tax Assistance Records, 1934-1958
- Jackson County – Court Records – Tax Sale Deed Records, 1867-1932
- Jackson County, Taxpayers, 1892
- Jamaica, Assessor’s Book, 1891-1917
- Jasper County, 1849 Tax List
- Jefferson County, Assessors Book, 1842-1843
- Johnson County, Miscellaneous Records
- Johnson County, Proceedings, 1897-1912
- Johnson County, Assessor’s Book for Washington Township, 1896, 1898, 1900
- Johnson County, Assessor’s Book, 1840-1853
- Johnson County, Coralville Assessor’s Book, 1907
- Johnson County, Pleasant Valley Township Assessor’s Book, 1867
- Johnson County, Tax Records, 1856-1937
- Jones County, Land Records, 1841-1993; Indexes, 1842-1970
- Jones County, Probate Records, 1844-1965; Index, 1844-1955
- Jones County, Register of Real Estate Sales for Delinquent Taxes, 1897-1943
- Keokuk County, Old Age Assistance Tax Records, 1934-1936
- Lee County, County Commissioner’s Reports, 1840-1856
- Lee County, Naturalization Records, 1854-1954; Tax Records, 1848; Index to Naturalization Records, 1852-1905
- Lee County, Tax Records, 1862-1909; Index, 1867
- Linn County, Deeds – Lands, 1841-1886; Indexes, 1841-1907
- Linn County, Old Age Pension Tax, 1934-1936
- Linn County, Tax Lists
- Louisa County, Old Age Assistance Tax Cards, 1934-1936
- Louisa County, Sheriff’s Sale Book, 1852-1929
- Louisa County, Tax Books, 1847-1892
- Louisa County, Tax Deed Record V. 2, 1878-1944
- Louisa County, Tax Lists
- Lucas County, Collateral Inheritance Tax Records, 1898-1930
- Lucas County, Old Age Assistance Tax, 1934-1937
- Lyon County, Old Age Assistance Tax, 1934-1936
- Madison County, Collateral Inheritance Tax and Lein Book, Madison County, Iowa, 1899-1926
- Madison County, Land Records, 1850-1936; Indexes, 1850-1905
- Marion County, Delinquent Tax Lists, 1861-1895
- Marion County, Divorce Records, 1883-1928
- Marion County, Miscellaneous Records, 1881-1901; Index, 1895-1908
- Marion County, Tax Deeds and Sales, 1859-1932
- Marion County, Tax Records, 1853-1890
- Marshall County, Old Age Assistance Tax Records, 1934-1937
- Mitchell County, Deeds, 1854-1945
- Mitchell County, Deeds, 1854-1945
- Mitchell County, Old Age Assistance Tax Records, 1934-1946
- Mitchell County, Old Age Assistance Tax Records, 1934-1946
- Montgomery County, Inheritance Tax Records, 1898-1926
- Montgomery County, Tax Sale Deeds, 1864-1967
- Montgomery County, Tax Sale Notices and Affidavits, V. 1, 1875-1938
- New Buda Township, Decatur County, Assessor’s Book 1926
- O’Brien County, Old Age Pension Tax, 1934-1936
- O’Brien County, Tax Sale Deeds, V. 1-3, April 20, 1875-February 24, 1915
- Osceola County, Old Age Assistance Tax Records, 1935-1937
- Osceola County, Tax Lists
- Palo Alto County, Old Age Pension Tax, 1934-1936
- Plymouth County, Old Age Assistance Tax, 1935-1937
- Pocahontas County, Old Age Assistance Tax, 1935
- Poweshiek County, Probate and Inheritance Tax Records, 1881-1957
- Ringgold County, Tax Deed Records, 1865-1939
- Sac County, Old Age Pension Tax
- Scott County, Inheritance Tax and Lien Books, 1898-1931
- Scott County, Old Age Assistance Head Tax, 1934-1942
- Scott County, Scott County, Iowa Tax Records, 1849-1906
- Shelby County, Old Age Assistance Tax, 1934-1937
- Sioux County, Old Age Assistance Tax, 1935-1936
- Story County, Old Age Assistance Tax Records, 1934-1937
- Story County, Tax Deed Record, 1865-1935
- Tama County, Assessors Survey-1935
- Tama County, Collateral Inheritance Tax and Lien Book, 1922-1928
- Tama County, Old Age Pensions, 1934-1935
- Tama County, Tax Records, 1865-1890
- Tama County, Tax Records, 1865-1939
- Tama County, Tax Records, 1865-1939, Index links to Images
- Tama County, Tax Records, Inheritance Tax Records and Lien Records, 1880-1939
- Taylor County, Old Age Pension Tax List, 1934-1937
- Union County, Old Age Assistance Tax, 1934-1937
- United States Internal Revenue Assessment Lists, 1862-1875
- Van Buren County, Old Age Assistance Tax Cards, 1934-1937
- Van Buren County, Van Buren County, Probate Records, 1883-1939
- Wapello County, Old Age Pension Tax List, 1934-1936
- Warren County, Liberty Township Tax Assessment List for Year 1880 Including Persons of Military Age
- Warren County, Otter Township, Old Age Pension Tax List, 1935
- Warren County, Tax Lists
- Warren County, Tax Records, 1855
- Washington County, Clay, Brighton, Marion, Franklin, Dutch Creek Townships, Tax Records, 1857
- Washington County, Tax List, 1894
- Washington County, Tax Lists, 1860-1879
- Washington County, Old Age Pension Lists, 1935-1937
- Wayne County, Affidavit Index, 1908-1946
- Wayne County, Miscellaneous Records, 1873-1913; Index, 1873-1951
- Wayne County, Old Age Assistance Records, 1934-1936
- Webster County, Old Age Assistance Head Tax, 1935-1936
- Winnebago County, Index to Deeds, 1857-1902; Deeds, 1857-1926
- Winnebago County, Old Age Assistance Head Tax, 1935-1936
- Winnebago County, Tax Sale Deed Records, 1864-1930
- Winnebago County, Town Lot Tax Sales, 1888-1950
- Winneshiek County Clerk of Court Collection Index, an Alphabetical List of Selected Names, Pt. 1
- Winneshiek County, Old Age Assistance Head Tax, 1934-1936
- Winneshiek County, Tax Deed Records, No. 84, 1898-1932
- Worth County, Tax Deed Records, 1864-1923
- Worth County, Tax Records, 1832-1935
- Wright County, Old Age Pension Tax, 1934-1936
Good Luck and Happy Hunting!
For all Free Iowa Links, click on the category of interest:
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Yearbooks
Births
Marriages
Deaths
BMD Records
Alumni Records
Cemetery Records
Church Records
Coroner Records
Criminal Records
Digital Archives
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Divorce Records
Immigration Records
Institutional Records
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Mortuary Records
Naturalizations
Obituaries
Photos
Probate and Wills
School Records
Tax Records
Voter Records
For all Free Iowa Links, click on the category of interest:
Newspapers
Yearbooks
Births
Marriages
Deaths
BMD Records
Alumni Records
Cemetery Records
Church Records
Coroner Records
Criminal Records
Digital Archives
Directories
Divorce Records
Immigration Records
Institutional Records
Military Records
Mortuary Records
Naturalizations
Obituaries
Photos
Probate and Wills
School Records
Tax Records
Voter Records
