Property Appraisers and Assessors Salary
The median pay for a property appraisers and assessors in Iowa is $80,160/year ($38.54/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $46K at the entry level to $130K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.86), which stretches that salary to about $90,209 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,064/month, or 21% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Iowa. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $80K get you in Iowa?
About property appraisers and assessors
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What this looks like in Iowa
Iowa sits well above the national pay line for property appraisers and assessors, local pay runs about 18% higher than the U.S. median of $68K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,064/month, 21.1% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.86 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 11% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Combined with manageable housing costs, Iowa offers a genuinely strong financial position for property appraisers and assessorss at the median.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Iowa
Entry-level property appraisers and assessors (10th percentile) start around $46K. Mid-career wages sit at $80K. Top earners bring in $130K or more, a $84K spread from bottom to top.
Property Appraisers and Assessors salary by metro in Iowa
6 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Des Moines-West Des Moines | $92K | +15% | 190 |
| Cedar Rapids | $89K | +11% | 40 |
| Ames | $78K | -2% | 50 |
| Sioux City | $76K | -5% | 30 |
| Waterloo-Cedar Falls | $76K | -6% | 30 |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island | $64K | -20% | 80 |
Compare to other states
Track property appraisers and assessors salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Iowa numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a property appraisers and assessor afford a 2BR apartment alone in Iowa?
Yes — at the median salary of $80K, rent takes 21.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,064/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for property appraisers and assessors in Iowa?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new property appraisers and assessors typically earn — is $46K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,757/month. At HUD’s $1,064/month FMR, rent would take 39% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is property appraisers and assessor a high-paying job in Iowa?
Local pay is 18% above the national median — $80K here vs. $68K nationally.
How does Iowa compare to the national average for property appraisers and assessors?
Iowa pays $80K median vs. the U.S. average of $68K — that’s +18%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.86), the purchasing-power equivalent is $90K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do property appraisers and assessors make in Iowa?
The median is $80,160 a year, that works out to about $39 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $45,950, and experienced property appraisers and assessors can clear $129,790. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $80K enough to live in Iowa?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,053/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,064/month, which eats 21.1% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a property appraisers and assessors salary go in Iowa?
Iowa has a Regional Price Parity of 88.86 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median property appraisers and assessors salary is worth about $90,209 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do property appraisers and assessors get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.