Reviewed and updated October 9, 2026 by the SearchSystems.net editorial team. Every office link was opened and checked against the office's own site between September 24, 2026 and September 30, 2026.
Winterset, Iowa, in Madison County, has about 5,400 residents (2024 Census Bureau estimate). The title to a parcel in Winterset is in the deed records of the County Recorder and its taxable value is set by the County Assessor; what is built on it is a matter for the city. This guide says who keeps each record and where the page for each office is.
This guide covers deeds, assessed values, city permits and records, evictions and court cases, records requests and common questions.
Related guides: Winterset public records, Madison County property records, Winterset arrest records, Winterset warrants, Winterset inmate search, Winterset criminal records, Iowa arrest records and Iowa inmate search.
Deeds, Mortgages and Liens in Winterset
Deeds, mortgages, liens and easements that affect title to land in Winterset are recorded by the County Recorder, which indexes them by name and sells copies.
Assessed Values and the Tax Roll in Winterset
What a parcel in Winterset is taxed on is the business of the County Assessor, which also keeps the parcel maps. Iowa reassesses property in odd-numbered years and applies a statewide rollback, so the taxable value is a fraction of the assessed value.
SearchSystems opened and checked the County Assessor's page at madison.iowaassessors.com/search.php (page title: Madison County), phone (515) 462-4303, which answered when SearchSystems opened it on September 24, 2026.
Permits and City Records in Winterset
Building permits, zoning and code cases are the city's own. For Winterset, SearchSystems opened and checked the city hall page at winterset.gov/286/Mayor-and-City-Council (page title: Mayor and City Council | Winterset, IA), which answered when SearchSystems opened it on September 26, 2026.
Evictions and Court Cases About Land in Winterset
Court cases about land from Winterset, evictions among them, are filed in the Iowa District Court for Madison County.
The court records page SearchSystems verified for the county is at iowacourts.gov/iowa-courts/district-court/judicial-district-5/distr..., phone 515-462-4451.
Asking a County Office for a Record
Under the Iowa Open Records Law (Chapter 22) a county office must answer a request without delay; the law sets no fixed number of days, and a delay past 20 days must be justified, and it may charge the actual cost of copying and retrieval.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who records deeds in Winterset?
The County Recorder.
Who sets the assessed value of a property in Winterset?
The County Assessor, whose page SearchSystems verified is at madison.iowaassessors.com/search.php.
Where are evictions from Winterset filed?
In the Iowa District Court for Madison County. The file is public unless the court seals it.
How is property assessed in Iowa?
Iowa reassesses property in odd-numbered years and applies a statewide rollback, so the taxable value is a fraction of the assessed value.
Is this the official Winterset website?
No. SearchSystems.net is an independent public records guide, online since 1997. It links to the official city, county, court and state offices described above and does not hold records, charge for them or take requests.