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Local taxes › Franklin County › Hampton

City

Hampton

Franklin County · How cities work

$2,920 a yearproperty tax on a $200,000 home here, FY27, for every local government ($34.64 per $1,000 of taxable value)1
$1,250 a yearof that goes to the city ($14.86 per $1,000)
$1.9Mproperty taxes the city levies, FY27
$6.5Mcity budget, FY27, without city-run utilities (not yet reported)2

Who runs it

The city council passes ordinances, adopts the budget and sets the city’s property tax.

  • Barry J. LamosHampton City Council Ward 2 · elected November 4, 2025
  • Bill HolmstromHampton City Council Ward 3 · elected November 4, 2025
  • Jeanne FayHampton City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Jerre J. GrefeHampton City Council Ward 4 · elected November 4, 2025
  • Kristin RoodeHampton City Council Ward 1 · elected November 4, 2025
  • Steve BirdsallHampton Mayor · elected November 4, 2025
  • James L. DaviesHampton City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023

Officials are worked out from election results: every member whose four-year term is still running, plus appointments and titles Iowa Funnel has been told about. A resignation may not show yet.

Meetings and agendas

What the council is deciding: each agenda, the resolutions and ordinances on it, and a plain-language summary.

Iowa Funnel doesn’t read this city’s agendas yet. Every council and board posts its agenda at least 24 hours before it meets.

Property taxes

How the bill is collected · What each levy is for

Who gets a property owner’s tax bill in Hampton

Homes and businesses in most of Hampton pay a combined $34.64 per $1,000 of taxable value (FY27). They pay it all to the Franklin County treasurer, who passes each government its share; the city sets and gets only its own piece, $14.86. Estimate your bill.

Rates over time

Per $1,000 of taxable value: the typical combined rate people in Hampton pay, and the city government’s own piece of it.

YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$36.86$13.64
FY21$38.79$13.89
FY22$39.08$13.62
FY23$40.04$14.84
FY24$38.93$14.77
FY25$37.52$15.18
FY26$37.14$15.91
FY27$34.64$14.86
Show the numbers
YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$36.86$13.64
FY21$38.79$13.89
FY22$39.08$13.62
FY23$40.04$14.84
FY24$38.93$14.77
FY25$37.52$15.18
FY26$37.14$15.91
FY27$34.64$14.86

Compared with places this size3

Hampton’s city property tax rate of $14.86 per $1,000 is the 26th highest of 59 Iowa cities with 2,900–6,400 people. The middle of the group is $14.76.

Red Oak: $20.65Oelwein: $20.16Albia: $19.70Eagle Grove: $19.32Independence: $19.01Iowa Falls: $18.86West Liberty: $18.68Chariton: $18.37Tama: $17.74Clarinda: $17.25Centerville: $16.85Algona: $16.75Vinton: $16.25Winterset: $16.15Cresco: $16.13Humboldt: $16.00Anamosa: $15.95Forest City: $15.77Tipton: $15.54Sheldon: $15.33Estherville: $15.27Harlan: $15.07Shenandoah: $15.02Manchester: $14.96Jefferson: $14.88Carlisle: $14.82Cherokee: $14.82Glenwood: $14.77Waukon: $14.76Monticello: $14.49Osceola: $14.37Windsor Heights: $14.30Osage: $14.29Rock Valley: $13.76Sergeant Bluff: $13.70Emmetsburg: $13.70Wilton: $13.62Mount Vernon: $13.50New Hampton: $13.44Hudson: $13.19Garner: $12.86Maquoketa: $12.85Camanche: $12.75Le Claire: $12.64Milford: $12.57Huxley: $11.68Solon: $11.53Williamsburg: $11.11Polk City: $11.00Carter Lake: $10.67Story City: $10.39Dyersville: $10.27Spirit Lake: $10.17West Burlington: $10.15Robins: $9.68Asbury: $8.32Fairfax: $8.10Evansdale: $8.00Hampton: $14.86$8.00 lowest$20.65 highestmiddle
See all 59
#PlaceRate per $1,000People
1Red Oak$20.655,420
2Oelwein$20.165,788
3Albia$19.703,579
4Eagle Grove$19.323,615
5Independence$19.016,266
6Iowa Falls$18.864,993
7West Liberty$18.683,724
8Chariton$18.374,278
9Tama$17.742,997
10Clarinda$17.255,334
11Centerville$16.855,345
12Algona$16.755,341
13Vinton$16.254,962
14Winterset$16.155,421
15Cresco$16.133,890
16Humboldt$16.004,774
17Anamosa$15.955,845
18Forest City$15.774,199
19Tipton$15.543,059
20Sheldon$15.335,584
21Estherville$15.275,796
22Harlan$15.074,898
23Shenandoah$15.024,878
24Manchester$14.965,283
25Jefferson$14.884,148
26Hampton$14.864,340
27Carlisle$14.824,381
28Cherokee$14.825,186
29Glenwood$14.775,250
30Waukon$14.763,799
31Monticello$14.494,095
32Osceola$14.375,585
33Windsor Heights$14.305,106
34Osage$14.293,559
35Rock Valley$13.764,024
36Sergeant Bluff$13.705,335
37Emmetsburg$13.703,632
38Wilton$13.622,914
39Mount Vernon$13.504,518
40New Hampton$13.443,433
41Hudson$13.192,916
42Garner$12.863,049
43Maquoketa$12.856,064
44Camanche$12.754,536
45Le Claire$12.644,776
46Milford$12.573,258
47Huxley$11.684,737
48Solon$11.533,284
49Williamsburg$11.113,380
50Polk City$11.006,430
51Carter Lake$10.673,752
52Story City$10.393,439
53Dyersville$10.274,559
54Spirit Lake$10.175,548
55West Burlington$10.153,249
56Robins$9.683,362
57Asbury$8.326,051
58Fairfax$8.102,937
59Evansdale$8.004,515

The $8.10 limit

Hampton’s general levy is $8.31 per $1,000 of taxable value in FY27, $0.21 above the limit; it has to come down in steps.4 88 of 934 Iowa cities have a higher general levy. All cities.

FY23 $8.10 · FY24 $8.10 · FY25 $8.64 · FY26 $8.55 · FY27 $8.31 (before FY25, the general levy alone)

Outside the limit: $6.55 more5

  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$2.64 · $341,465
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$1.81 · $234,148
  • Debt Service Levy$1.19 · $156,692
  • Support of a Local Emerg. Mgmt. Comm.$0.91 · $117,074

Tax increment financing (TIF)

$2.1M of taxable value in Hampton is in TIF districts’ increment (2% of the city’s taxable value), 2025 valuations, taxed in FY27.6 It budgeted $47,800 in TIF revenue for FY25.

$355,396
$330,907

What that value would raise at each government’s rate, FY277

Taxes on TIF value go to the city’s TIF fund instead of the governments that levy them, including about $28,720 of the city’s own.

  • Franklin County$10,439
YearTIF revenue
FY16$355,396
FY17$345,079
FY18$337,931
FY19$329,295
FY20$326,090
FY21$350,173
FY22$340,291
FY23$330,907
Show the numbers
YearTIF revenue
FY16$355,396
FY17$345,079
FY18$337,931
FY19$329,295
FY20$326,090
FY21$350,173
FY22$340,291
FY23$330,907

The city’s levies, FY27

What the city raises from each levy. The general levy is capped by state law; the others are set aside for one purpose.

  • Consolidate General Fund$1.1M56%
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$341,46518%
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$234,14812%
  • Debt Service Levy$156,6928%
  • Support of a Local Emerg. Mgmt. Comm.$117,0746%

Budget and spending

Reading a local budget

Where each dollar of Hampton’s budget goes, FY26

Business Type / Enterprise: 31¢ of every dollar31¢Capital Projects: 17¢ of every dollar17¢Public Safety: 15¢ of every dollar15¢Culture and Recreation: 12¢ of every dollar12¢Public Works: 11¢ of every dollar11¢Everything else: 14¢ of every dollar14¢

Planned spending from all funds, including city-run utilities like water and sewer (“business type”), which some cities run and others don’t. Transfers between funds are left out. “Cities this size” is the average for the 58 Iowa cities closest in size (2,900–6,400 people).

Where it goesOf each dollarCities this size (58)
Business Type / Enterprise31¢36¢
Capital Projects17¢18¢
Public Safety15¢13¢
Culture and Recreation12¢8¢
Public Works11¢9¢
Everything else14¢16¢

Planned spending, FY27

All funds: property taxes, utility and other fees, state and federal money. “Business type” is city-run utilities and enterprises like water or sewer.

  • Capital Projects$2.2M33%
  • Public Safety$1.5M23%
  • Culture and Recreation$1.0M16%
  • Public Works$772,20012%
  • General Government$698,90011%
  • Debt Service$161,0002%
  • Community and Economic Development$157,0002%
  • Health and Social Services$20,2000%

The state’s FY27 file doesn’t include business type / enterprise yet ($2.4M in FY26), so this total is low.

Budget compared with what it spent, FY23
FunctionBudgetSpent
Public Works$900,660$1.4M
Public Safety$1.1M$1.1M
Health and Social Services$3,650$70
General Government$555,300$392,564
Debt Service$316,580$441,270
Culture and Recreation$822,600$886,072
Community and Economic Development$143,500$171,807
Capital Projects$550,000$0
Business Type / Enterprise$1.7M$1.6M

What it spent each year

FY24 left out8

$10.3M

Debt, reserves and audits

How local debt works · What an audit tells you

What Hampton owes

$6.0M at June 30, 2026: $1,390 per resident. 476th most per resident of 939 Iowa places of its kind (the list).9

$8.6M
$6.0M
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$6.0M$1,390
2025$5.7M$1,314
2024$4.6M$1,057
2023$5.0M$1,143
2022$5.7M$1,321
2021$6.3M$1,455
2020$6.6M$1,530
2019$7.2M$1,660
2018$7.3M$1,685
2017$8.6M$1,974
2016$7.6M$1,753
2015$4.2M$957
2014$4.5M$1,034
2013$5.3M$1,225
2012$5.6M$1,288
2011$5.1M$1,173
2010$3.3M$769
Show the numbers
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$6.0M$1,390
2025$5.7M$1,314
2024$4.6M$1,057
2023$5.0M$1,143
2022$5.7M$1,321
2021$6.3M$1,455
2020$6.6M$1,530
2019$7.2M$1,660
2018$7.3M$1,685
2017$8.6M$1,974
2016$7.6M$1,753
2015$4.2M$957
2014$4.5M$1,034
2013$5.3M$1,225
2012$5.6M$1,288
2011$5.1M$1,173
2010$3.3M$769

Up 81% since 2010.

The 5% limit10

General obligation debt is $574,000, 5% of the limit of about $11.3M (5% of $227.0M, the full value of its taxable property in 2024).

3 obligations at June 30, 2026
KindForPaid off byOwed
Revenue BondsSRF Sewer Revenue Bond Wastewater Treatment Plant2036$3.7M
Revenue BondsSRF 2023 WATER PLANT IMPR REV BOND #D0684R2044$1.8M
General ObligationAcquisition, restoration of dilapidated structure. 4 & 6 1st Ave NW.2030$574,000

General obligation bonds are repaid from property taxes; revenue bonds and loans from the fees or revenue they’re tied to. On the Treasurer’s site

Money in reserve

The state’s budget files don’t include cities’ fund balances11. Hampton’s latest audit has them: Financial Statement, period ending Monday, June 30, 2025 (PDF).

Audits12

The latest: Financial Statement for the period ending Monday, June 30, 2025 (PDF), released Tuesday, June 30, 2026, by a CPA firm.

The report has no Schedule of Findings Iowa Funnel could read.

16 earlier reports for Hampton

State money

What the State of Iowa pays the city each year, and whether it has kept up with prices. Does state money keep pace? 13

What the state pays the city every year

Road Use Tax for streets, the commercial and industrial tax “backfill”, and ambulance reimbursement, paid every year by formula: $622,998 in FY25, up 6% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 16% less. Grants are below.

Show the numbers
SourceFY22FY23FY24FY25
Road Use Tax (streets)$602,611$596,820$612,612$615,938
Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)$9,699$10,018$8,470$7,060

Grants and project money

State grants and money for specific projects (roads, development, natural resources) vary with what the city applies for and wins, so they aren’t counted as the state’s regular support.

$132,273
  • CEBA grants$113,59986%
  • State grants$18,67414%
YearGrants and projects
FY19$41,069
FY20$40,207
FY21$38,306
FY22$33,452
FY23$25,421
FY24$72,308
FY25$132,273
Show the numbers
YearGrants and projects
FY19$41,069
FY20$40,207
FY21$38,306
FY22$33,452
FY23$25,421
FY24$72,308
FY25$132,273

Has it kept up with prices?

Each source from FY19 to FY25, after inflation.

  • Road Use Tax (streets)−15%$576,298 → $615,938, up 7% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 15% less
  • Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)−53%$12,006 → $7,060, down 41% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 53% less

Collected by the state for the city

The local option sales tax is a city tax voters approved; the state collects it with the state sales tax and sends it back. It isn’t state aid. It’s up 45% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 16% more.

$581,478
$520,506

Federal grants, for comparison: $448,982 in FY25.

Business awards

Every award statewide

State economic development awards

1 business has state awards in HAMPTON: $323K in grants, loans and tax benefits, for 28 jobs.14

  • Centro, Inc.
    High Quality Jobs Program · FY23 · Under contract: Building · 28 jobs required
    $323K

Community college new jobs training: 7 contracts since 2000 worth $1.1M, for 142 pledged jobs.

Awards statewide

Elections

Running for mayor and city council

Filing opens Monday, August 23, 2027: in 284 days.

For the Tuesday, November 2, 2027 election, candidates file Monday, August 23, 2027 to Thursday, September 16, 2027 with the county auditor (or the city clerk, if the auditor names the clerk to take them)15.

In a city that can hold a primary, filing runs Monday, August 9, 2027 to Thursday, August 26, 2027.

Local races from civicAPI and county auditors for Hampton; official results are on each county auditor’s site.

Who has filed for Tuesday, November 2, 2027

Filing hasn’t opened. These seats are expected on the ballot.

  • Hampton City Council At-Large
    Now held by James L. Davies
  • Hampton City Council Ward 1
    Now held by William Hodge
  • Hampton City Council Ward 3
    Now held by Kevin Blanford
  • Hampton Mayor
    Now held by Steve Birdsall

Candidates as county auditors and civicAPI list them; a filing can take a few days to appear here16.

Past ballot measures

None found since 2022.

When a measure can be on the ballot

  • Tuesday, March 2, 2027 · no bond or debt questions
  • Tuesday, September 14, 2027 · no bond or debt questions
  • Tuesday, November 2, 2027 · any question, including bonds
  • Tuesday, March 7, 2028 · no bond or debt questions

Bonds and other borrowing can only go on the November ballot17.

Related places

At the Statehouse and in Congress18

Dennis Guth (Sen. 28)Shannon Latham (Rep. 55)

U.S. House:District 4

Franklin CountyHampton-Dumont schools