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Local taxes › Henry County › Winfield

City

Winfield

Henry County · How cities work

$3,300 a yearproperty tax on a $200,000 home here, FY27, for every local government ($39.18 per $1,000 of taxable value)1
$1,010 a yearof that goes to the city ($12.04 per $1,000)
$317,675property taxes the city levies, FY27
$1.1Mcity 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.

  • David PieartWinfield City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Jennifer LemkeWinfield City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Scott JenningsWinfield City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Brandy SmithWinfield City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Matt HernandezWinfield City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Willie BenderWinfield Mayor · 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 Winfield

Homes and businesses in most of Winfield pay a combined $39.18 per $1,000 of taxable value (FY27). They pay it all to the Henry County treasurer, who passes each government its share; the city sets and gets only its own piece, $12.04. Estimate your bill.

Rates over time

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

YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$35.72$11.00
FY21$36.99$11.16
FY22$36.56$11.21
FY23$36.61$11.27
FY24$37.12$11.28
FY25$36.99$11.29
FY26$39.13$11.29
FY27$39.18$12.04
Show the numbers
YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$35.72$11.00
FY21$36.99$11.16
FY22$36.56$11.21
FY23$36.61$11.27
FY24$37.12$11.28
FY25$36.99$11.29
FY26$39.13$11.29
FY27$39.18$12.04

Compared with places this size3

Winfield’s city property tax rate of $12.04 per $1,000 is the 62nd lowest of 175 Iowa cities with 670–1,500 people. The middle of the group is $13.21.

Elkader: $27.11Exira: $24.81Laurens: $24.16Dayton: $22.51Correctionville: $19.84Villisca: $19.74Corning: $19.36Allison: $19.06Dysart: $17.95Greene: $17.91Alden: $17.90Lansing: $17.67Strawberry Point: $17.58Rockwell: $17.54Walnut: $17.46Gowrie: $17.17Colo: $17.14Mapleton: $16.90George: $16.89Fayette: $16.85Adair: $16.84Eddyville: $16.82Oxford: $16.70Buffalo Center: $16.58Bancroft: $16.52Roland: $16.51Eldon: $16.42Monona: $16.41Aplington: $16.34Panora: $16.14Mechanicsville: $16.12Dike: $15.94Armstrong: $15.87Ruthven: $15.84Holstein: $15.81State Center: $15.80Walker: $15.74Earlham: $15.55Shell Rock: $15.52Brooklyn: $15.49Newell: $15.49Riceville: $15.31Neola: $15.30Sidney: $15.19Gilbertville: $15.15Logan: $15.05Stratford: $15.03Griswold: $15.01Readlyn: $14.99Tripoli: $14.99Essex: $14.76Bedford: $14.66Lenox: $14.65Manning: $14.62Dunlap: $14.56Garnavillo: $14.52Maxwell: $14.50Coon Rapids: $14.49Nora Springs: $14.25Kingsley: $14.25Mcgregor: $14.20Primghar: $14.18Sheffield: $14.16Elgin: $14.05Woodward: $14.05Ossian: $13.88Alton: $13.87Montezuma: $13.79Redfield: $13.73Victor: $13.72Gilbert: $13.71Edgewood: $13.64Sioux Rapids: $13.63Donnellson: $13.63Gladbrook: $13.58Clarksville: $13.53Rockford: $13.52Janesville: $13.43Glidden: $13.43Calmar: $13.39Boyden: $13.39Baxter: $13.32Manly: $13.29Anita: $13.28Van Horne: $13.27Conrad: $13.23Springville: $13.22Keota: $13.21Shellsburg: $13.20De Soto: $13.18Treynor: $13.03Odebolt: $13.00Coggon: $12.99Earlville: $12.90Danville: $12.87Underwood: $12.85New Sharon: $12.80Malvern: $12.79Montrose: $12.78Wellsburg: $12.68Buffalo: $12.68Sanborn: $12.62Hospers: $12.58Hazleton: $12.48West Point: $12.39Hinton: $12.38Preston: $12.38Alburnett: $12.30Hubbard: $12.30Hedrick: $12.22Carson: $12.22Wheatland: $12.18Schaller: $12.14Elkhart: $12.00Afton: $11.96Lowden: $11.93Tabor: $11.88Aurelia: $11.84Merrill: $11.64Morning Sun: $11.50Battle Creek: $11.49Wall Lake: $11.43West Bend: $11.42Dakota City: $11.39Marcus: $11.31Dunkerton: $11.30Whiting: $11.21Melcher-Dallas: $11.21Shelby: $11.17University Heights: $11.12Blairstown: $11.04Manilla: $11.01Hamburg: $10.95Clarence: $10.94Fontanelle: $10.88Cambridge: $10.53Swisher: $10.39Schleswig: $10.39Melbourne: $10.38Elk Run Heights: $10.33Fredericksburg: $10.27Lake Park: $10.25Ventura: $10.22Inwood: $10.22Milo: $10.20Hartford: $10.16Central City: $10.01Newhall: $9.99Graettinger: $9.81Long Grove: $9.59Lake View: $9.39Paullina: $9.21Fairbank: $9.00Winthrop: $8.94Walford: $8.72Keosauqua: $8.58Grand Junction: $8.57Princeton: $8.24Lone Tree: $8.13Lakeside: $8.10Riverside: $8.02Hills: $7.94Fremont: $7.86Larchwood: $7.52North English: $7.49Sloan: $7.49Sully: $7.41Fruitland: $7.21Lawton: $7.10Wayland: $7.07Raymond: $6.85Shueyville: $6.79Arnolds Park: $4.95Okoboji: $3.83Winfield: $12.04$3.83 lowest$27.11 highestmiddle
See all 175
#PlaceRate per $1,000People
1Elkader$27.111,192
2Exira$24.81766
3Laurens$24.161,253
4Dayton$22.51766
5Correctionville$19.84759
6Villisca$19.741,106
7Corning$19.361,509
8Allison$19.06937
9Dysart$17.951,266
10Greene$17.91971
11Alden$17.90738
12Lansing$17.67959
13Strawberry Point$17.581,141
14Rockwell$17.541,044
15Walnut$17.46728
16Gowrie$17.17943
17Colo$17.14856
18Mapleton$16.901,114
19George$16.891,106
20Fayette$16.851,193
21Adair$16.84792
22Eddyville$16.82965
23Oxford$16.70715
24Buffalo Center$16.58839
25Bancroft$16.52677
26Roland$16.511,376
27Eldon$16.42788
28Monona$16.411,462
29Aplington$16.341,088
30Panora$16.141,096
31Mechanicsville$16.12974
32Dike$15.941,293
33Armstrong$15.87847
34Ruthven$15.84710
35Holstein$15.811,475
36State Center$15.801,403
37Walker$15.74671
38Earlham$15.551,411
39Shell Rock$15.521,265
40Brooklyn$15.491,474
41Newell$15.49850
42Riceville$15.31807
43Neola$15.30917
44Sidney$15.191,048
45Gilbertville$15.15792
46Logan$15.051,351
47Stratford$15.03688
48Griswold$15.01975
49Readlyn$14.99857
50Tripoli$14.991,208
51Essex$14.76721
52Bedford$14.661,474
53Lenox$14.651,355
54Manning$14.621,390
55Dunlap$14.561,030
56Garnavillo$14.52751
57Maxwell$14.50862
58Coon Rapids$14.491,258
59Nora Springs$14.251,330
60Kingsley$14.251,394
61Mcgregor$14.20725
62Primghar$14.18893
63Sheffield$14.161,123
64Elgin$14.05676
65Woodward$14.051,383
66Ossian$13.88777
67Alton$13.871,248
68Montezuma$13.791,421
69Redfield$13.73719
70Victor$13.72852
71Gilbert$13.711,397
72Edgewood$13.64908
73Sioux Rapids$13.63722
74Donnellson$13.63859
75Gladbrook$13.58775
76Clarksville$13.531,238
77Rockford$13.52722
78Janesville$13.431,052
79Glidden$13.431,140
80Calmar$13.391,100
81Boyden$13.39694
82Baxter$13.32983
83Manly$13.291,233
84Anita$13.28953
85Van Horne$13.27768
86Conrad$13.231,098
87Springville$13.221,161
88Keota$13.21888
89Shellsburg$13.20987
90De Soto$13.18937
91Treynor$13.031,104
92Odebolt$13.00967
93Coggon$12.99691
94Earlville$12.90713
95Danville$12.87910
96Underwood$12.85973
97New Sharon$12.801,249
98Malvern$12.791,056
99Montrose$12.78734
100Wellsburg$12.68709
101Buffalo$12.681,163
102Sanborn$12.621,463
103Hospers$12.58703
104Hazleton$12.48711
105West Point$12.39903
106Hinton$12.38959
107Preston$12.38940
108Alburnett$12.30672
109Hubbard$12.30837
110Hedrick$12.22717
111Carson$12.22772
112Wheatland$12.18765
113Schaller$12.14702
114Winfield$12.041,006
115Elkhart$12.001,079
116Afton$11.96864
117Lowden$11.93767
118Tabor$11.88983
119Aurelia$11.84970
120Merrill$11.64713
121Morning Sun$11.50702
122Battle Creek$11.49683
123Wall Lake$11.43739
124West Bend$11.42770
125Dakota City$11.39764
126Marcus$11.311,069
127Dunkerton$11.30840
128Whiting$11.21725
129Melcher-Dallas$11.211,193
130Shelby$11.17730
131University Heights$11.121,188
132Blairstown$11.04705
133Manilla$11.01756
134Hamburg$10.95863
135Clarence$10.94991
136Fontanelle$10.88684
137Cambridge$10.53844
138Swisher$10.39909
139Schleswig$10.39820
140Melbourne$10.38771
141Elk Run Heights$10.331,061
142Fredericksburg$10.27983
143Lake Park$10.251,155
144Ventura$10.22701
145Inwood$10.22962
146Milo$10.20762
147Hartford$10.16729
148Central City$10.011,254
149Newhall$9.99887
150Graettinger$9.81810
151Long Grove$9.59849
152Lake View$9.391,120
153Paullina$9.21979
154Fairbank$9.001,133
155Winthrop$8.94814
156Walford$8.721,357
157Keosauqua$8.58944
158Grand Junction$8.57715
159Princeton$8.24917
160Lone Tree$8.131,341
161Lakeside$8.10695
162Riverside$8.021,063
163Hills$7.94911
164Fremont$7.86688
165Larchwood$7.52954
166North English$7.491,030
167Sloan$7.491,078
168Sully$7.41891
169Fruitland$7.21928
170Lawton$7.10949
171Wayland$7.07935
172Raymond$6.85754
173Shueyville$6.79725
174Arnolds Park$4.951,214
175Okoboji$3.83729

The $8.10 limit

Winfield’s general levy is $7.86 per $1,000 of taxable value in FY27, $0.24 below the limit.4 623 of 934 Iowa cities have a higher general levy. All cities.

FY23 $8.10 · FY24 $8.10 · FY25 $7.86 · FY26 $8.10 · FY27 $7.86 (before FY25, the general levy alone)

Outside the limit: $4.18 more5

  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$3.42 · $90,087
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$0.75 · $19,788

Tax increment financing (TIF)

$2.0M of taxable value in Winfield is in TIF districts’ increment (7% of the city’s taxable value), 2025 valuations, taxed in FY27.6 It budgeted $72,000 in TIF revenue for FY25.

$74,808
$67,124

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 $24,477 of the city’s own.

  • Henry County$17,487
YearTIF revenue
FY16$74,808
FY17$69,428
FY18$68,210
FY19$72,650
FY20$70,193
FY21$73,565
FY22$69,660
FY23$67,124
Show the numbers
YearTIF revenue
FY16$74,808
FY17$69,428
FY18$68,210
FY19$72,650
FY20$70,193
FY21$73,565
FY22$69,660
FY23$67,124

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$206,84965%
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$90,08728%
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$19,7886%

Budget and spending

Reading a local budget

Where each dollar of Winfield’s budget goes, FY26

Business Type / Enterprise: 59¢ of every dollar59¢Debt Service: 12¢ of every dollar12¢Public Works: 11¢ of every dollar11¢Culture and Recreation: 9¢ of every dollar9¢Public Safety: 6¢ of every dollarEverything else: 3¢ of every dollar

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 174 Iowa cities closest in size (670–1,500 people).

Where it goesOf each dollarCities this size (174)
Business Type / Enterprise59¢39¢
Debt Service12¢6¢
Public Works11¢15¢
Culture and Recreation9¢9¢
Public Safety6¢10¢
Everything else3¢9¢

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.

  • Debt Service$327,44930%
  • Public Works$317,06529%
  • Culture and Recreation$185,37117%
  • Public Safety$159,50015%
  • General Government$85,4508%

The state’s FY27 file doesn’t include business type / enterprise yet ($1.6M in FY26), so this total is low.

Budget compared with what it spent, FY23
FunctionBudgetSpent
Public Works$324,595$332,067
Public Safety$90,650$64,161
Health and Social Services$0$0
General Government$65,300$66,850
Debt Service$154,821$154,895
Culture and Recreation$183,870$210,568
Community and Economic Development$0$0
Capital Projects$81,000$540,789
Business Type / Enterprise$742,763$870,626

What it spent each year

FY24 left out8

$5.3M

Debt, reserves and audits

How local debt works · What an audit tells you

What Winfield owes

$4.7M at June 30, 2026: $4,537 per resident. 149th most per resident of 939 Iowa places of its kind (the list).9

$4.7M
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$4.7M$4,537
2025$4.5M$4,396
2024$2.0M$1,936
2023$1.2M$1,136
2022$942,675$913
2021$1.1M$1,066
2020$1.3M$1,250
2019$1.0M$1,006
2018$1.2M$1,148
2017$1.3M$1,284
2016$1.5M$1,417
2015$1.6M$1,555
2014$1.7M$1,693
2013$1.9M$1,830
2012$1.9M$1,820
2011$1.9M$1,874
2010$2.1M$1,996
Show the numbers
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$4.7M$4,537
2025$4.5M$4,396
2024$2.0M$1,936
2023$1.2M$1,136
2022$942,675$913
2021$1.1M$1,066
2020$1.3M$1,250
2019$1.0M$1,006
2018$1.2M$1,148
2017$1.3M$1,284
2016$1.5M$1,417
2015$1.6M$1,555
2014$1.7M$1,693
2013$1.9M$1,830
2012$1.9M$1,820
2011$1.9M$1,874
2010$2.1M$1,996

Up 127% since 2010.

The 5% limit10

General obligation debt is $1.2M, 44% of the limit of about $2.8M (5% of $55.5M, the full value of its taxable property in 2024).

5 obligations at June 30, 2026
KindForPaid off byOwed
Revenue BondsWastewater Treatment Improvement Project2050$3.4M
General ObligationWWTP Improvements2044$1.1M
General ObligationSwimming Pool2030$160,000
Revenue BondsSewer Plant2028$34,000
General ObligationTractor Purchase2028$17,000

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. Winfield’s latest audit has them: Annual Examination, period ending Monday, June 30, 2025 (PDF).

Audits12

The latest: Annual Examination for the period ending Monday, June 30, 2025 (PDF), released Wednesday, May 13, 2026, by a CPA firm.

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

13 earlier reports for Winfield

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: $150,013 in FY25, up 0% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 20% less. Grants are below.

Show the numbers
SourceFY22FY23FY24FY25
Road Use Tax (streets)$145,314$142,152$145,914$146,706
Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)$5,291$6,745$3,962$3,307

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.

$424,534
$17,662
  • CEBA grants$16,30392%
  • State grants$1,3598%
YearGrants and projects
FY19$1,513
FY20$251,588
FY21$27,923
FY22$2,028
FY23$102,375
FY24$424,534
FY25$17,662
Show the numbers
YearGrants and projects
FY19$1,513
FY20$251,588
FY21$27,923
FY22$2,028
FY23$102,375
FY24$424,534
FY25$17,662

Has it kept up with prices?

Each source from FY19 to FY25, after inflation.

  • Road Use Tax (streets)−20%$146,497 → $146,706, up 0% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 20% less
  • Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)−11%$2,975 → $3,307, up 11% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 11% 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 23% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 2% less.

$137,398
$133,844

Federal grants, for comparison: $81,340 in FY23.

Business awards

Every award 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)14.

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

Most recent: November 4, 2025

City · 1

3 seats: the top 3 win.

Local races from civicAPI and county auditors for Winfield; 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.

  • Winfield City Council At-Large (2 seats)
    Now held by Matt Hernandez, Brandy Smith
  • Winfield Mayor
    Now held by Willie Bender

Candidates as county auditors and civicAPI list them; a filing can take a few days to appear here15.

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 ballot16.

Related places

At the Statehouse and in Congress17

Mark S. Lofgren (Sen. 48)Taylor R. Collins (Rep. 95)

U.S. House:District 1

Henry CountyWinfield-Mt Union schools