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Local taxes › Humboldt County › Gilmore City

City

Gilmore City

Humboldt County · How cities work

$2,870 a yearproperty tax on a $200,000 home here, FY27, for every local government ($34.03 per $1,000 of taxable value)1
$1,230 a yearof that goes to the city ($14.60 per $1,000)
$146,076property taxes the city levies, FY27
$438,717city 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.

  • Chris JonesGilmore City City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Chris JonesGilmore City City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Landon BaileyGilmore City Mayor · elected November 4, 2025
  • Landon BaileyGilmore City Mayor · elected November 4, 2025
  • LaVonne HooverGilmore City City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • LaVonne HooverGilmore City City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Lowell R. JohnsonGilmore City City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Lowell R. JohnsonGilmore City City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Paul A. HendricksGilmore City City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Paul A. HendricksGilmore City City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Jacob PetersonGilmore City City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Jacob PetersonGilmore City City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Mary TorkelsonGilmore City City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Mary TorkelsonGilmore City City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Paul KipferGilmore City City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Paul KipferGilmore City 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 Gilmore City

Homes and businesses in most of Gilmore City pay a combined $34.29 per $1,000 of taxable value (FY27). They pay it all to the Humboldt County treasurer, who passes each government its share; the city sets and gets only its own piece, $14.60. Estimate your bill.

Rates over time

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

YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$31.96$14.21
FY21$32.29$14.53
FY22$35.48$14.69
FY23$37.76$15.10
FY24$39.00$15.96
FY25$38.02$13.92
FY26$34.85$14.32
FY27$34.29$14.60
Show the numbers
YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$31.96$14.21
FY21$32.29$14.53
FY22$35.48$14.69
FY23$37.76$15.10
FY24$39.00$15.96
FY25$38.02$13.92
FY26$34.85$14.32
FY27$34.29$14.60

Compared with places this size3

Gilmore City’s city property tax rate of $14.60 per $1,000 is the 59th highest of 189 Iowa cities with 330–730 people. The middle of the group is $13.03.

Stanhope: $29.10Rolfe: $22.67Elliott: $21.61Charter Oak: $21.32Oxford Junction: $20.84Earling: $20.47Pomeroy: $19.60Salem: $19.15Dumont: $19.04Seymour: $18.78Dexter: $18.69Fonda: $18.52Massena: $18.23Kanawha: $18.11Swea City: $18.04Elma: $17.82Callender: $17.78Casey: $17.72Dows: $17.70New Hartford: $17.69Vail: $17.66Ringsted: $17.65Emerson: $17.54Murray: $17.44Thompson: $17.25Ashton: $17.17Pierson: $17.12Burt: $17.10Latimer: $16.96Lohrville: $16.95Elk Horn: $16.78Oxford: $16.70Mccallsburg: $16.58Whittemore: $16.54Bancroft: $16.52Titonka: $16.45Early: $16.35Truro: $16.34Lewis: $16.25Duncombe: $16.10Bayard: $16.05Scranton: $16.01Ruthven: $15.84Minden: $15.77Walker: $15.74Russell: $15.18Stanwood: $15.12Stratford: $15.03Zearing: $14.99Arlington: $14.98Maynard: $14.85Plainfield: $14.84Ryan: $14.84Otho: $14.82Wyoming: $14.81Humeston: $14.80Hopkinton: $14.79Essex: $14.76Sabula: $14.38Garrison: $14.38Lorimor: $14.36Collins: $14.32Clermont: $14.30Moulton: $14.25Ocheyedan: $14.22Mcgregor: $14.20Olin: $14.19Garwin: $14.08Farragut: $14.07Elgin: $14.05Lime Springs: $13.95Dow City: $13.94Wesley: $13.91Diagonal: $13.91Bussey: $13.83Mondamin: $13.82Livermore: $13.78Redfield: $13.73Sioux Rapids: $13.63Albion: $13.58Lamont: $13.57New Albin: $13.55Rockford: $13.52Boyden: $13.39Lawler: $13.39Lacona: $13.38Ute: $13.26New Market: $13.25Plymouth: $13.21Bennett: $13.16Quasqueton: $13.12Farmington: $13.10Anthon: $13.05Little Rock: $13.03Coggon: $12.99Lehigh: $12.97Menlo: $12.92Templeton: $12.91Earlville: $12.90Brighton: $12.88Goldfield: $12.73Wellsburg: $12.68Delmar: $12.68Galva: $12.68Badger: $12.67Martensdale: $12.63Stanton: $12.62Hospers: $12.58Norway: $12.53Everly: $12.51Hazleton: $12.48Spillville: $12.40Alburnett: $12.30Brandon: $12.29Moravia: $12.27Hedrick: $12.22Bonaparte: $12.17Schaller: $12.14Hawkeye: $12.11Colesburg: $11.97Albert City: $11.88Thornton: $11.86Runnells: $11.79Allerton: $11.72Orient: $11.66Merrill: $11.64Ellsworth: $11.57Morning Sun: $11.50Battle Creek: $11.49Churdan: $11.31Miles: $11.28Sutherland: $11.25Arcadia: $11.23Whiting: $11.21Blairstown: $11.04Milton: $10.98Ireton: $10.93New Vienna: $10.91Letts: $10.91Fontanelle: $10.88Birmingham: $10.87Charlotte: $10.86Richland: $10.82Grand Mound: $10.78Batavia: $10.77Riverdale: $10.67Union: $10.58Calamus: $10.47Lovilia: $10.46Radcliffe: $10.37Stacyville: $10.36Ventura: $10.22Andrew: $10.22Royal: $10.20Rudd: $10.13What Cheer: $10.01Cumming: $9.85Breda: $9.80Doon: $9.78Lynnville: $9.68Farnhamville: $9.18Middletown: $9.16Alleman: $9.12Crescent: $8.72Ainsworth: $8.62Grand Junction: $8.57Gilman: $8.10Lakeside: $8.10Lost Nation: $8.10Kellogg: $8.10Grandview: $8.10Agency: $7.94Fremont: $7.86Delhi: $7.81Klemme: $7.74Beacon: $7.56Worthington: $7.50Marquette: $7.08Columbus City: $6.94Donahue: $6.83Keystone: $6.80Shueyville: $6.79New Virginia: $5.97Holy Cross: $5.91Conesville: $5.86University Park: $5.27Orleans: $4.13Wahpeton: $3.19Gilmore City: $14.60$3.19 lowest$29.10 highestmiddle
See all 189
#PlaceRate per $1,000People
1Stanhope$29.10354
2Rolfe$22.67505
3Elliott$21.61328
4Charter Oak$21.32521
5Oxford Junction$20.84424
6Earling$20.47394
7Pomeroy$19.60511
8Salem$19.15380
9Dumont$19.04614
10Seymour$18.78646
11Dexter$18.69631
12Fonda$18.52636
13Massena$18.23352
14Kanawha$18.11638
15Swea City$18.04545
16Elma$17.82493
17Callender$17.78361
18Casey$17.72387
19Dows$17.70509
20New Hartford$17.69555
21Vail$17.66383
22Ringsted$17.65346
23Emerson$17.54401
24Murray$17.44609
25Thompson$17.25478
26Ashton$17.17434
27Pierson$17.12335
28Burt$17.10404
29Latimer$16.96477
30Lohrville$16.95366
31Elk Horn$16.78631
32Oxford$16.70715
33Mccallsburg$16.58356
34Whittemore$16.54478
35Bancroft$16.52677
36Titonka$16.45491
37Early$16.35571
38Truro$16.34515
39Lewis$16.25358
40Duncombe$16.10374
41Bayard$16.05402
42Scranton$16.01496
43Ruthven$15.84710
44Minden$15.77581
45Walker$15.74671
46Russell$15.18475
47Stanwood$15.12612
48Stratford$15.03688
49Zearing$14.99508
50Arlington$14.98415
51Maynard$14.85466
52Plainfield$14.84392
53Ryan$14.84348
54Otho$14.82417
55Wyoming$14.81526
56Humeston$14.80472
57Hopkinton$14.79622
58Essex$14.76721
59Gilmore City$14.60484
60Sabula$14.38498
61Garrison$14.38345
62Lorimor$14.36377
63Collins$14.32503
64Clermont$14.30571
65Moulton$14.25596
66Ocheyedan$14.22424
67Mcgregor$14.20725
68Olin$14.19652
69Garwin$14.08469
70Farragut$14.07480
71Elgin$14.05676
72Lime Springs$13.95467
73Dow City$13.94477
74Wesley$13.91382
75Diagonal$13.91331
76Bussey$13.83378
77Mondamin$13.82335
78Livermore$13.78382
79Redfield$13.73719
80Sioux Rapids$13.63722
81Albion$13.58444
82Lamont$13.57429
83New Albin$13.55435
84Rockford$13.52722
85Boyden$13.39694
86Lawler$13.39392
87Lacona$13.38336
88Ute$13.26326
89New Market$13.25381
90Plymouth$13.21368
91Bennett$13.16330
92Quasqueton$13.12587
93Farmington$13.10583
94Anthon$13.05534
95Little Rock$13.03447
96Coggon$12.99691
97Lehigh$12.97395
98Menlo$12.92347
99Templeton$12.91337
100Earlville$12.90713
101Brighton$12.88592
102Goldfield$12.73617
103Wellsburg$12.68709
104Delmar$12.68541
105Galva$12.68416
106Badger$12.67540
107Martensdale$12.63413
108Stanton$12.62664
109Hospers$12.58703
110Norway$12.53463
111Everly$12.51570
112Hazleton$12.48711
113Spillville$12.40371
114Alburnett$12.30672
115Brandon$12.29331
116Moravia$12.27625
117Hedrick$12.22717
118Bonaparte$12.17357
119Schaller$12.14702
120Hawkeye$12.11429
121Colesburg$11.97379
122Albert City$11.88627
123Thornton$11.86394
124Runnells$11.79467
125Allerton$11.72432
126Orient$11.66363
127Merrill$11.64713
128Ellsworth$11.57495
129Morning Sun$11.50702
130Battle Creek$11.49683
131Churdan$11.31359
132Miles$11.28400
133Sutherland$11.25628
134Arcadia$11.23588
135Whiting$11.21725
136Blairstown$11.04705
137Milton$10.98395
138Ireton$10.93571
139New Vienna$10.91384
140Letts$10.91358
141Fontanelle$10.88684
142Birmingham$10.87371
143Charlotte$10.86386
144Richland$10.82532
145Grand Mound$10.78608
146Batavia$10.77434
147Riverdale$10.67385
148Union$10.58378
149Calamus$10.47348
150Lovilia$10.46456
151Radcliffe$10.37540
152Stacyville$10.36436
153Ventura$10.22701
154Andrew$10.22374
155Royal$10.20379
156Rudd$10.13339
157What Cheer$10.01595
158Cumming$9.85527
159Breda$9.80492
160Doon$9.78640
161Lynnville$9.68382
162Farnhamville$9.18364
163Middletown$9.16365
164Alleman$9.12439
165Crescent$8.72626
166Ainsworth$8.62511
167Grand Junction$8.57715
168Gilman$8.10530
169Lakeside$8.10695
170Lost Nation$8.10425
171Kellogg$8.10597
172Grandview$8.10431
173Agency$7.94623
174Fremont$7.86688
175Delhi$7.81438
176Klemme$7.74429
177Beacon$7.56434
178Worthington$7.50374
179Marquette$7.08434
180Columbus City$6.94385
181Donahue$6.83336
182Keystone$6.80616
183Shueyville$6.79725
184New Virginia$5.97499
185Holy Cross$5.91348
186Conesville$5.86350
187University Park$5.27476
188Orleans$4.13503
189Wahpeton$3.19337

The $8.10 limit

Gilmore City’s general levy is $8.19 per $1,000 of taxable value in FY27, $0.09 above the limit; it has to come down in steps.4 162 of 934 Iowa cities have a higher general levy. All cities.

FY23 $8.10 · FY24 $8.10 · FY25 $8.19 · FY26 $8.19 · FY27 $8.19 (before FY25, the general levy alone)

Outside the limit: $6.41 more5

  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$3.40 · $33,185
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$3.02 · $29,467

Tax increment financing (TIF)

Gilmore City’s TIF revenue, from its reports to the state.

$13,110
YearTIF revenue
FY16$12,374
FY17$9,953
FY18$12,995
FY19$12,968
FY20$223
FY21$13,110
Show the numbers
YearTIF revenue
FY16$12,374
FY17$9,953
FY18$12,995
FY19$12,968
FY20$223
FY21$13,110

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$80,04456%
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$33,18523%
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$29,46721%

Budget and spending

Reading a local budget

Where each dollar of Gilmore City’s budget goes, FY26

Business Type / Enterprise: 78¢ of every dollar78¢Public Works: 8¢ of every dollar8¢Public Safety: 6¢ of every dollarGeneral Government: 5¢ of every dollarCulture and Recreation: 3¢ of every dollarEverything else: <1¢ 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 188 Iowa cities closest in size (330–730 people).

Where it goesOf each dollarCities this size (188)
Business Type / Enterprise78¢40¢
Public Works8¢19¢
Public Safety6¢9¢
General Government5¢13¢
Culture and Recreation3¢9¢
Everything else<1¢2¢

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.

  • Public Works$158,27336%
  • Public Safety$113,63126%
  • General Government$86,03020%
  • Culture and Recreation$53,53512%
  • Debt Service$23,4485%
  • Health and Social Services$3,8001%

The state’s FY27 file doesn’t include business type / enterprise yet ($1.5M in FY26), so this total is low.

Budget compared with what it spent, FY23
FunctionBudgetSpent
Public Works$152,799$129,295
Public Safety$107,725$76,059
Health and Social Services$2,800$3,263
General Government$72,080$77,976
Debt Service$0$0
Culture and Recreation$75,000$87,007
Community and Economic Development$247,994$207,870
Capital Projects$0$0
Business Type / Enterprise$1.4M$1.9M

What it spent each year

FY24 left out6

$2.5M
$1.9M

Debt, reserves and audits

How local debt works · What an audit tells you

What Gilmore City owes

$1.6M at June 30, 2026: $3,320 per resident. 247th most per resident of 939 Iowa places of its kind (the list).7

$1.8M
$1.6M
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$1.6M$3,320
2025$1.6M$3,241
2024$1.6M$3,342
2023$1.7M$3,446
2022$1.7M$3,548
2021$1.8M$3,654
2020$332,000$682
2019$332,000$682
2018$370,000$760
2017$370,000$760
2016$443,000$910
2015$495,000$1,016
2014$184,024$378
2013$357,333$734
2012$403,000$828
2011$200,000$411
2010$230,000$472
Show the numbers
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$1.6M$3,320
2025$1.6M$3,241
2024$1.6M$3,342
2023$1.7M$3,446
2022$1.7M$3,548
2021$1.8M$3,654
2020$332,000$682
2019$332,000$682
2018$370,000$760
2017$370,000$760
2016$443,000$910
2015$495,000$1,016
2014$184,024$378
2013$357,333$734
2012$403,000$828
2011$200,000$411
2010$230,000$472

Up 603% since 2010.

Money in reserve

The state’s budget files don’t include cities’ fund balances8. Gilmore City’s latest audit has them: Annual Examination, period ending Monday, June 30, 2025 (PDF).

Audits9

The latest: Annual Examination for the period ending Monday, June 30, 2025 (PDF), released Friday, May 1, 2026, by a CPA firm.

2 earlier reports for Gilmore City

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? 10

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: $64,228 in FY25, down 1% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 21% less. Grants are below.

Show the numbers
SourceFY22FY23FY24FY25
Road Use Tax (streets)$67,744$65,153$67,159$61,977
Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)––$2,701$2,251

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.

$17,519
$0
    YearGrants and projects
    FY19$5,187
    FY20$17,519
    FY21$0
    FY22$0
    FY23$1,575
    FY24$0
    FY25$0
    Show the numbers
    YearGrants and projects
    FY19$5,187
    FY20$17,519
    FY21$0
    FY22$0
    FY23$1,575
    FY24$0
    FY25$0

    Has it kept up with prices?

    Each source from FY19 to FY25, after inflation.

    • Road Use Tax (streets)−24%$65,110 → $61,977, down 5% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 24% 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.

    $68,066
    $63,011

    Federal grants, for comparison: $53,078 in FY24.

    Business awards

    Every award statewide

    Elections

    Running for mayor and city council

    Filing opens Monday, August 23, 2027: in 286 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)11.

    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 · 6

    2 seats: the top 2 win.

    2 seats: the top 2 win.

    2 seats: the top 2 win.

    2 seats: the top 2 win.

    Local races from civicAPI and county auditors for Gilmore City; 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.

    • Gilmore City City Council At-Large (6 seats)
      Now held by Paul Kipfer, Jacob Peterson, Mary Torkelson, Paul Kipfer, Mary Torkelson, Jacob Peterson
    • Gilmore City Mayor (2 seats)
      Now held by Landon Bailey, Landon Bailey

    Candidates as county auditors and civicAPI list them; a filing can take a few days to appear here12.

    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 ballot13.

    Related places

    At the Statehouse and in Congress14

    Dennis Guth (Sen. 28)Mark I. Thompson (Rep. 56)

    U.S. House:District 4

    Humboldt CountyGilmore City-Bradgate schools