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Local taxes › Marshall County › Laurel

City

Laurel

Marshall County · How cities work

$2,590 a yearproperty tax on a $200,000 home here, FY27, for every local government ($30.70 per $1,000 of taxable value)1
$680 a yearof that goes to the city ($8.10 per $1,000)
$42,501property taxes the city levies, FY27
$143,369city 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.

  • Darrell BartlettLaurel City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Michelle Atcher (Write-in Winner)Laurel City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Troy JohnsonLaurel City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Chris TribbyLaurel City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Evan M. FolkLaurel Mayor · elected November 7, 2023
  • Josh OverstakeLaurel 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 Laurel

Homes and businesses in most of Laurel pay a combined $30.70 per $1,000 of taxable value (FY27). They pay it all to the Marshall County treasurer, who passes each government its share; the city sets and gets only its own piece, $8.10. Estimate your bill.

Rates over time

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

YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$29.57$8.10
FY21$30.32$8.10
FY22$30.71$8.10
FY23$30.43$8.10
FY24$29.30$8.10
FY25$27.95$8.46
FY26$27.06$8.45
FY27$30.70$8.10
Show the numbers
YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$29.57$8.10
FY21$30.32$8.10
FY22$30.71$8.10
FY23$30.43$8.10
FY24$29.30$8.10
FY25$27.95$8.46
FY26$27.06$8.45
FY27$30.70$8.10

Compared with places this size3

Laurel’s city property tax rate of $8.10 per $1,000 is the 30th lowest of 199 Iowa cities with 140–320 people. The middle of the group is $11.48.

Harris: $23.13Fenton: $22.05Soldier: $21.92Coulter: $21.80Chelsea: $21.61Smithland: $21.12Volga: $20.23Alta Vista: $19.88Arthur: $19.86Coin: $19.59Garden Grove: $19.20Fort Atkinson: $19.19Hastings: $18.95Cumberland: $18.42Jamaica: $18.24Hillsboro: $17.68Pisgah: $17.09Lakota: $16.84Marble Rock: $16.78Auburn: $16.65Prescott: $16.53Irwin: $16.46Montour: $16.37Corwith: $16.22Deep River: $16.18Waucoma: $16.17Granville: $16.00Minburn: $15.75Little Sioux: $15.74Moorhead: $15.68Onslow: $15.63Linden: $15.62Kamrar: $15.47Peterson: $15.27Greeley: $15.23Riverton: $14.94Marathon: $14.89Ladora: $14.74Magnolia: $14.68Bagley: $14.63Davis City: $14.45Lucas: $14.40Halbur: $14.37Crystal Lake: $14.36Kimballton: $14.27Steamboat Rock: $14.19Westgate: $14.05Mystic: $14.01Fertile: $13.70Stockport: $13.68Kellerton: $13.60Quimby: $13.58Meservey: $13.43Persia: $13.41Leland: $13.31Harcourt: $13.21Calumet: $13.16Ridgeway: $13.10Farmersburg: $13.09Portsmouth: $13.05Clutier: $13.03Silver City: $12.87Patterson: $12.84Martelle: $12.83Malcom: $12.82Blencoe: $12.57Williams: $12.57Maurice: $12.56Clearfield: $12.50Kensett: $12.47Mccausland: $12.45Aurora: $12.40Modale: $12.34Mingo: $12.31Bridgewater: $12.29Blakesburg: $12.21Cushing: $12.18Hanlontown: $12.17Stout: $12.14Macedonia: $12.12Paton: $12.09Decatur: $12.08Kiron: $12.03Rembrandt: $12.03Shambaugh: $11.98Liscomb: $11.96Lone Rock: $11.92New Providence: $11.88Parnell: $11.78Reasnor: $11.76Joice: $11.72Atalissa: $11.71Cantril: $11.69Kelley: $11.69Wadena: $11.65Exline: $11.60Cincinnati: $11.57Beaman: $11.54Delta: $11.52Terril: $11.48Westside: $11.45College Springs: $11.44Holland: $11.37Mallard: $11.28Renwick: $11.16Linn Grove: $11.15Dundee: $11.14Randolph: $11.08Leighton: $11.07Rake: $11.05Frederika: $10.99Alexander: $10.90Goose Lake: $10.89Yale: $10.85Lambs Grove: $10.78Wallingford: $10.75Hornick: $10.74Woden: $10.68Bode: $10.64Cleghorn: $10.49Barnes City: $10.44Danbury: $10.43Lytton: $10.38Stockton: $10.37Rhodes: $10.36Randall: $10.35Dedham: $10.28Deloit: $10.28Protivin: $10.28Meriden: $10.28Drakesville: $10.24Bronson: $10.14Hancock: $10.13La Motte: $10.09Melvin: $10.05Defiance: $10.05Floyd: $10.02Barnum: $9.96Panama: $9.85Grafton: $9.83Tingley: $9.81Ionia: $9.65Salix: $9.63Van Wert: $9.62Rock Falls: $9.61Kirkville: $9.59Luxemburg: $9.58Rippey: $9.42Elberon: $9.16Dixon: $9.03Lester: $8.94Blairsburg: $8.93Prairieburg: $8.91Oakville: $8.89Luther: $8.83Harvey: $8.71Washta: $8.65Moorland: $8.61Pilot Mound: $8.54Ollie: $8.44Thor: $8.38Rowley: $8.31South English: $8.27Thurman: $8.26Boxholm: $8.11Fostoria: $8.10Low Moor: $8.10Bertram: $8.10Nichols: $8.10Lineville: $8.10Luana: $7.98Lockridge: $7.92Mount Auburn: $7.86Haverhill: $7.86Grand River: $7.86Olds: $7.86Dickens: $7.86Rose Hill: $7.86West Chester: $7.82Mcclelland: $7.79Lidderdale: $7.68Pulaski: $7.58Sheldahl: $7.56Fredonia: $7.55Harpers Ferry: $7.49Alvord: $7.41Packwood: $6.77Libertyville: $6.60Keswick: $6.49Crawfordsville: $6.44Gravity: $6.18Oakland Acres: $5.88Springbrook: $5.79Maysville: $5.77Maharishi Vedic City: $3.87West Okoboji: $2.92Sherrill: $2.66Rickardsville: $2.27Laurel: $8.10$2.27 lowest$23.13 highestmiddle
See all 199
#PlaceRate per $1,000People
1Harris$23.13145
2Fenton$22.05250
3Soldier$21.92176
4Coulter$21.80220
5Chelsea$21.61207
6Smithland$21.12184
7Volga$20.23200
8Alta Vista$19.88219
9Arthur$19.86218
10Coin$19.59171
11Garden Grove$19.20173
12Fort Atkinson$19.19300
13Hastings$18.95157
14Cumberland$18.42248
15Jamaica$18.24196
16Hillsboro$17.68158
17Pisgah$17.09248
18Lakota$16.84261
19Marble Rock$16.78258
20Auburn$16.65253
21Prescott$16.53186
22Irwin$16.46320
23Montour$16.37199
24Corwith$16.22259
25Deep River$16.18243
26Waucoma$16.17235
27Granville$16.00302
28Minburn$15.75317
29Little Sioux$15.74170
30Moorhead$15.68186
31Onslow$15.63198
32Linden$15.62206
33Kamrar$15.47178
34Peterson$15.27321
35Greeley$15.23216
36Riverton$14.94243
37Marathon$14.89221
38Ladora$14.74223
39Magnolia$14.68194
40Bagley$14.63230
41Davis City$14.45178
42Lucas$14.40176
43Halbur$14.37268
44Crystal Lake$14.36243
45Kimballton$14.27281
46Steamboat Rock$14.19261
47Westgate$14.05190
48Mystic$14.01318
49Fertile$13.70300
50Stockport$13.68272
51Kellerton$13.60241
52Quimby$13.58245
53Meservey$13.43212
54Persia$13.41292
55Leland$13.31240
56Harcourt$13.21257
57Calumet$13.16144
58Ridgeway$13.10261
59Farmersburg$13.09264
60Portsmouth$13.05187
61Clutier$13.03209
62Silver City$12.87244
63Patterson$12.84176
64Martelle$12.83250
65Malcom$12.82257
66Blencoe$12.57223
67Williams$12.57299
68Maurice$12.56271
69Clearfield$12.50277
70Kensett$12.47256
71Mccausland$12.45314
72Aurora$12.40165
73Modale$12.34284
74Mingo$12.31314
75Bridgewater$12.29145
76Blakesburg$12.21273
77Cushing$12.18225
78Hanlontown$12.17200
79Stout$12.14194
80Macedonia$12.12266
81Paton$12.09217
82Decatur$12.08174
83Kiron$12.03262
84Rembrandt$12.03199
85Shambaugh$11.98161
86Liscomb$11.96292
87Lone Rock$11.92143
88New Providence$11.88233
89Parnell$11.78190
90Reasnor$11.76157
91Joice$11.72206
92Atalissa$11.71287
93Cantril$11.69224
94Kelley$11.69312
95Wadena$11.65201
96Exline$11.60157
97Cincinnati$11.57280
98Beaman$11.54155
99Delta$11.52257
100Terril$11.48310
101Westside$11.45283
102College Springs$11.44172
103Holland$11.37261
104Mallard$11.28255
105Renwick$11.16228
106Linn Grove$11.15155
107Dundee$11.14193
108Randolph$11.08183
109Leighton$11.07153
110Rake$11.05179
111Frederika$10.99206
112Alexander$10.90165
113Goose Lake$10.89250
114Yale$10.85265
115Lambs Grove$10.78174
116Wallingford$10.75154
117Hornick$10.74255
118Woden$10.68183
119Bode$10.64304
120Cleghorn$10.49235
121Barnes City$10.44152
122Danbury$10.43315
123Lytton$10.38274
124Stockton$10.37171
125Rhodes$10.36269
126Randall$10.35156
127Dedham$10.28221
128Deloit$10.28246
129Protivin$10.28264
130Meriden$10.28175
131Drakesville$10.24170
132Bronson$10.14294
133Hancock$10.13199
134La Motte$10.09235
135Melvin$10.05196
136Defiance$10.05248
137Floyd$10.02297
138Barnum$9.96186
139Panama$9.85234
140Grafton$9.83212
141Tingley$9.81146
142Ionia$9.65220
143Salix$9.63303
144Van Wert$9.62175
145Rock Falls$9.61143
146Kirkville$9.59159
147Luxemburg$9.58240
148Rippey$9.42217
149Elberon$9.16178
150Dixon$9.03204
151Lester$8.94309
152Blairsburg$8.93175
153Prairieburg$8.91156
154Oakville$8.89198
155Luther$8.83147
156Harvey$8.71242
157Washta$8.65206
158Moorland$8.61169
159Pilot Mound$8.54155
160Ollie$8.44196
161Thor$8.38182
162Rowley$8.31264
163South English$8.27196
164Thurman$8.26162
165Boxholm$8.11177
166Fostoria$8.10229
167Low Moor$8.10242
168Bertram$8.10267
169Nichols$8.10317
170Laurel$8.10214
171Lineville$8.10194
172Luana$7.98303
173Lockridge$7.92245
174Mount Auburn$7.86162
175Haverhill$7.86164
176Grand River$7.86192
177Olds$7.86174
178Dickens$7.86146
179Rose Hill$7.86156
180West Chester$7.82147
181Mcclelland$7.79147
182Lidderdale$7.68162
183Pulaski$7.58259
184Sheldahl$7.56312
185Fredonia$7.55227
186Harpers Ferry$7.49273
187Alvord$7.41216
188Packwood$6.77186
189Libertyville$6.60278
190Keswick$6.49238
191Crawfordsville$6.44278
192Gravity$6.18149
193Oakland Acres$5.88178
194Springbrook$5.79145
195Maysville$5.77155
196Maharishi Vedic City$3.87290
197West Okoboji$2.92311
198Sherrill$2.66176
199Rickardsville$2.27204

The $8.10 limit

Laurel’s general levy is $7.86 per $1,000 of taxable value in FY27, $0.24 below the limit.4 599 of 934 Iowa cities have a higher general levy. All cities.

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

Outside the limit: $0.24 more5

  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$0.24 · $1,227

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$40,94797%
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$1,2273%

Budget and spending

Reading a local budget

Where each dollar of Laurel’s budget goes, FY26

Business Type / Enterprise: 94¢ of every dollar94¢Public Works: 3¢ of every dollarGeneral Government: 1¢ of every dollarCulture and Recreation: 1¢ of every dollarPublic Safety: 1¢ 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 197 Iowa cities closest in size (140–320 people).

Where it goesOf each dollarCities this size (197)
Business Type / Enterprise94¢33¢
Public Works3¢22¢
General Government1¢20¢
Culture and Recreation1¢8¢
Public Safety1¢10¢
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$65,18645%
  • General Government$31,73422%
  • Culture and Recreation$23,21916%
  • Public Safety$19,91414%
  • Community and Economic Development$3,1002%
  • Health and Social Services$2160%

The state’s FY27 file doesn’t include business type / enterprise yet ($2.3M in FY26), so this total is low.

Budget compared with what it spent, FY23
FunctionBudgetSpent
Public Works$87,053$80,245
Public Safety$18,390$18,390
Health and Social Services$608$510
General Government$25,365$22,207
Debt Service$0$0
Culture and Recreation$6,045$5,754
Community and Economic Development$15,000$8,134
Capital Projects$0$0
Business Type / Enterprise$453,406$212,210

What it spent each year

FY24 left out6

$1.3M

Debt, reserves and audits

How local debt works · What an audit tells you

What Laurel owes

$519,000 at June 30, 2026: $2,359 per resident. 338th most per resident of 939 Iowa places of its kind (the list).7

$519,000
$519,000
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$519,000$2,359
2025$519,000$2,359
2024$0$0
2023$0$0
2022$0$0
2021$0$0
2020$0$0
2019$0$0
2018$0$0
2017$0$0
2016$0$0
2015$0$0
2014$0$0
2013$0$0
2012$0$0
2011$0$0
2010$0$0
Show the numbers
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$519,000$2,359
2025$519,000$2,359
2024$0$0
2023$0$0
2022$0$0
2021$0$0
2020$0$0
2019$0$0
2018$0$0
2017$0$0
2016$0$0
2015$0$0
2014$0$0
2013$0$0
2012$0$0
2011$0$0
2010$0$0

Up 0% since 2025.

Money in reserve

The state’s budget files don’t include cities’ fund balances8. Laurel’s latest audit has them: Annual Examination, period ending Tuesday, June 30, 2026 (PDF).

Audits9

The latest: Annual Examination for the period ending Tuesday, June 30, 2026 (PDF), released Tuesday, October 20, 2026, by the Auditor of State.

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

1 earlier report for Laurel

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: $27,805 in FY25, up 11% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 12% less. Grants are below.

Show the numbers
SourceFY22FY23FY24FY25
Road Use Tax (streets)$24,733$24,309$24,958$25,094
Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)$449––$2,711

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.

$69,681
  • C&I$69,681100%
YearGrants and projects
FY19$0
FY20$0
FY21$0
FY22$0
FY23$1,216
FY24$2,323
FY25$69,681
Show the numbers
YearGrants and projects
FY19$0
FY20$0
FY21$0
FY22$0
FY23$1,216
FY24$2,323
FY25$69,681

Has it kept up with prices?

Each source from FY19 to FY25, after inflation.

  • Road Use Tax (streets)−19%$24,725 → $25,094, up 1% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 19% less
  • Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)+472%$378 → $2,711, up 617% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 472% more

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 24% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 1% less.

$33,732
$31,079

Federal grants, for comparison: $17,270 in FY23.

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 · 1

3 seats: the top 3 win.

Local races from civicAPI and county auditors for Laurel; 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.

  • Laurel City Council At-Large (2 seats)
    Now held by Chris Tribby, Josh Overstake
  • Laurel Mayor
    Now held by Evan M. Folk

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

Kara Warme (Sen. 26)David L. Blom (Rep. 52)

U.S. House:District 4

Marshall CountyEast Marshall schools