Sign in

Local taxes › Marshall County › State Center

City

State Center

Marshall County · How cities work

$3,160 a yearproperty tax on a $200,000 home here, FY27, for every local government ($37.54 per $1,000 of taxable value)1
$1,330 a yearof that goes to the city ($15.80 per $1,000)
$850,643property taxes the city levies, FY27
$3.2Mcity 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.

  • Cody GermanState Center City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Craig PfantzState Center Mayor · elected November 4, 2025
  • Dean SchoppeState Center City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Jason LatimerState Center City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Harlan L. QuickState Center City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Howard DarrowState Center 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 State Center

Homes and businesses in most of State Center pay a combined $37.54 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, $15.80. Estimate your bill.

Rates over time

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

CombinedCity’s own
0$10$20$30$40’20’22’24’26’27CombinedCity’s own
0$10$20$30$40’20’21’22’23’24’25’26’27CombinedCity’s own
YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$32.99$13.33
FY21$34.03$13.66
FY22$33.87$13.61
FY23$33.48$13.05
FY24$29.12$13.17
FY25$33.54$13.21
FY26$35.22$14.99
FY27$37.54$15.80
Show the numbers
YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$32.99$13.33
FY21$34.03$13.66
FY22$33.87$13.61
FY23$33.48$13.05
FY24$29.12$13.17
FY25$33.54$13.21
FY26$35.22$14.99
FY27$37.54$15.80

Compared with places this size3

State Center’s city property tax rate of $15.80 per $1,000 is the 35th highest of 140 Iowa cities with 940–2,100 people. The middle of the group is $13.52.

Elkader: $27.11Laurens: $24.16Pocahontas: $20.79Villisca: $19.74Sac City: $19.69Traer: $19.56Corning: $19.36Lake City: $19.32Allison: $19.06Corydon: $18.22Dysart: $17.95Greene: $17.91Britt: $17.72Lansing: $17.67Strawberry Point: $17.58Rockwell: $17.54Gowrie: $17.17Mapleton: $16.90George: $16.89Manson: $16.87Fayette: $16.85Eddyville: $16.82Nashua: $16.81Ackley: $16.63Audubon: $16.52Roland: $16.51Monona: $16.41Aplington: $16.34Durant: $16.24Lamoni: $16.15Panora: $16.14Mechanicsville: $16.12Dike: $15.94Holstein: $15.81Pleasantville: $15.80Earlham: $15.55Shell Rock: $15.52Brooklyn: $15.49Stuart: $15.48Mount Ayr: $15.32Granger: $15.22Sigourney: $15.20Guttenberg: $15.19Sidney: $15.19Logan: $15.05Griswold: $15.01Tripoli: $14.99Sumner: $14.83Woodbine: $14.80Bedford: $14.66Lenox: $14.65Manning: $14.62Van Meter: $14.60Dunlap: $14.56Coon Rapids: $14.49Nora Springs: $14.25Kingsley: $14.25Urbana: $14.20Sheffield: $14.16Parkersburg: $14.15Hartley: $14.11Ida Grove: $14.10Woodward: $14.05Guthrie Center: $14.04Alton: $13.87Lake Mills: $13.82Montezuma: $13.79Gilbert: $13.71Clarksville: $13.53Avoca: $13.51Janesville: $13.43Glidden: $13.43Calmar: $13.39Baxter: $13.32Wapello: $13.29Manly: $13.29Anita: $13.28Conrad: $13.23Springville: $13.22Shellsburg: $13.20De Soto: $13.18Greenfield: $13.13Treynor: $13.03Odebolt: $13.00Akron: $12.93Leon: $12.93Underwood: $12.85New Sharon: $12.80Slater: $12.79Malvern: $12.79Buffalo: $12.68Sanborn: $12.62New London: $12.56Dallas Center: $12.42Hinton: $12.38Preston: $12.38Remsen: $12.32Monroe: $12.28Denver: $12.27Alta: $12.13Reinbeck: $12.10Winfield: $12.04Elkhart: $12.00Tabor: $11.88Wellman: $11.88Aurelia: $11.84Blue Grass: $11.79Columbus Junction: $11.71Palo: $11.49Prairie City: $11.38Marcus: $11.31Northwood: $11.28Mediapolis: $11.27Melcher-Dallas: $11.21University Heights: $11.12Ogden: $10.99Clarence: $10.94Farley: $10.91Oakland: $10.85Moville: $10.67Elk Run Heights: $10.33Walcott: $10.29Fredericksburg: $10.27Lake Park: $10.25Inwood: $10.22Central City: $10.01Epworth: $9.42Lake View: $9.39Paullina: $9.21Fairbank: $9.00Walford: $8.72Keosauqua: $8.58Lone Tree: $8.13Riverside: $8.02Larchwood: $7.52North English: $7.49Sloan: $7.49Lawton: $7.10Arnolds Park: $4.95State Center: $15.80$4.95 lowest$27.11 highestmiddle
See all 140
#PlaceRate per $1,000People
1Elkader$27.111,192
2Laurens$24.161,253
3Pocahontas$20.791,848
4Villisca$19.741,106
5Sac City$19.691,992
6Traer$19.561,547
7Corning$19.361,509
8Lake City$19.321,656
9Allison$19.06937
10Corydon$18.221,563
11Dysart$17.951,266
12Greene$17.91971
13Britt$17.722,001
14Lansing$17.67959
15Strawberry Point$17.581,141
16Rockwell$17.541,044
17Gowrie$17.17943
18Mapleton$16.901,114
19George$16.891,106
20Manson$16.871,646
21Fayette$16.851,193
22Eddyville$16.82965
23Nashua$16.811,515
24Ackley$16.631,538
25Audubon$16.522,008
26Roland$16.511,376
27Monona$16.411,462
28Aplington$16.341,088
29Durant$16.241,798
30Lamoni$16.152,072
31Panora$16.141,096
32Mechanicsville$16.12974
33Dike$15.941,293
34Holstein$15.811,475
35State Center$15.801,403
36Pleasantville$15.801,696
37Earlham$15.551,411
38Shell Rock$15.521,265
39Brooklyn$15.491,474
40Stuart$15.481,887
41Mount Ayr$15.321,616
42Granger$15.222,095
43Sigourney$15.201,974
44Guttenberg$15.191,804
45Sidney$15.191,048
46Logan$15.051,351
47Griswold$15.01975
48Tripoli$14.991,208
49Sumner$14.832,032
50Woodbine$14.801,707
51Bedford$14.661,474
52Lenox$14.651,355
53Manning$14.621,390
54Van Meter$14.601,840
55Dunlap$14.561,030
56Coon Rapids$14.491,258
57Nora Springs$14.251,330
58Kingsley$14.251,394
59Urbana$14.201,635
60Sheffield$14.161,123
61Parkersburg$14.151,986
62Hartley$14.111,584
63Ida Grove$14.101,988
64Woodward$14.051,383
65Guthrie Center$14.041,579
66Alton$13.871,248
67Lake Mills$13.822,077
68Montezuma$13.791,421
69Gilbert$13.711,397
70Clarksville$13.531,238
71Avoca$13.511,685
72Janesville$13.431,052
73Glidden$13.431,140
74Calmar$13.391,100
75Baxter$13.32983
76Wapello$13.292,026
77Manly$13.291,233
78Anita$13.28953
79Conrad$13.231,098
80Springville$13.221,161
81Shellsburg$13.20987
82De Soto$13.18937
83Greenfield$13.131,988
84Treynor$13.031,104
85Odebolt$13.00967
86Akron$12.931,545
87Leon$12.931,779
88Underwood$12.85973
89New Sharon$12.801,249
90Slater$12.791,626
91Malvern$12.791,056
92Buffalo$12.681,163
93Sanborn$12.621,463
94New London$12.561,853
95Dallas Center$12.421,993
96Hinton$12.38959
97Preston$12.38940
98Remsen$12.321,681
99Monroe$12.282,021
100Denver$12.271,955
101Alta$12.132,039
102Reinbeck$12.101,673
103Winfield$12.041,006
104Elkhart$12.001,079
105Tabor$11.88983
106Wellman$11.881,531
107Aurelia$11.84970
108Blue Grass$11.791,707
109Columbus Junction$11.711,794
110Palo$11.491,554
111Prairie City$11.381,722
112Marcus$11.311,069
113Northwood$11.282,047
114Mediapolis$11.271,679
115Melcher-Dallas$11.211,193
116University Heights$11.121,188
117Ogden$10.991,970
118Clarence$10.94991
119Farley$10.911,723
120Oakland$10.851,519
121Moville$10.671,707
122Elk Run Heights$10.331,061
123Walcott$10.291,556
124Fredericksburg$10.27983
125Lake Park$10.251,155
126Inwood$10.22962
127Central City$10.011,254
128Epworth$9.422,042
129Lake View$9.391,120
130Paullina$9.21979
131Fairbank$9.001,133
132Walford$8.721,357
133Keosauqua$8.58944
134Lone Tree$8.131,341
135Riverside$8.021,063
136Larchwood$7.52954
137North English$7.491,030
138Sloan$7.491,078
139Lawton$7.10949
140Arnolds Park$4.951,214

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$432,48651%
  • Debt Service Levy$227,79927%
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$114,46813%
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$74,7739%

Budget and spending

Reading a local budget

Where each dollar of State Center’s budget goes, FY26

Business Type / Enterprise: 62¢ of every dollar62¢Capital Projects: 15¢ of every dollar15¢Public Safety: 6¢ of every dollarDebt Service: 5¢ of every dollarCulture and Recreation: 5¢ of every dollarEverything else: 6¢ 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 139 Iowa cities closest in size (940–2,100 people).

Where it goesOf each dollarCities this size (139)
Business Type / Enterprise62¢41¢
Capital Projects15¢12¢
Public Safety6¢10¢
Debt Service5¢6¢
Culture and Recreation5¢8¢
Everything else6¢22¢

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$1.6M48%
  • Public Safety$422,67013%
  • Debt Service$380,87012%
  • Public Works$354,21011%
  • Culture and Recreation$277,0909%
  • General Government$206,5506%
  • Community and Economic Development$37,0001%

The state’s FY27 file doesn’t include business type / enterprise yet ($4.4M in FY26), so this total is low.

Budget compared with what it spent, FY23
FunctionBudgetSpent
Public Works$248,265$262,605
Public Safety$280,240$463,363
Health and Social Services$0$0
General Government$134,785$119,904
Debt Service$279,556$293,622
Culture and Recreation$339,360$309,018
Community and Economic Development$54,000$55,428
Capital Projects$35,000$22,105
Business Type / Enterprise$3.9M$3.2M

What it spent each year

FY24 left out4

$7.9M
’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’25

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? 5

What the state pays the city

$230,679 in FY25: up 22% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 3% less. Road Use Tax, the money for streets the state sends every year by formula, is up 4% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 17% less; grants come and go.

In today's dollarsActual dollars
0$200,000$400,000$600,000$800,000’19’21’23’25Today's $Actual
0$200,000$400,000$600,000$800,000’19’20’21’22’23’24’25Today's $Actual
SourceFY22FY23FY24FY25
Road Use Tax (streets)$194,205$191,417$196,482$197,549
Iowa DOT projects$310,709–––
Other state money$38,072–––
State grants––$18,498$29,125
Other–$28,464––
Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)$6,385–$4,807$4,005
Iowa Department of Natural Resources$3,500–––
Show the numbers
SourceFY22FY23FY24FY25
Road Use Tax (streets)$194,205$191,417$196,482$197,549
Iowa DOT projects$310,709–––
Other state money$38,072–––
State grants––$18,498$29,125
Other–$28,464––
Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)$6,385–$4,807$4,005
Iowa Department of Natural Resources$3,500–––

Has it kept up with prices?

Each source from FY19 to FY25, after inflation.

  • Road Use Tax (streets)−17%$189,665 → $197,549, up 4% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 17% 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 27% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 1% more.

$208,800
$193,400
’19’20’21’22’23’24’25

Federal grants, for comparison: $47,155 in FY25.

Elections

Most recent: November 4, 2025

City · 2

3 seats: the top 3 win.

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

Related places

At the Statehouse and in Congress6

Kara Warme (Sen. 26)Brett Barker (Rep. 51)

U.S. House:District 4

Marshall CountyWest Marshall schools