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Local taxes › Mills County › Glenwood

City

Glenwood

Mills County · How cities work

$3,010 a yearproperty tax on a $200,000 home here, FY27, for every local government ($35.74 per $1,000 of taxable value)1
$1,240 a yearof that goes to the city ($14.77 per $1,000)
$3.4Mproperty taxes the city levies, FY27
$9.0Mcity budget, all funds, FY272

Who runs it

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

  • Angela WinquistGlenwood Mayor · elected November 4, 2025
  • Mike LinesGlenwood City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Tim ReinertGlenwood City Council Ward 3 · elected November 4, 2025
  • Christina DuranGlenwood City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Donald L. KatesGlenwood City Council Ward 2 · elected November 7, 2023
  • Natalie McEwenGlenwood City Council Ward 1 · 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 Glenwood

Homes and businesses in most of Glenwood pay a combined $35.74 per $1,000 of taxable value (FY27). They pay it all to the Mills County treasurer, who passes each government its share; the city sets and gets only its own piece, $14.77. Estimate your bill.

Rates over time

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

YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$40.39$15.31
FY21$40.59$15.67
FY22$40.97$15.56
FY23$40.10$15.52
FY24$40.73$15.60
FY25$37.48$14.59
FY26$36.82$15.43
FY27$35.74$14.77
Show the numbers
YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$40.39$15.31
FY21$40.59$15.67
FY22$40.97$15.56
FY23$40.10$15.52
FY24$40.73$15.60
FY25$37.48$14.59
FY26$36.82$15.43
FY27$35.74$14.77

Compared with places this size3

Glenwood’s city property tax rate of $14.77 per $1,000 is the 27th lowest of 60 Iowa cities with 3,600–7,800 people. The middle of the group is $14.87.

Red Oak: $20.65Oelwein: $20.16Albia: $19.70Eagle Grove: $19.32Independence: $19.01Iowa Falls: $18.86West Liberty: $18.68Chariton: $18.37Atlantic: $17.48Knoxville: $17.46Clarinda: $17.25Centerville: $16.85Algona: $16.75Webster City: $16.51Vinton: $16.25Winterset: $16.15Cresco: $16.13Humboldt: $16.00Anamosa: $15.95Charles City: $15.95Forest City: $15.77Decorah: $15.52Sheldon: $15.33Estherville: $15.27Washington: $15.21Harlan: $15.07Shenandoah: $15.02Creston: $14.99Manchester: $14.96Jefferson: $14.88Hampton: $14.86Carlisle: $14.82Cherokee: $14.82Waukon: $14.76Nevada: $14.58Monticello: $14.49Osceola: $14.37Windsor Heights: $14.30Osage: $14.29Orange City: $14.01Hiawatha: $13.78Rock Valley: $13.76Sergeant Bluff: $13.70Emmetsburg: $13.70Mount Vernon: $13.50Adel: $13.43Maquoketa: $12.85Camanche: $12.75Le Claire: $12.64Tiffin: $11.80Huxley: $11.68Polk City: $11.00Carter Lake: $10.67Dyersville: $10.27Spirit Lake: $10.17Clear Lake: $9.85Asbury: $8.32Eldridge: $8.13Evansdale: $8.00Glenwood: $14.77$8.00 lowest$20.65 highestmiddle
See all 60
#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
9Atlantic$17.486,717
10Knoxville$17.467,440
11Clarinda$17.255,334
12Centerville$16.855,345
13Algona$16.755,341
14Webster City$16.517,763
15Vinton$16.254,962
16Winterset$16.155,421
17Cresco$16.133,890
18Humboldt$16.004,774
19Anamosa$15.955,845
20Charles City$15.957,081
21Forest City$15.774,199
22Decorah$15.527,454
23Sheldon$15.335,584
24Estherville$15.275,796
25Washington$15.217,281
26Harlan$15.074,898
27Shenandoah$15.024,878
28Creston$14.997,421
29Manchester$14.965,283
30Jefferson$14.884,148
31Hampton$14.864,340
32Carlisle$14.824,381
33Cherokee$14.825,186
34Glenwood$14.775,250
35Waukon$14.763,799
36Nevada$14.587,082
37Monticello$14.494,095
38Osceola$14.375,585
39Windsor Heights$14.305,106
40Osage$14.293,559
41Orange City$14.016,547
42Hiawatha$13.787,347
43Rock Valley$13.764,024
44Sergeant Bluff$13.705,335
45Emmetsburg$13.703,632
46Mount Vernon$13.504,518
47Adel$13.436,763
48Maquoketa$12.856,064
49Camanche$12.754,536
50Le Claire$12.644,776
51Tiffin$11.806,695
52Huxley$11.684,737
53Polk City$11.006,430
54Carter Lake$10.673,752
55Dyersville$10.274,559
56Spirit Lake$10.175,548
57Clear Lake$9.857,602
58Asbury$8.326,051
59Eldridge$8.136,967
60Evansdale$8.004,515

The $8.10 limit

Glenwood’s general levy is $7.81 per $1,000 of taxable value in FY27, $0.29 below the limit.4 693 of 934 Iowa cities have a higher general levy. All cities.

FY23 $8.10 · FY24 $8.10 · FY25 $8.13 · FY26 $8.05 · FY27 $7.81 (before FY25, the general levy alone)

Outside the limit: $6.96 more5

  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$3.90 · $884,062
  • Debt Service Levy$1.88 · $445,519
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$1.18 · $267,900

Tax increment financing (TIF)

$4.1M of taxable value in Glenwood is in TIF districts’ increment (2% of the city’s taxable value), 2025 valuations, taxed in FY27.6 It budgeted $213,781 in TIF revenue for FY25.

$260,676
$23,281

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 $53,201 of the city’s own.

  • Glenwood schools$47,931
  • Mills County$21,891
YearTIF revenue
FY16$238,636
FY17$223,363
FY18$260,676
FY19$226,701
FY20$41,675
FY21$42,054
FY22$23,281
Show the numbers
YearTIF revenue
FY16$238,636
FY17$223,363
FY18$260,676
FY19$226,701
FY20$41,675
FY21$42,054
FY22$23,281

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$1.8M53%
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$884,06226%
  • Debt Service Levy$445,51913%
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$267,9008%

Budget and spending

Reading a local budget

Where each dollar of Glenwood’s budget goes, FY26

Capital Projects: 43¢ of every dollar43¢Public Safety: 22¢ of every dollar22¢Culture and Recreation: 12¢ of every dollar12¢Public Works: 8¢ of every dollar8¢General Government: 7¢ of every dollar7¢Everything else: 9¢ of every dollar9¢

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 59 Iowa cities closest in size (3,600–7,800 people).

Where it goesOf each dollarCities this size (59)
Capital Projects43¢19¢
Public Safety22¢13¢
Culture and Recreation12¢8¢
Public Works8¢8¢
General Government7¢5¢
Everything else9¢10¢

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 Safety$3.0M33%
  • Capital Projects$2.2M24%
  • Culture and Recreation$1.0M11%
  • Public Works$876,42510%
  • Debt Service$828,8409%
  • General Government$805,3399%
  • Community and Economic Development$273,7573%
Budget compared with what it spent, FY23
FunctionBudgetSpent
Public Works$924,700$915,196
Public Safety$2.4M$2.0M
Health and Social Services$0$0
General Government$629,700$525,801
Debt Service$656,750$652,074
Culture and Recreation$1.2M$1.2M
Community and Economic Development$121,750$84,440
Capital Projects$230,775$5.2M
Business Type / Enterprise$0$0

What it spent each year

FY24 left out8

$20.0M

Debt, reserves and audits

How local debt works · What an audit tells you

What Glenwood owes

$7.7M at June 30, 2026: $1,512 per resident. 460th most per resident of 939 Iowa places of its kind (the list).9

$7.7M
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$7.7M$1,512
2025$7.2M$1,414
2024$5.8M$1,144
2023$7.0M$1,389
2022$7.0M$1,389
2021$6.9M$1,353
2020$4.7M$917
2019$4.9M$972
2018$5.2M$1,027
2017$5.6M$1,105
2016$5.9M$1,166
2015$2.3M$455
2014$2.3M$447
2013$2.8M$550
2012$3.4M$666
2011$3.8M$744
2010$4.8M$939
Show the numbers
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$7.7M$1,512
2025$7.2M$1,414
2024$5.8M$1,144
2023$7.0M$1,389
2022$7.0M$1,389
2021$6.9M$1,353
2020$4.7M$917
2019$4.9M$972
2018$5.2M$1,027
2017$5.6M$1,105
2016$5.9M$1,166
2015$2.3M$455
2014$2.3M$447
2013$2.8M$550
2012$3.4M$666
2011$3.8M$744
2010$4.8M$939

Up 61% since 2010.

Money in reserve

The state’s budget files don’t include cities’ fund balances10. Glenwood’s latest audit has them: Financial Statement, period ending Monday, June 30, 2025 (PDF).

Audits11

The latest: Financial Statement for the period ending Monday, June 30, 2025 (PDF), released Tuesday, January 27, 2026, by a CPA firm.

12 earlier reports for Glenwood

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? 12

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: $808,922 in FY25, up 13% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 10% less. Grants are below.

Show the numbers
SourceFY22FY23FY24FY25
Road Use Tax (streets)$706,146$698,101$716,574$720,464
Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)$34,622$82,551$80,478$88,458

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.

$209,111
$11,183
  • Liquor Profits$8,12473%
  • State grants$3,05927%
YearGrants and projects
FY19$9,652
FY20$13,402
FY21$102,016
FY22$22,136
FY23$13,959
FY24$209,111
FY25$11,183
Show the numbers
YearGrants and projects
FY19$9,652
FY20$13,402
FY21$102,016
FY22$22,136
FY23$13,959
FY24$209,111
FY25$11,183

Has it kept up with prices?

Each source from FY19 to FY25, after inflation.

  • Road Use Tax (streets)−16%$680,680 → $720,464, up 6% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 16% less
  • Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)+89%$37,357 → $88,458, up 137% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 89% 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 51% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 21% more.

$697,629
$662,411

Federal grants, for comparison: $10.5M in FY25.

Business awards

Every award statewide

Elections

Running for mayor and city council

Filing opens Monday, August 23, 2027: in 285 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)13.

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

Most recent: November 4, 2025

Ballot measures · 1

Passed Yes 62.2% (293) · No 37.8% (178)

Passes with more yes votes than no.

City · 3

Local races from civicAPI and county auditors for Glenwood; 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.

  • Glenwood City Council At-Large
    Now held by Christina Duran
  • Glenwood City Council Ward 1
    Now held by Natalie McEwen
  • Glenwood City Council Ward 2
    Now held by Donald L. Kates
  • Glenwood Mayor
    Now held by Angela Winquist

Candidates as county auditors and civicAPI list them; a filing can take a few days to appear here14.

Past ballot measures

  • Public Measure PNovember 4, 2025

    Passed Yes 62.2% (293) · No 37.8% (178)

    Passes with more yes votes than no.

  • Public Measure ONovember 7, 2023

    Passed Yes 65.3% (499) · No 34.7% (265)

    Passes with more yes votes than no.

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 ballot15.

Related places

At the Statehouse and in Congress16

Mark Costello (Sen. 8)David Sieck (Rep. 16)

U.S. House:District 4

Mills CountyGlenwood schools