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Local taxes › Plymouth County › Merrill

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Merrill

Plymouth County · How cities work

$2,360 a yearproperty tax on a $200,000 home here, FY27, for every local government ($28.04 per $1,000 of taxable value)1
$980 a yearof that goes to the city ($11.64 per $1,000)
$368,887property taxes the city levies, FY27
$866,947city 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.

  • Bruce E. NorgaardMerrill Mayor · elected November 4, 2025
  • Jacob ConleyMerrill City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Randy HoytMerrill City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Carla RiekenMerrill City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Logan P. HeldMerrill City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Vicky HemmelmanMerrill 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 Merrill

Homes and businesses in most of Merrill pay a combined $28.04 per $1,000 of taxable value (FY27). They pay it all to the Plymouth County treasurer, who passes each government its share; the city sets and gets only its own piece, $11.64. Estimate your bill.

Rates over time

Per $1,000 of taxable value: the typical combined rate people in Merrill 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$24.72$8.80
FY21$24.14$8.57
FY22$23.93$8.56
FY23$24.20$9.04
FY24$24.71$9.54
FY25$24.31$9.50
FY26$27.61$10.78
FY27$28.04$11.64
Show the numbers
YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$24.72$8.80
FY21$24.14$8.57
FY22$23.93$8.56
FY23$24.20$9.04
FY24$24.71$9.54
FY25$24.31$9.50
FY26$27.61$10.78
FY27$28.04$11.64

Compared with places this size3

Merrill’s city property tax rate of $11.64 per $1,000 is the 66th lowest of 187 Iowa cities with 480–1,100 people. The middle of the group is $12.87.

Exira: $24.81Rolfe: $22.67Dayton: $22.51Charter Oak: $21.32Correctionville: $19.84Pomeroy: $19.60Allison: $19.06Dumont: $19.04Seymour: $18.78Dexter: $18.69Fonda: $18.52Kanawha: $18.11Swea City: $18.04Greene: $17.91Alden: $17.90Elma: $17.82Dows: $17.70New Hartford: $17.69Lansing: $17.67Rockwell: $17.54Walnut: $17.46Murray: $17.44Thompson: $17.25Gowrie: $17.17Colo: $17.14Latimer: $16.96Adair: $16.84Eddyville: $16.82Elk Horn: $16.78Oxford: $16.70Buffalo Center: $16.58Whittemore: $16.54Bancroft: $16.52Titonka: $16.45Eldon: $16.42Early: $16.35Truro: $16.34Mechanicsville: $16.12Scranton: $16.01Armstrong: $15.87Ruthven: $15.84Minden: $15.77Walker: $15.74Newell: $15.49Riceville: $15.31Neola: $15.30Sidney: $15.19Gilbertville: $15.15Stanwood: $15.12Stratford: $15.03Griswold: $15.01Zearing: $14.99Readlyn: $14.99Wyoming: $14.81Hopkinton: $14.79Essex: $14.76Gilmore City: $14.60Dunlap: $14.56Garnavillo: $14.52Maxwell: $14.50Sabula: $14.38Collins: $14.32Clermont: $14.30Moulton: $14.25Mcgregor: $14.20Olin: $14.19Primghar: $14.18Farragut: $14.07Elgin: $14.05Dow City: $13.94Ossian: $13.88Redfield: $13.73Victor: $13.72Edgewood: $13.64Sioux Rapids: $13.63Donnellson: $13.63Gladbrook: $13.58Rockford: $13.52Janesville: $13.43Boyden: $13.39Baxter: $13.32Anita: $13.28Van Horne: $13.27Keota: $13.21Shellsburg: $13.20De Soto: $13.18Quasqueton: $13.12Farmington: $13.10Anthon: $13.05Odebolt: $13.00Coggon: $12.99Earlville: $12.90Brighton: $12.88Danville: $12.87Underwood: $12.85Malvern: $12.79Montrose: $12.78Goldfield: $12.73Wellsburg: $12.68Delmar: $12.68Badger: $12.67Stanton: $12.62Hospers: $12.58Everly: $12.51Hazleton: $12.48West Point: $12.39Hinton: $12.38Preston: $12.38Alburnett: $12.30Hubbard: $12.30Moravia: $12.27Hedrick: $12.22Carson: $12.22Wheatland: $12.18Schaller: $12.14Winfield: $12.04Afton: $11.96Lowden: $11.93Tabor: $11.88Albert City: $11.88Aurelia: $11.84Ellsworth: $11.57Morning Sun: $11.50Battle Creek: $11.49Wall Lake: $11.43West Bend: $11.42Dakota City: $11.39Marcus: $11.31Dunkerton: $11.30Sutherland: $11.25Arcadia: $11.23Whiting: $11.21Shelby: $11.17Blairstown: $11.04Manilla: $11.01Hamburg: $10.95Clarence: $10.94Ireton: $10.93Fontanelle: $10.88Richland: $10.82Grand Mound: $10.78Cambridge: $10.53Swisher: $10.39Schleswig: $10.39Melbourne: $10.38Radcliffe: $10.37Elk Run Heights: $10.33Fredericksburg: $10.27Ventura: $10.22Inwood: $10.22Milo: $10.20Hartford: $10.16What Cheer: $10.01Newhall: $9.99Cumming: $9.85Graettinger: $9.81Breda: $9.80Doon: $9.78Long Grove: $9.59Paullina: $9.21Winthrop: $8.94Crescent: $8.72Ainsworth: $8.62Keosauqua: $8.58Grand Junction: $8.57Princeton: $8.24Gilman: $8.10Lakeside: $8.10Kellogg: $8.10Riverside: $8.02Agency: $7.94Hills: $7.94Fremont: $7.86Larchwood: $7.52North English: $7.49Sully: $7.41Fruitland: $7.21Lawton: $7.10Wayland: $7.07Raymond: $6.85Keystone: $6.80Shueyville: $6.79New Virginia: $5.97University Park: $5.27Orleans: $4.13Okoboji: $3.83Merrill: $11.64$3.83 lowest$24.81 highestmiddle
See all 187
#PlaceRate per $1,000People
1Exira$24.81766
2Rolfe$22.67505
3Dayton$22.51766
4Charter Oak$21.32521
5Correctionville$19.84759
6Pomeroy$19.60511
7Allison$19.06937
8Dumont$19.04614
9Seymour$18.78646
10Dexter$18.69631
11Fonda$18.52636
12Kanawha$18.11638
13Swea City$18.04545
14Greene$17.91971
15Alden$17.90738
16Elma$17.82493
17Dows$17.70509
18New Hartford$17.69555
19Lansing$17.67959
20Rockwell$17.541,044
21Walnut$17.46728
22Murray$17.44609
23Thompson$17.25478
24Gowrie$17.17943
25Colo$17.14856
26Latimer$16.96477
27Adair$16.84792
28Eddyville$16.82965
29Elk Horn$16.78631
30Oxford$16.70715
31Buffalo Center$16.58839
32Whittemore$16.54478
33Bancroft$16.52677
34Titonka$16.45491
35Eldon$16.42788
36Early$16.35571
37Truro$16.34515
38Mechanicsville$16.12974
39Scranton$16.01496
40Armstrong$15.87847
41Ruthven$15.84710
42Minden$15.77581
43Walker$15.74671
44Newell$15.49850
45Riceville$15.31807
46Neola$15.30917
47Sidney$15.191,048
48Gilbertville$15.15792
49Stanwood$15.12612
50Stratford$15.03688
51Griswold$15.01975
52Zearing$14.99508
53Readlyn$14.99857
54Wyoming$14.81526
55Hopkinton$14.79622
56Essex$14.76721
57Gilmore City$14.60484
58Dunlap$14.561,030
59Garnavillo$14.52751
60Maxwell$14.50862
61Sabula$14.38498
62Collins$14.32503
63Clermont$14.30571
64Moulton$14.25596
65Mcgregor$14.20725
66Olin$14.19652
67Primghar$14.18893
68Farragut$14.07480
69Elgin$14.05676
70Dow City$13.94477
71Ossian$13.88777
72Redfield$13.73719
73Victor$13.72852
74Edgewood$13.64908
75Sioux Rapids$13.63722
76Donnellson$13.63859
77Gladbrook$13.58775
78Rockford$13.52722
79Janesville$13.431,052
80Boyden$13.39694
81Baxter$13.32983
82Anita$13.28953
83Van Horne$13.27768
84Keota$13.21888
85Shellsburg$13.20987
86De Soto$13.18937
87Quasqueton$13.12587
88Farmington$13.10583
89Anthon$13.05534
90Odebolt$13.00967
91Coggon$12.99691
92Earlville$12.90713
93Brighton$12.88592
94Danville$12.87910
95Underwood$12.85973
96Malvern$12.791,056
97Montrose$12.78734
98Goldfield$12.73617
99Wellsburg$12.68709
100Delmar$12.68541
101Badger$12.67540
102Stanton$12.62664
103Hospers$12.58703
104Everly$12.51570
105Hazleton$12.48711
106West Point$12.39903
107Hinton$12.38959
108Preston$12.38940
109Alburnett$12.30672
110Hubbard$12.30837
111Moravia$12.27625
112Hedrick$12.22717
113Carson$12.22772
114Wheatland$12.18765
115Schaller$12.14702
116Winfield$12.041,006
117Afton$11.96864
118Lowden$11.93767
119Tabor$11.88983
120Albert City$11.88627
121Aurelia$11.84970
122Merrill$11.64713
123Ellsworth$11.57495
124Morning Sun$11.50702
125Battle Creek$11.49683
126Wall Lake$11.43739
127West Bend$11.42770
128Dakota City$11.39764
129Marcus$11.311,069
130Dunkerton$11.30840
131Sutherland$11.25628
132Arcadia$11.23588
133Whiting$11.21725
134Shelby$11.17730
135Blairstown$11.04705
136Manilla$11.01756
137Hamburg$10.95863
138Clarence$10.94991
139Ireton$10.93571
140Fontanelle$10.88684
141Richland$10.82532
142Grand Mound$10.78608
143Cambridge$10.53844
144Swisher$10.39909
145Schleswig$10.39820
146Melbourne$10.38771
147Radcliffe$10.37540
148Elk Run Heights$10.331,061
149Fredericksburg$10.27983
150Ventura$10.22701
151Inwood$10.22962
152Milo$10.20762
153Hartford$10.16729
154What Cheer$10.01595
155Newhall$9.99887
156Cumming$9.85527
157Graettinger$9.81810
158Breda$9.80492
159Doon$9.78640
160Long Grove$9.59849
161Paullina$9.21979
162Winthrop$8.94814
163Crescent$8.72626
164Ainsworth$8.62511
165Keosauqua$8.58944
166Grand Junction$8.57715
167Princeton$8.24917
168Gilman$8.10530
169Lakeside$8.10695
170Kellogg$8.10597
171Riverside$8.021,063
172Agency$7.94623
173Hills$7.94911
174Fremont$7.86688
175Larchwood$7.52954
176North English$7.491,030
177Sully$7.41891
178Fruitland$7.21928
179Lawton$7.10949
180Wayland$7.07935
181Raymond$6.85754
182Keystone$6.80616
183Shueyville$6.79725
184New Virginia$5.97499
185University Park$5.27476
186Orleans$4.13503
187Okoboji$3.83729

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$240,90065%
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$64,93718%
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$62,54417%

Budget and spending

Reading a local budget

Where each dollar of Merrill’s budget goes, FY26

Capital Projects: 29¢ of every dollar29¢Public Safety: 19¢ of every dollar19¢Business Type / Enterprise: 17¢ of every dollar17¢Public Works: 14¢ of every dollar14¢General Government: 12¢ of every dollar12¢Everything else: 10¢ of every dollar10¢

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 186 Iowa cities closest in size (480–1,100 people).

Where it goesOf each dollarCities this size (186)
Capital Projects29¢7¢
Public Safety19¢9¢
Business Type / Enterprise17¢40¢
Public Works14¢17¢
General Government12¢10¢
Everything else10¢16¢

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$260,52430%
  • Public Works$210,32724%
  • General Government$178,04621%
  • Culture and Recreation$126,64415%
  • Debt Service$70,1568%
  • Community and Economic Development$21,2502%

The state’s FY27 file doesn’t include business type / enterprise yet ($247,508 in FY26), so this total is low.

Budget compared with what it spent, FY23
FunctionBudgetSpent
Public Works$211,736$189,771
Public Safety$263,558$283,762
Health and Social Services$0$3,000
General Government$160,313$164,631
Debt Service$0$0
Culture and Recreation$98,481$94,017
Community and Economic Development$7,500$10,278
Capital Projects$0$0
Business Type / Enterprise$245,471$240,639

What it spent each year

FY24 left out4

$1.6M
’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 every year

Road Use Tax for streets, the commercial and industrial tax “backfill”, and ambulance reimbursement, paid every year by formula: $115,108 in FY25, up 18% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 6% less. Grants are below.

In today's dollarsActual dollars
$50,000$87,500$125,000$162,500$200,000’19’21’23’25Today's $Actual
$50,000$87,500$125,000$162,500$200,000’19’20’21’22’23’24’25Today's $Actual
Show the numbers
SourceFY22FY23FY24FY25
Road Use Tax (streets)$102,334$98,667$101,278$101,828
Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)$3,483$3,048$1,484$13,280

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.

$6,226
$1,141
’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
  • State grants$1,141100%
YearGrants and projects
FY19$5,610
FY20$6,226
FY21$5,119
FY22$0
FY23$0
FY24$1,090
FY25$1,141
Show the numbers
YearGrants and projects
FY19$5,610
FY20$6,226
FY21$5,119
FY22$0
FY23$0
FY24$1,090
FY25$1,141

Has it kept up with prices?

Each source from FY19 to FY25, after inflation.

  • Road Use Tax (streets)−17%$97,535 → $101,828, 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 50% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 20% more.

$113,365
$112,237
’19’20’21’22’23’24’25

Federal grants, for comparison: $9,260 in FY25.

Elections

Most recent: November 4, 2025

City · 2

2 seats: the top 2 win.

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

Related places

At the Statehouse and in Congress6

Kevin Alons (Sen. 7)Travis M. Sitzmann (Rep. 13)

U.S. House:District 4

Plymouth CountyLe Mars schools