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Local taxes › Pottawattamie County › Avoca

City

Avoca

Pottawattamie County · How cities work

$2,870 a yearproperty tax on a $200,000 home here, FY27, for every local government ($34.07 per $1,000 of taxable value)1
$1,140 a yearof that goes to the city ($13.51 per $1,000)
$937,290property taxes the city levies, FY27
$5.6Mcity 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.

  • Dean Wayne KrohnAvoca City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Deb CalhoonAvoca City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Ryan PetersenAvoca City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Tom BruckAvoca Mayor · elected November 4, 2025
  • Drew BeckerAvoca City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Robert McCarthyAvoca 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 Avoca

Homes and businesses in most of Avoca pay a combined $34.07 per $1,000 of taxable value (FY27). They pay it all to the Pottawattamie County treasurer, who passes each government its share; the city sets and gets only its own piece, $13.51. Estimate your bill.

Rates over time

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

YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$35.22$14.84
FY21$36.31$15.28
FY22$35.93$15.15
FY23$35.77$14.36
FY24$36.51$15.06
FY25$35.37$14.13
FY26$35.09$14.31
FY27$34.07$13.51
Show the numbers
YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$35.22$14.84
FY21$36.31$15.28
FY22$35.93$15.15
FY23$35.77$14.36
FY24$36.51$15.06
FY25$35.37$14.13
FY26$35.09$14.31
FY27$34.07$13.51

Compared with places this size3

Avoca’s city property tax rate of $13.51 per $1,000 is the 47th lowest of 110 Iowa cities with 1,100–2,500 people. The middle of the group is $14.10.

Elkader: $27.11Laurens: $24.16Pocahontas: $20.79Rockwell City: $20.74Belmond: $19.86Sac City: $19.69Traer: $19.56Corning: $19.36Lake City: $19.32Corydon: $18.22Toledo: $18.21La Porte City: $18.08Dysart: $17.95Britt: $17.72Strawberry Point: $17.58Manson: $16.87Fayette: $16.85Nashua: $16.81Ackley: $16.63West Union: $16.60Audubon: $16.52Roland: $16.51Monona: $16.41Belle Plaine: $16.34Colfax: $16.25Durant: $16.24Lamoni: $16.15Marengo: $16.10Dike: $15.94Holstein: $15.81State Center: $15.80Pleasantville: $15.80Postville: $15.68Earlham: $15.55Shell Rock: $15.52Brooklyn: $15.49Stuart: $15.48Mount Ayr: $15.32Granger: $15.22Sigourney: $15.20Guttenberg: $15.19Logan: $15.05Tripoli: $14.99Sumner: $14.83Woodbine: $14.80Bedford: $14.66Lenox: $14.65Manning: $14.62Van Meter: $14.60Coon Rapids: $14.49Nora Springs: $14.25Kingsley: $14.25Urbana: $14.20Parkersburg: $14.15Hartley: $14.11Ida Grove: $14.10Woodward: $14.05Guthrie Center: $14.04Alton: $13.87Lake Mills: $13.82Montezuma: $13.79Gilbert: $13.71Clarksville: $13.53Glidden: $13.43Wapello: $13.29Manly: $13.29Springville: $13.22Greenfield: $13.13Akron: $12.93Leon: $12.93New Sharon: $12.80Slater: $12.79Buffalo: $12.68Bellevue: $12.67Sanborn: $12.62New London: $12.56Lisbon: $12.50Dallas Center: $12.42Remsen: $12.32Monroe: $12.28Denver: $12.27Alta: $12.13Reinbeck: $12.10Atkins: $11.99Wellman: $11.88Blue Grass: $11.79Hull: $11.79Columbus Junction: $11.71Cascade: $11.64Palo: $11.49Prairie City: $11.38Northwood: $11.28Mediapolis: $11.27Melcher-Dallas: $11.21University Heights: $11.12Ely: $11.08Ogden: $10.99Farley: $10.91Oakland: $10.85Moville: $10.67Walcott: $10.29Lake Park: $10.25Central City: $10.01Peosta: $9.82Epworth: $9.42Fairbank: $9.00Walford: $8.72Lone Tree: $8.13Arnolds Park: $4.95Avoca: $13.51$4.95 lowest$27.11 highestmiddle
See all 110
#PlaceRate per $1,000People
1Elkader$27.111,192
2Laurens$24.161,253
3Pocahontas$20.791,848
4Rockwell City$20.742,185
5Belmond$19.862,405
6Sac City$19.691,992
7Traer$19.561,547
8Corning$19.361,509
9Lake City$19.321,656
10Corydon$18.221,563
11Toledo$18.212,372
12La Porte City$18.082,267
13Dysart$17.951,266
14Britt$17.722,001
15Strawberry Point$17.581,141
16Manson$16.871,646
17Fayette$16.851,193
18Nashua$16.811,515
19Ackley$16.631,538
20West Union$16.602,435
21Audubon$16.522,008
22Roland$16.511,376
23Monona$16.411,462
24Belle Plaine$16.342,335
25Colfax$16.252,305
26Durant$16.241,798
27Lamoni$16.152,072
28Marengo$16.102,415
29Dike$15.941,293
30Holstein$15.811,475
31State Center$15.801,403
32Pleasantville$15.801,696
33Postville$15.682,418
34Earlham$15.551,411
35Shell Rock$15.521,265
36Brooklyn$15.491,474
37Stuart$15.481,887
38Mount Ayr$15.321,616
39Granger$15.222,095
40Sigourney$15.201,974
41Guttenberg$15.191,804
42Logan$15.051,351
43Tripoli$14.991,208
44Sumner$14.832,032
45Woodbine$14.801,707
46Bedford$14.661,474
47Lenox$14.651,355
48Manning$14.621,390
49Van Meter$14.601,840
50Coon Rapids$14.491,258
51Nora Springs$14.251,330
52Kingsley$14.251,394
53Urbana$14.201,635
54Parkersburg$14.151,986
55Hartley$14.111,584
56Ida Grove$14.101,988
57Woodward$14.051,383
58Guthrie Center$14.041,579
59Alton$13.871,248
60Lake Mills$13.822,077
61Montezuma$13.791,421
62Gilbert$13.711,397
63Clarksville$13.531,238
64Avoca$13.511,685
65Glidden$13.431,140
66Wapello$13.292,026
67Manly$13.291,233
68Springville$13.221,161
69Greenfield$13.131,988
70Akron$12.931,545
71Leon$12.931,779
72New Sharon$12.801,249
73Slater$12.791,626
74Buffalo$12.681,163
75Bellevue$12.672,321
76Sanborn$12.621,463
77New London$12.561,853
78Lisbon$12.502,238
79Dallas Center$12.421,993
80Remsen$12.321,681
81Monroe$12.282,021
82Denver$12.271,955
83Alta$12.132,039
84Reinbeck$12.101,673
85Atkins$11.992,168
86Wellman$11.881,531
87Blue Grass$11.791,707
88Hull$11.792,459
89Columbus Junction$11.711,794
90Cascade$11.642,396
91Palo$11.491,554
92Prairie City$11.381,722
93Northwood$11.282,047
94Mediapolis$11.271,679
95Melcher-Dallas$11.211,193
96University Heights$11.121,188
97Ely$11.082,371
98Ogden$10.991,970
99Farley$10.911,723
100Oakland$10.851,519
101Moville$10.671,707
102Walcott$10.291,556
103Lake Park$10.251,155
104Central City$10.011,254
105Peosta$9.822,195
106Epworth$9.422,042
107Fairbank$9.001,133
108Walford$8.721,357
109Lone Tree$8.131,341
110Arnolds Park$4.951,214

The $8.10 limit

Avoca’s general levy is $8.78 per $1,000 of taxable value in FY27, $0.68 above the limit; it has to come down in steps.4 4 of 934 Iowa cities have a higher general levy. All cities.

FY23 $8.10 · FY24 $8.10 · FY25 $8.78 · FY26 $8.78 · FY27 $8.78 (before FY25, the general levy alone)

Outside the limit: $4.74 more5

  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$2.83 · $196,008
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$1.90 · $131,731

Tax increment financing (TIF)

$21.4M of taxable value in Avoca is in TIF districts’ increment (23% of the city’s taxable value), 2025 valuations, taxed in FY27.6 It budgeted $82,053 in TIF revenue for FY25.

$1.7M
$60,753

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 $289,469 of the city’s own.

  • Ahstw schools$175,461
  • Pottawattamie County$141,163
YearTIF revenue
FY16$950,041
FY17$961,777
FY18$1.3M
FY19$1.4M
FY20$1.6M
FY21$1.7M
FY22$1.3M
FY23$60,753
Show the numbers
YearTIF revenue
FY16$950,041
FY17$961,777
FY18$1.3M
FY19$1.4M
FY20$1.6M
FY21$1.7M
FY22$1.3M
FY23$60,753

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$606,93665%
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$196,00821%
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$131,73114%

Budget and spending

Reading a local budget

Where each dollar of Avoca’s budget goes, FY26

Capital Projects: 68¢ of every dollar68¢Business Type / Enterprise: 12¢ of every dollar12¢Culture and Recreation: 8¢ of every dollar8¢Public Safety: 5¢ of every dollarPublic Works: 3¢ of every dollarEverything else: 4¢ 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 109 Iowa cities closest in size (1,100–2,500 people).

Where it goesOf each dollarCities this size (109)
Capital Projects68¢13¢
Business Type / Enterprise12¢41¢
Culture and Recreation8¢8¢
Public Safety5¢11¢
Public Works3¢12¢
Everything else4¢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.

  • Capital Projects$2.6M46%
  • Culture and Recreation$1.1M19%
  • Public Works$732,29513%
  • Debt Service$451,8008%
  • Public Safety$395,6857%
  • General Government$342,9126%
  • Community and Economic Development$65,8751%
  • Health and Social Services$1,0000%

The state’s FY27 file doesn’t include business type / enterprise yet ($1.4M in FY26), so this total is low.

Budget compared with what it spent, FY23
FunctionBudgetSpent
Public Works$421,400$350,408
Public Safety$287,485$228,688
Health and Social Services$3,250$25
General Government$322,880$332,461
Debt Service$428,500$425,618
Culture and Recreation$1.0M$828,260
Community and Economic Development$65,700$69,088
Capital Projects$824,000$820,260
Business Type / Enterprise$1.0M$900,008

What it spent each year

FY24 left out8

$7.6M
$5.7M

Debt, reserves and audits

How local debt works · What an audit tells you

What Avoca owes

$8.6M at June 30, 2026: $5,117 per resident. 123rd most per resident of 939 Iowa places of its kind (the list).9

$8.6M
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$8.6M$5,117
2025$3.6M$2,146
2024$3.9M$2,332
2023$5.0M$2,955
2022$4.7M$2,807
2021$5.6M$3,315
2020$4.7M$2,787
2019$4.1M$2,440
2018$5.6M$3,349
2017$6.0M$3,584
2016$5.1M$3,023
2015$3.7M$2,216
2014$4.1M$2,423
2013$2.5M$1,459
2012$3.1M$1,833
2011$2.3M$1,356
2010$2.1M$1,238
Show the numbers
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$8.6M$5,117
2025$3.6M$2,146
2024$3.9M$2,332
2023$5.0M$2,955
2022$4.7M$2,807
2021$5.6M$3,315
2020$4.7M$2,787
2019$4.1M$2,440
2018$5.6M$3,349
2017$6.0M$3,584
2016$5.1M$3,023
2015$3.7M$2,216
2014$4.1M$2,423
2013$2.5M$1,459
2012$3.1M$1,833
2011$2.3M$1,356
2010$2.1M$1,238

Up 313% since 2010.

The 5% limit10

General obligation debt is $5.4M, 72% of the limit of about $7.6M (5% of $151.0M, the full value of its taxable property in 2024).

6 obligations at June 30, 2026
KindForPaid off byOwed
General ObligationFire Station and Community Center2045$5.4M
Revenue BondsRevenue Bond - Water2040$1.5M
Revenue Bonds2011 SEWER BOND2039$1.0M
Loans450th St Improvement - Internal Loan2033$501,718
Revenue Bonds2010 STORM WATER2030$125,300
General ObligationStreet projects - 20192030$0

General obligation bonds are repaid from property taxes; revenue bonds and loans from the fees or revenue they’re tied to. On the Treasurer’s site

Money in reserve

The state’s budget files don’t include cities’ fund balances11. Avoca’s latest audit has them: Financial Statement, period ending Sunday, June 30, 2024 (PDF).

Audits12

The latest: Financial Statement for the period ending Sunday, June 30, 2024 (PDF), released Tuesday, July 1, 2025, by a CPA firm.

14 earlier reports for Avoca

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? 13

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: $283,662 in FY25, up 4% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 17% less. Grants are below.

Show the numbers
SourceFY22FY23FY24FY25
Road Use Tax (streets)$232,797$231,600$237,728$239,018
Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)–$25,754$52,240$44,644

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.

$232,699
$6,422
  • State grants$6,422100%
YearGrants and projects
FY19$95,035
FY20$71,935
FY21$232,699
FY22$40,034
FY23$2,927
FY24$31,618
FY25$6,422
Show the numbers
YearGrants and projects
FY19$95,035
FY20$71,935
FY21$232,699
FY22$40,034
FY23$2,927
FY24$31,618
FY25$6,422

Has it kept up with prices?

Each source from FY19 to FY25, after inflation.

  • Road Use Tax (streets)−13%$218,194 → $239,018, up 10% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 13% less
  • Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)−35%$54,732 → $44,644, down 18% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 35% 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 51% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 21% more.

$339,860

Federal grants, for comparison: $113,712 in FY23.

Business awards

Every award statewide

Elections

Running for mayor and city council

Filing opens Monday, August 23, 2027: in 284 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)14.

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 · 2

3 seats: the top 3 win.

Local races from civicAPI and county auditors for Avoca; 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.

  • Avoca City Council At-Large (2 seats)
    Now held by Robert McCarthy, Drew Becker
  • Avoca Mayor
    Now held by Tom Bruck
  • Avoca Park and Recreation

Candidates as county auditors and civicAPI list them; a filing can take a few days to appear here15.

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 ballot16.

Related places

At the Statehouse and in Congress17

Jason Schultz (Sen. 6)Craig Steven Williams (Rep. 11)

U.S. House:District 4

Pottawattamie CountyA-H-S-T schools