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Local taxes › Pottawattamie County › Hancock

City

Hancock

Pottawattamie County · How cities work

$2,580 a yearproperty tax on a $200,000 home here, FY27, for every local government ($30.69 per $1,000 of taxable value)1
$850 a yearof that goes to the city ($10.13 per $1,000)
$127,327property taxes the city levies, FY27
$202,003city 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.

  • Danielle EmmerichHancock City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Kerri ChristianHancock City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Vince GuyerHancock Mayor · elected November 4, 2025
  • Jason BestHancock City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Linda WagemanHancock City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Nancy GressHancock 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 Hancock

Homes and businesses in most of Hancock pay a combined $30.69 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, $10.13. Estimate your bill.

Rates over time

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

YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$31.57$11.19
FY21$32.16$11.13
FY22$31.88$11.10
FY23$32.40$10.99
FY24$32.75$11.30
FY25$32.54$11.30
FY26$32.16$11.38
FY27$30.69$10.13
Show the numbers
YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$31.57$11.19
FY21$32.16$11.13
FY22$31.88$11.10
FY23$32.40$10.99
FY24$32.75$11.30
FY25$32.54$11.30
FY26$32.16$11.38
FY27$30.69$10.13

Compared with places this size3

Hancock’s city property tax rate of $10.13 per $1,000 is the 69th lowest of 201 Iowa cities with 130–300 people. The middle of the group is $11.54.

Brayton: $25.07Harris: $23.13Fenton: $22.05Soldier: $21.92Coulter: $21.80Chelsea: $21.61Smithland: $21.12Volga: $20.23Alta Vista: $19.88Arthur: $19.86Coin: $19.59Chester: $19.30Garden Grove: $19.20Hastings: $18.95Swaledale: $18.62Cumberland: $18.42Jamaica: $18.24Hillsboro: $17.68Bristow: $17.39Woolstock: $17.26Pisgah: $17.09Lakota: $16.84Marble Rock: $16.78Auburn: $16.65Prescott: $16.53Montour: $16.37Geneva: $16.25Corwith: $16.22Deep River: $16.18Waucoma: $16.17Little Sioux: $15.74Moorhead: $15.68Onslow: $15.63Linden: $15.62Woodburn: $15.59Kamrar: $15.47Greeley: $15.23Goodell: $15.16Riverton: $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: $14.05Palmer: $13.89Stockport: $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: $12.87Delaware: $12.86Patterson: $12.84Martelle: $12.83Malcom: $12.82Clemons: $12.69Blencoe: $12.57Maurice: $12.56Clearfield: $12.50Kensett: $12.47Millersburg: $12.40Aurora: $12.40Modale: $12.34Bridgewater: $12.29Blakesburg: $12.21Cushing: $12.18Hanlontown: $12.17Stout: $12.14Macedonia: $12.12Webb: $12.10Paton: $12.09Decatur: $12.08Kiron: $12.03Rembrandt: $12.03Shambaugh: $11.98Liscomb: $11.96Lone Rock: $11.92New Providence: $11.88Henderson: $11.85Parnell: $11.78Reasnor: $11.76Joice: $11.72Atalissa: $11.71Cantril: $11.69Wadena: $11.65Exline: $11.60Cincinnati: $11.57Beaman: $11.54Delta: $11.52Westside: $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: $10.68Cleghorn: $10.49Barnes City: $10.44Lytton: $10.38Stockton: $10.37Rhodes: $10.36Randall: $10.35Dedham: $10.28Deloit: $10.28Protivin: $10.28Meriden: $10.28Drakesville: $10.24Bronson: $10.14La Motte: $10.09Melvin: $10.05Defiance: $10.05Floyd: $10.02Barnum: $9.96Panama: $9.85Grafton: $9.83Clare: $9.81Tingley: $9.81Ionia: $9.65Van Wert: $9.62Rock Falls: $9.61Kirkville: $9.59Luxemburg: $9.58Rippey: $9.42Westphalia: $9.18Elberon: $9.16Dixon: $9.03Blairsburg: $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: $8.11Bertram: $8.10Fostoria: $8.10Low Moor: $8.10Laurel: $8.10Lineville: $8.10Lockridge: $7.92Mount Auburn: $7.86Haverhill: $7.86Grand River: $7.86Olds: $7.86Castalia: $7.86Dickens: $7.86Rose Hill: $7.86West Chester: $7.82Mcclelland: $7.79Lidderdale: $7.68Pulaski: $7.58Fredonia: $7.55Braddyville: $7.49Harpers Ferry: $7.49Alvord: $7.41Franklin: $7.31Weldon: $7.18Packwood: $6.77Libertyville: $6.60Keswick: $6.49Crawfordsville: $6.44Gravity: $6.18Oakland Acres: $5.88Springbrook: $5.79Maysville: $5.77Panorama Park: $4.62Maharishi Vedic City: $3.87Sherrill: $2.66Rickardsville: $2.27New Liberty: $2.27Hancock: $10.13$2.27 lowest$25.07 highestmiddle
See all 201
#PlaceRate per $1,000People
1Brayton$25.07138
2Harris$23.13145
3Fenton$22.05250
4Soldier$21.92176
5Coulter$21.80220
6Chelsea$21.61207
7Smithland$21.12184
8Volga$20.23200
9Alta Vista$19.88219
10Arthur$19.86218
11Coin$19.59171
12Chester$19.30134
13Garden Grove$19.20173
14Hastings$18.95157
15Swaledale$18.62136
16Cumberland$18.42248
17Jamaica$18.24196
18Hillsboro$17.68158
19Bristow$17.39139
20Woolstock$17.26141
21Pisgah$17.09248
22Lakota$16.84261
23Marble Rock$16.78258
24Auburn$16.65253
25Prescott$16.53186
26Montour$16.37199
27Geneva$16.25137
28Corwith$16.22259
29Deep River$16.18243
30Waucoma$16.17235
31Little Sioux$15.74170
32Moorhead$15.68186
33Onslow$15.63198
34Linden$15.62206
35Woodburn$15.59133
36Kamrar$15.47178
37Greeley$15.23216
38Goodell$15.16139
39Riverton$14.94243
40Marathon$14.89221
41Ladora$14.74223
42Magnolia$14.68194
43Bagley$14.63230
44Davis City$14.45178
45Lucas$14.40176
46Halbur$14.37268
47Crystal Lake$14.36243
48Kimballton$14.27281
49Steamboat Rock$14.19261
50Westgate$14.05190
51Palmer$13.89137
52Stockport$13.68272
53Kellerton$13.60241
54Quimby$13.58245
55Meservey$13.43212
56Persia$13.41292
57Leland$13.31240
58Harcourt$13.21257
59Calumet$13.16144
60Ridgeway$13.10261
61Farmersburg$13.09264
62Portsmouth$13.05187
63Clutier$13.03209
64Silver City$12.87244
65Delaware$12.86139
66Patterson$12.84176
67Martelle$12.83250
68Malcom$12.82257
69Clemons$12.69135
70Blencoe$12.57223
71Maurice$12.56271
72Clearfield$12.50277
73Kensett$12.47256
74Millersburg$12.40135
75Aurora$12.40165
76Modale$12.34284
77Bridgewater$12.29145
78Blakesburg$12.21273
79Cushing$12.18225
80Hanlontown$12.17200
81Stout$12.14194
82Macedonia$12.12266
83Webb$12.10139
84Paton$12.09217
85Decatur$12.08174
86Kiron$12.03262
87Rembrandt$12.03199
88Shambaugh$11.98161
89Liscomb$11.96292
90Lone Rock$11.92143
91New Providence$11.88233
92Henderson$11.85140
93Parnell$11.78190
94Reasnor$11.76157
95Joice$11.72206
96Atalissa$11.71287
97Cantril$11.69224
98Wadena$11.65201
99Exline$11.60157
100Cincinnati$11.57280
101Beaman$11.54155
102Delta$11.52257
103Westside$11.45283
104College Springs$11.44172
105Holland$11.37261
106Mallard$11.28255
107Renwick$11.16228
108Linn Grove$11.15155
109Dundee$11.14193
110Randolph$11.08183
111Leighton$11.07153
112Rake$11.05179
113Frederika$10.99206
114Alexander$10.90165
115Goose Lake$10.89250
116Yale$10.85265
117Lambs Grove$10.78174
118Wallingford$10.75154
119Hornick$10.74255
120Woden$10.68183
121Cleghorn$10.49235
122Barnes City$10.44152
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
141Clare$9.81133
142Tingley$9.81146
143Ionia$9.65220
144Van Wert$9.62175
145Rock Falls$9.61143
146Kirkville$9.59159
147Luxemburg$9.58240
148Rippey$9.42217
149Westphalia$9.18133
150Elberon$9.16178
151Dixon$9.03204
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
166Bertram$8.10267
167Fostoria$8.10229
168Low Moor$8.10242
169Laurel$8.10214
170Lineville$8.10194
171Lockridge$7.92245
172Mount Auburn$7.86162
173Haverhill$7.86164
174Grand River$7.86192
175Olds$7.86174
176Castalia$7.86141
177Dickens$7.86146
178Rose Hill$7.86156
179West Chester$7.82147
180Mcclelland$7.79147
181Lidderdale$7.68162
182Pulaski$7.58259
183Fredonia$7.55227
184Braddyville$7.49142
185Harpers Ferry$7.49273
186Alvord$7.41216
187Franklin$7.31133
188Weldon$7.18134
189Packwood$6.77186
190Libertyville$6.60278
191Keswick$6.49238
192Crawfordsville$6.44278
193Gravity$6.18149
194Oakland Acres$5.88178
195Springbrook$5.79145
196Maysville$5.77155
197Panorama Park$4.62142
198Maharishi Vedic City$3.87290
199Sherrill$2.66176
200Rickardsville$2.27204
201New Liberty$2.27141

The $8.10 limit

Hancock’s general levy is $7.56 per $1,000 of taxable value in FY27, $0.54 below the limit.4 780 of 934 Iowa cities have a higher general levy. All cities.

FY23 $8.10 · FY24 $8.10 · FY25 $7.86 · FY26 $7.79 · FY27 $7.56 (before FY25, the general levy alone)

Outside the limit: $2.57 more5

  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$2.57 · $32,103

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$94,31875%
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$32,10325%

Budget and spending

Reading a local budget

Where each dollar of Hancock’s budget goes, FY26

Business Type / Enterprise: 38¢ of every dollar38¢Public Works: 25¢ of every dollar25¢General Government: 20¢ of every dollar20¢Public Safety: 9¢ of every dollar9¢Culture and Recreation: 8¢ of every dollar8¢

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 199 Iowa cities closest in size (130–300 people).

Where it goesOf each dollarCities this size (199)
Business Type / Enterprise38¢34¢
Public Works25¢23¢
General Government20¢21¢
Public Safety9¢9¢
Culture and Recreation8¢8¢

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.

  • General Government$68,50234%
  • Public Works$67,56433%
  • Public Safety$34,79717%
  • Culture and Recreation$31,14015%

The state’s FY27 file doesn’t include business type / enterprise yet ($123,000 in FY26), so this total is low.

Budget compared with what it spent, FY23
FunctionBudgetSpent
Public Works$60,513$31,835
Public Safety$30,336$31,118
Health and Social Services$0$0
General Government$51,440$111,208
Debt Service$0$0
Culture and Recreation$26,802$25,727
Community and Economic Development$0$0
Capital Projects$0$0
Business Type / Enterprise$122,000$109,002

What it spent each year

FY24 left out6

$788,304
$481,032

Debt, reserves and audits

How local debt works · What an audit tells you

What Hancock owes

$821,354 at June 30, 2026: $4,107 per resident. 167th most per resident of 939 Iowa places of its kind (the list).7

$1.0M
$821,354
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$821,354$4,107
2025$840,226$4,201
2024$858,727$4,294
2023$876,616$4,383
2022$894,643$4,473
2021$929,554$4,648
2020$973,546$4,868
2019$1.0M$5,160
2018$688,522$3,443
2017$723,426$3,617
2016$750,107$3,751
2015$137,410$687
2014$66,000$330
2013$81,000$405
2012$100,000$500
2011$119,000$595
2010$138,000$690
Show the numbers
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$821,354$4,107
2025$840,226$4,201
2024$858,727$4,294
2023$876,616$4,383
2022$894,643$4,473
2021$929,554$4,648
2020$973,546$4,868
2019$1.0M$5,160
2018$688,522$3,443
2017$723,426$3,617
2016$750,107$3,751
2015$137,410$687
2014$66,000$330
2013$81,000$405
2012$100,000$500
2011$119,000$595
2010$138,000$690

Up 495% since 2010.

The 5% limit8

General obligation debt is $0, 0% of the limit of about $842,173 (5% of $16.8M, the full value of its taxable property in 2024).

2 obligations at June 30, 2026
KindForPaid off byOwed
LoansUSDA loan for water lines2055$478,558
Loanssewer lift station & main rehab-USDA loan2059$342,796

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 balances9. Hancock’s latest audit has them: Periodic Examination, period ending Sunday, March 31, 2024 (PDF).

Audits10

The latest: Periodic Examination for the period ending Sunday, March 31, 2024 (PDF), released Thursday, April 3, 2025, by a CPA firm.

2 earlier reports for Hancock

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? 11

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: $23,250 in FY25, up 11% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 11% less. Grants are below.

Show the numbers
SourceFY22FY23FY24FY25
Road Use Tax (streets)–$22,543$23,125$23,250

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.

$458,909
$0
    YearGrants and projects
    FY19$0
    FY20$458,909
    FY21$5,181
    FY22$37,392
    FY23$14,653
    FY24$0
    FY25$0
    Show the numbers
    YearGrants and projects
    FY19$0
    FY20$458,909
    FY21$5,181
    FY22$37,392
    FY23$14,653
    FY24$0
    FY25$0

    Has it kept up with prices?

    Each source from FY19 to FY25, after inflation.

    • Road Use Tax (streets)−11%$20,901 → $23,250, up 11% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 11% 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 40% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 11% more.

    $40,618

    Federal grants, for comparison: $111,572 in FY21.

    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)12.

    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

    2 seats: the top 2 win.

    Local races from civicAPI and county auditors for Hancock; 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.

    • Hancock City Council At-Large (3 seats)
      Now held by Nancy Gress, Linda Wageman, Jason Best
    • Hancock Mayor
      Now held by Vince Guyer

    Candidates as county auditors and civicAPI list them; a filing can take a few days to appear here13.

    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 ballot14.

    Related places

    At the Statehouse and in Congress15

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

    U.S. House:District 4

    Pottawattamie CountyA-H-S-T schools