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Local taxes › Story County › Cambridge

City

Cambridge

Story County · How cities work

$3,060 a yearproperty tax on a $200,000 home here, FY27, for every local government ($36.34 per $1,000 of taxable value)1
$890 a yearof that goes to the city ($10.53 per $1,000)
$387,806property taxes the city levies, FY27
$960,303city 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.

  • Chuck HudsonCambridge City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Michael J. MackiCambridge City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Robert ChubbicCambridge Mayor · elected November 4, 2025
  • Taylor BassettCambridge City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • David KnightCambridge City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Michelle WinscottCambridge 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 Cambridge

Homes and businesses in most of Cambridge pay a combined $36.34 per $1,000 of taxable value (FY27). They pay it all to the Story County treasurer, who passes each government its share; the city sets and gets only its own piece, $10.53. Estimate your bill.

  • Ballard schools$19.0052%
  • City of Cambridge$10.5329%
  • Story County$4.3412%
  • Story County Hospital$1.083%
  • Des Moines Area Community College$0.812%
  • Story County Assessor$0.471%
  • Story County Extension (ISU Extension and Outreach)$0.11<1%

Rates over time

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

YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$35.95$9.07
FY21$35.73$9.02
FY22$35.71$9.01
FY23$35.24$8.95
FY24$36.48$10.54
FY25$36.28$10.54
FY26$35.96$10.53
FY27$36.34$10.53
Show the numbers
YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$35.95$9.07
FY21$35.73$9.02
FY22$35.71$9.01
FY23$35.24$8.95
FY24$36.48$10.54
FY25$36.28$10.54
FY26$35.96$10.53
FY27$36.34$10.53

Compared with places this size3

Cambridge’s city property tax rate of $10.53 per $1,000 is the 43rd lowest of 187 Iowa cities with 570–1,300 people. The middle of the group is $12.88.

Elkader: $27.11Exira: $24.81Laurens: $24.16Dayton: $22.51Correctionville: $19.84Villisca: $19.74Allison: $19.06Dumont: $19.04Seymour: $18.78Dexter: $18.69Fonda: $18.52Kanawha: $18.11Dysart: $17.95Greene: $17.91Alden: $17.90Lansing: $17.67Strawberry Point: $17.58Rockwell: $17.54Walnut: $17.46Murray: $17.44Gowrie: $17.17Colo: $17.14Mapleton: $16.90George: $16.89Fayette: $16.85Adair: $16.84Eddyville: $16.82Elk Horn: $16.78Oxford: $16.70Buffalo Center: $16.58Bancroft: $16.52Eldon: $16.42Early: $16.35Aplington: $16.34Panora: $16.14Mechanicsville: $16.12Armstrong: $15.87Ruthven: $15.84Minden: $15.77Walker: $15.74Shell Rock: $15.52Newell: $15.49Riceville: $15.31Neola: $15.30Sidney: $15.19Gilbertville: $15.15Stanwood: $15.12Stratford: $15.03Griswold: $15.01Readlyn: $14.99Tripoli: $14.99Hopkinton: $14.79Essex: $14.76Dunlap: $14.56Garnavillo: $14.52Maxwell: $14.50Coon Rapids: $14.49Clermont: $14.30Moulton: $14.25Mcgregor: $14.20Olin: $14.19Primghar: $14.18Sheffield: $14.16Elgin: $14.05Ossian: $13.88Alton: $13.87Redfield: $13.73Victor: $13.72Edgewood: $13.64Sioux Rapids: $13.63Donnellson: $13.63Gladbrook: $13.58Clarksville: $13.53Rockford: $13.52Janesville: $13.43Glidden: $13.43Calmar: $13.39Boyden: $13.39Baxter: $13.32Manly: $13.29Anita: $13.28Van Horne: $13.27Conrad: $13.23Springville: $13.22Keota: $13.21Shellsburg: $13.20De Soto: $13.18Quasqueton: $13.12Farmington: $13.10Treynor: $13.03Odebolt: $13.00Coggon: $12.99Earlville: $12.90Brighton: $12.88Danville: $12.87Underwood: $12.85New Sharon: $12.80Malvern: $12.79Montrose: $12.78Goldfield: $12.73Wellsburg: $12.68Buffalo: $12.68Stanton: $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: $12.04Elkhart: $12.00Afton: $11.96Lowden: $11.93Tabor: $11.88Albert City: $11.88Aurelia: $11.84Merrill: $11.64Morning Sun: $11.50Battle Creek: $11.49Wall Lake: $11.43West Bend: $11.42Dakota City: $11.39Marcus: $11.31Dunkerton: $11.30Sutherland: $11.25Arcadia: $11.23Whiting: $11.21Melcher-Dallas: $11.21Shelby: $11.17University Heights: $11.12Blairstown: $11.04Manilla: $11.01Hamburg: $10.95Clarence: $10.94Ireton: $10.93Fontanelle: $10.88Grand Mound: $10.78Swisher: $10.39Schleswig: $10.39Melbourne: $10.38Elk Run Heights: $10.33Fredericksburg: $10.27Lake Park: $10.25Ventura: $10.22Inwood: $10.22Milo: $10.20Hartford: $10.16Central City: $10.01What Cheer: $10.01Newhall: $9.99Graettinger: $9.81Doon: $9.78Long Grove: $9.59Lake View: $9.39Paullina: $9.21Fairbank: $9.00Winthrop: $8.94Crescent: $8.72Keosauqua: $8.58Grand Junction: $8.57Princeton: $8.24Kellogg: $8.10Lakeside: $8.10Riverside: $8.02Agency: $7.94Hills: $7.94Fremont: $7.86Larchwood: $7.52North English: $7.49Sloan: $7.49Sully: $7.41Fruitland: $7.21Lawton: $7.10Wayland: $7.07Raymond: $6.85Keystone: $6.80Shueyville: $6.79Arnolds Park: $4.95Okoboji: $3.83Cambridge: $10.53$3.83 lowest$27.11 highestmiddle
See all 187
#PlaceRate per $1,000People
1Elkader$27.111,192
2Exira$24.81766
3Laurens$24.161,253
4Dayton$22.51766
5Correctionville$19.84759
6Villisca$19.741,106
7Allison$19.06937
8Dumont$19.04614
9Seymour$18.78646
10Dexter$18.69631
11Fonda$18.52636
12Kanawha$18.11638
13Dysart$17.951,266
14Greene$17.91971
15Alden$17.90738
16Lansing$17.67959
17Strawberry Point$17.581,141
18Rockwell$17.541,044
19Walnut$17.46728
20Murray$17.44609
21Gowrie$17.17943
22Colo$17.14856
23Mapleton$16.901,114
24George$16.891,106
25Fayette$16.851,193
26Adair$16.84792
27Eddyville$16.82965
28Elk Horn$16.78631
29Oxford$16.70715
30Buffalo Center$16.58839
31Bancroft$16.52677
32Eldon$16.42788
33Early$16.35571
34Aplington$16.341,088
35Panora$16.141,096
36Mechanicsville$16.12974
37Armstrong$15.87847
38Ruthven$15.84710
39Minden$15.77581
40Walker$15.74671
41Shell Rock$15.521,265
42Newell$15.49850
43Riceville$15.31807
44Neola$15.30917
45Sidney$15.191,048
46Gilbertville$15.15792
47Stanwood$15.12612
48Stratford$15.03688
49Griswold$15.01975
50Readlyn$14.99857
51Tripoli$14.991,208
52Hopkinton$14.79622
53Essex$14.76721
54Dunlap$14.561,030
55Garnavillo$14.52751
56Maxwell$14.50862
57Coon Rapids$14.491,258
58Clermont$14.30571
59Moulton$14.25596
60Mcgregor$14.20725
61Olin$14.19652
62Primghar$14.18893
63Sheffield$14.161,123
64Elgin$14.05676
65Ossian$13.88777
66Alton$13.871,248
67Redfield$13.73719
68Victor$13.72852
69Edgewood$13.64908
70Sioux Rapids$13.63722
71Donnellson$13.63859
72Gladbrook$13.58775
73Clarksville$13.531,238
74Rockford$13.52722
75Janesville$13.431,052
76Glidden$13.431,140
77Calmar$13.391,100
78Boyden$13.39694
79Baxter$13.32983
80Manly$13.291,233
81Anita$13.28953
82Van Horne$13.27768
83Conrad$13.231,098
84Springville$13.221,161
85Keota$13.21888
86Shellsburg$13.20987
87De Soto$13.18937
88Quasqueton$13.12587
89Farmington$13.10583
90Treynor$13.031,104
91Odebolt$13.00967
92Coggon$12.99691
93Earlville$12.90713
94Brighton$12.88592
95Danville$12.87910
96Underwood$12.85973
97New Sharon$12.801,249
98Malvern$12.791,056
99Montrose$12.78734
100Goldfield$12.73617
101Wellsburg$12.68709
102Buffalo$12.681,163
103Stanton$12.62664
104Hospers$12.58703
105Everly$12.51570
106Hazleton$12.48711
107West Point$12.39903
108Hinton$12.38959
109Preston$12.38940
110Alburnett$12.30672
111Hubbard$12.30837
112Moravia$12.27625
113Hedrick$12.22717
114Carson$12.22772
115Wheatland$12.18765
116Schaller$12.14702
117Winfield$12.041,006
118Elkhart$12.001,079
119Afton$11.96864
120Lowden$11.93767
121Tabor$11.88983
122Albert City$11.88627
123Aurelia$11.84970
124Merrill$11.64713
125Morning Sun$11.50702
126Battle Creek$11.49683
127Wall Lake$11.43739
128West Bend$11.42770
129Dakota City$11.39764
130Marcus$11.311,069
131Dunkerton$11.30840
132Sutherland$11.25628
133Arcadia$11.23588
134Whiting$11.21725
135Melcher-Dallas$11.211,193
136Shelby$11.17730
137University Heights$11.121,188
138Blairstown$11.04705
139Manilla$11.01756
140Hamburg$10.95863
141Clarence$10.94991
142Ireton$10.93571
143Fontanelle$10.88684
144Grand Mound$10.78608
145Cambridge$10.53844
146Swisher$10.39909
147Schleswig$10.39820
148Melbourne$10.38771
149Elk Run Heights$10.331,061
150Fredericksburg$10.27983
151Lake Park$10.251,155
152Ventura$10.22701
153Inwood$10.22962
154Milo$10.20762
155Hartford$10.16729
156Central City$10.011,254
157What Cheer$10.01595
158Newhall$9.99887
159Graettinger$9.81810
160Doon$9.78640
161Long Grove$9.59849
162Lake View$9.391,120
163Paullina$9.21979
164Fairbank$9.001,133
165Winthrop$8.94814
166Crescent$8.72626
167Keosauqua$8.58944
168Grand Junction$8.57715
169Princeton$8.24917
170Kellogg$8.10597
171Lakeside$8.10695
172Riverside$8.021,063
173Agency$7.94623
174Hills$7.94911
175Fremont$7.86688
176Larchwood$7.52954
177North English$7.491,030
178Sloan$7.491,078
179Sully$7.41891
180Fruitland$7.21928
181Lawton$7.10949
182Wayland$7.07935
183Raymond$6.85754
184Keystone$6.80616
185Shueyville$6.79725
186Arnolds Park$4.951,214
187Okoboji$3.83729

The $8.10 limit

Cambridge’s general levy is $7.41 per $1,000 of taxable value in FY27, $0.69 below the limit.4 821 of 934 Iowa cities have a higher general levy. All cities.

FY23 $8.10 · FY24 $8.10 · FY25 $7.86 · FY26 $7.64 · FY27 $7.41 (before FY25, the general levy alone)

Outside the limit: $3.12 more5

  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$1.91 · $70,046
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$1.21 · $44,289

Tax increment financing (TIF)

$818,334 of taxable value in Cambridge is in TIF districts’ increment (2% of the city’s taxable value), 2025 valuations, taxed in FY27.6 It budgeted $312,993 in TIF revenue for FY25.

$622,901

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 $8,618 of the city’s own.

  • Ballard schools$10,150
  • Story County$3,451
YearTIF revenue
FY16$284,284
FY17$275,754
FY18$275,479
FY19$384,064
FY20$375,329
FY21$212,195
FY22$488,039
FY23$622,901
Show the numbers
YearTIF revenue
FY16$284,284
FY17$275,754
FY18$275,479
FY19$384,064
FY20$375,329
FY21$212,195
FY22$488,039
FY23$622,901

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$271,81570%
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$70,04618%
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$44,28911%

Budget and spending

Reading a local budget

Where each dollar of Cambridge’s budget goes, FY26

Business Type / Enterprise: 35¢ of every dollar35¢General Government: 17¢ of every dollar17¢Public Works: 16¢ of every dollar16¢Public Safety: 12¢ of every dollar12¢Debt Service: 11¢ of every dollar11¢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 (570–1,300 people).

Where it goesOf each dollarCities this size (186)
Business Type / Enterprise35¢40¢
General Government17¢9¢
Public Works16¢16¢
Public Safety12¢10¢
Debt Service11¢6¢
Everything else10¢9¢

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$258,47627%
  • General Government$233,60424%
  • Culture and Recreation$221,61223%
  • Public Works$199,49421%
  • Debt Service$29,1173%
  • Community and Economic Development$11,0001%
  • Health and Social Services$7,0001%

The state’s FY27 file doesn’t include business type / enterprise yet ($476,282 in FY26), so this total is low.

Budget compared with what it spent, FY23
FunctionBudgetSpent
Public Works$194,088$146,303
Public Safety$141,791$111,324
Health and Social Services$3,650$1,215
General Government$92,131$99,683
Debt Service$339,347$187,614
Culture and Recreation$86,955$77,971
Community and Economic Development$328,631$720,106
Capital Projects$0$13,947
Business Type / Enterprise$329,775$530,962

What it spent each year

FY24 left out8

$2.7M
$1.6M

Debt, reserves and audits

How local debt works · What an audit tells you

What Cambridge owes

$944,282 at June 30, 2026: $1,142 per resident. 521st most per resident of 939 Iowa places of its kind (the list).9

$3.2M
$944,282
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$944,282$1,142
2025$2.0M$2,457
2024$1.5M$1,859
2023$2.8M$3,411
2022$3.2M$3,886
2021$1.5M$1,835
2020$1.5M$1,825
2019$1.7M$2,062
2018$2.0M$2,386
2017$915,000$1,106
2016$1.0M$1,224
2015$1.1M$1,337
2014$1.2M$1,449
2013$973,000$1,177
2012$1.0M$1,266
2011$1.1M$1,353
2010$1.2M$1,438
Show the numbers
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$944,282$1,142
2025$2.0M$2,457
2024$1.5M$1,859
2023$2.8M$3,411
2022$3.2M$3,886
2021$1.5M$1,835
2020$1.5M$1,825
2019$1.7M$2,062
2018$2.0M$2,386
2017$915,000$1,106
2016$1.0M$1,224
2015$1.1M$1,337
2014$1.2M$1,449
2013$973,000$1,177
2012$1.0M$1,266
2011$1.1M$1,353
2010$1.2M$1,438

Down 21% since 2010.

The 5% limit10

General obligation debt is $143,282, 4% of the limit of about $3.4M (5% of $68.8M, the full value of its taxable property in 2024).

3 obligations at June 30, 2026
KindForPaid off byOwed
Revenue BondsImprovements to the Wastewater treatment system including a UV filter, additional baffles & relocation of the outlet2041$676,000
General ObligationReconstruction/Renovation of Cambridge Opera House2030$143,282
Revenue BondsImprovements to the water plant, including new filter and computer controls.2033$125,000

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. Cambridge’s latest audit has them: Annual Examination, period ending Sunday, June 30, 2024 (PDF).

Audits12

The latest: Annual Examination for the period ending Sunday, June 30, 2024 (PDF), released Thursday, September 4, 2025, by a CPA firm.

7 earlier reports for Cambridge

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: $117,663 in FY25, up 6% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 16% less. Grants are below.

Show the numbers
SourceFY22FY23FY24FY25
Road Use Tax (streets)$114,319–$116,816$117,450
Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)$4,764–$1,431$213

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.

$224,473
$137,817
  • State grants$135,64598%
  • CEBA grants$2,1722%
YearGrants and projects
FY19$0
FY20$0
FY21$60,000
FY22$59,510
FY23$224,473
FY24$9,332
FY25$137,817
Show the numbers
YearGrants and projects
FY19$0
FY20$0
FY21$60,000
FY22$59,510
FY23$224,473
FY24$9,332
FY25$137,817

Has it kept up with prices?

Each source from FY19 to FY25, after inflation.

  • Road Use Tax (streets)−12%$106,837 → $117,450, up 10% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 12% less
  • Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)−96%$4,308 → $213, down 95% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 96% 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 32% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 5% more.

$139,666
$138,438

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 Cambridge; 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.

  • Cambridge City Council At-Large (2 seats)
    Now held by David Knight, Michelle Winscott

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

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

U.S. House:District 4

Story CountyBallard schools