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Local taxes › Washington County › Ainsworth

City

Ainsworth

Washington County · How cities work

$2,720 a yearproperty tax on a $200,000 home here, FY27, for every local government ($32.25 per $1,000 of taxable value)1
$730 a yearof that goes to the city ($8.62 per $1,000)
$105,058property taxes the city levies, FY27
$386,907city 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.

  • Brittany ThompsonAinsworth City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Derrick V. StewartAinsworth Mayor · elected November 4, 2025
  • Jared WatersAinsworth City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Timothy BeanAinsworth City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Dave RobertsAinsworth City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Ronald A. GreinerAinsworth 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 Ainsworth

Homes and businesses in most of Ainsworth pay a combined $32.25 per $1,000 of taxable value (FY27). They pay it all to the Washington County treasurer, who passes each government its share; the city sets and gets only its own piece, $8.62. Estimate your bill.

Rates over time

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

YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$32.91$8.83
FY21$32.93$8.78
FY22$32.59$8.78
FY23$34.87$10.45
FY24$35.23$10.38
FY25$34.68$9.30
FY26$34.68$9.41
FY27$32.25$8.62
Show the numbers
YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$32.91$8.83
FY21$32.93$8.78
FY22$32.59$8.78
FY23$34.87$10.45
FY24$35.23$10.38
FY25$34.68$9.30
FY26$34.68$9.41
FY27$32.25$8.62

Compared with places this size3

Ainsworth’s city property tax rate of $8.62 per $1,000 is the 24th lowest of 193 Iowa cities with 350–770 people. The middle of the group is $12.92.

Stanhope: $29.10Exira: $24.81Rolfe: $22.67Dayton: $22.51Charter Oak: $21.32Oxford Junction: $20.84Earling: $20.47Correctionville: $19.84Pomeroy: $19.60Salem: $19.15Dumont: $19.04Seymour: $18.78Dexter: $18.69Fonda: $18.52Massena: $18.23Kanawha: $18.11Swea City: $18.04Alden: $17.90Elma: $17.82Callender: $17.78Casey: $17.72Dows: $17.70New Hartford: $17.69Vail: $17.66Ringsted: $17.65Emerson: $17.54Walnut: $17.46Murray: $17.44Thompson: $17.25Ashton: $17.17Burt: $17.10Latimer: $16.96Lohrville: $16.95Elk Horn: $16.78Oxford: $16.70Mccallsburg: $16.58Whittemore: $16.54Bancroft: $16.52Titonka: $16.45Early: $16.35Truro: $16.34Lewis: $16.25Duncombe: $16.10Bayard: $16.05Scranton: $16.01Ruthven: $15.84Minden: $15.77Walker: $15.74Russell: $15.18Stanwood: $15.12Stratford: $15.03Zearing: $14.99Arlington: $14.98Maynard: $14.85Plainfield: $14.84Ryan: $14.84Otho: $14.82Wyoming: $14.81Humeston: $14.80Hopkinton: $14.79Essex: $14.76Gilmore City: $14.60Garnavillo: $14.52Sabula: $14.38Garrison: $14.38Lorimor: $14.36Collins: $14.32Clermont: $14.30Moulton: $14.25Ocheyedan: $14.22Mcgregor: $14.20Olin: $14.19Garwin: $14.08Farragut: $14.07Elgin: $14.05Lime Springs: $13.95Dow City: $13.94Wesley: $13.91Bussey: $13.83Livermore: $13.78Redfield: $13.73Sioux Rapids: $13.63Albion: $13.58Lamont: $13.57New Albin: $13.55Rockford: $13.52Boyden: $13.39Lawler: $13.39New Market: $13.25Plymouth: $13.21Quasqueton: $13.12Farmington: $13.10Anthon: $13.05Little Rock: $13.03Coggon: $12.99Lehigh: $12.97Menlo: $12.92Earlville: $12.90Brighton: $12.88Montrose: $12.78Goldfield: $12.73Wellsburg: $12.68Delmar: $12.68Galva: $12.68Badger: $12.67Martensdale: $12.63Stanton: $12.62Hospers: $12.58Norway: $12.53Everly: $12.51Hazleton: $12.48Spillville: $12.40Alburnett: $12.30Moravia: $12.27Hedrick: $12.22Wheatland: $12.18Bonaparte: $12.17Schaller: $12.14Hawkeye: $12.11Colesburg: $11.97Albert City: $11.88Thornton: $11.86Runnells: $11.79Allerton: $11.72Orient: $11.66Merrill: $11.64Ellsworth: $11.57Morning Sun: $11.50Battle Creek: $11.49Wall Lake: $11.43Dakota City: $11.39Churdan: $11.31Miles: $11.28Sutherland: $11.25Arcadia: $11.23Whiting: $11.21Shelby: $11.17Blairstown: $11.04Manilla: $11.01Milton: $10.98Ireton: $10.93New Vienna: $10.91Letts: $10.91Fontanelle: $10.88Birmingham: $10.87Charlotte: $10.86Richland: $10.82Grand Mound: $10.78Batavia: $10.77Riverdale: $10.67Union: $10.58Calamus: $10.47Lovilia: $10.46Radcliffe: $10.37Stacyville: $10.36Ventura: $10.22Andrew: $10.22Milo: $10.20Royal: $10.20Hartford: $10.16What Cheer: $10.01Cumming: $9.85Breda: $9.80Doon: $9.78Lynnville: $9.68Farnhamville: $9.18Middletown: $9.16Alleman: $9.12Crescent: $8.72Grand Junction: $8.57Gilman: $8.10Grandview: $8.10Kellogg: $8.10Lakeside: $8.10Lost Nation: $8.10Agency: $7.94Fremont: $7.86Delhi: $7.81Klemme: $7.74Beacon: $7.56Worthington: $7.50Marquette: $7.08Columbus City: $6.94Raymond: $6.85Keystone: $6.80Shueyville: $6.79New Virginia: $5.97Holy Cross: $5.91Conesville: $5.86University Park: $5.27Orleans: $4.13Okoboji: $3.83Ainsworth: $8.62$3.83 lowest$29.10 highestmiddle
See all 193
#PlaceRate per $1,000People
1Stanhope$29.10354
2Exira$24.81766
3Rolfe$22.67505
4Dayton$22.51766
5Charter Oak$21.32521
6Oxford Junction$20.84424
7Earling$20.47394
8Correctionville$19.84759
9Pomeroy$19.60511
10Salem$19.15380
11Dumont$19.04614
12Seymour$18.78646
13Dexter$18.69631
14Fonda$18.52636
15Massena$18.23352
16Kanawha$18.11638
17Swea City$18.04545
18Alden$17.90738
19Elma$17.82493
20Callender$17.78361
21Casey$17.72387
22Dows$17.70509
23New Hartford$17.69555
24Vail$17.66383
25Ringsted$17.65346
26Emerson$17.54401
27Walnut$17.46728
28Murray$17.44609
29Thompson$17.25478
30Ashton$17.17434
31Burt$17.10404
32Latimer$16.96477
33Lohrville$16.95366
34Elk Horn$16.78631
35Oxford$16.70715
36Mccallsburg$16.58356
37Whittemore$16.54478
38Bancroft$16.52677
39Titonka$16.45491
40Early$16.35571
41Truro$16.34515
42Lewis$16.25358
43Duncombe$16.10374
44Bayard$16.05402
45Scranton$16.01496
46Ruthven$15.84710
47Minden$15.77581
48Walker$15.74671
49Russell$15.18475
50Stanwood$15.12612
51Stratford$15.03688
52Zearing$14.99508
53Arlington$14.98415
54Maynard$14.85466
55Plainfield$14.84392
56Ryan$14.84348
57Otho$14.82417
58Wyoming$14.81526
59Humeston$14.80472
60Hopkinton$14.79622
61Essex$14.76721
62Gilmore City$14.60484
63Garnavillo$14.52751
64Sabula$14.38498
65Garrison$14.38345
66Lorimor$14.36377
67Collins$14.32503
68Clermont$14.30571
69Moulton$14.25596
70Ocheyedan$14.22424
71Mcgregor$14.20725
72Olin$14.19652
73Garwin$14.08469
74Farragut$14.07480
75Elgin$14.05676
76Lime Springs$13.95467
77Dow City$13.94477
78Wesley$13.91382
79Bussey$13.83378
80Livermore$13.78382
81Redfield$13.73719
82Sioux Rapids$13.63722
83Albion$13.58444
84Lamont$13.57429
85New Albin$13.55435
86Rockford$13.52722
87Boyden$13.39694
88Lawler$13.39392
89New Market$13.25381
90Plymouth$13.21368
91Quasqueton$13.12587
92Farmington$13.10583
93Anthon$13.05534
94Little Rock$13.03447
95Coggon$12.99691
96Lehigh$12.97395
97Menlo$12.92347
98Earlville$12.90713
99Brighton$12.88592
100Montrose$12.78734
101Goldfield$12.73617
102Wellsburg$12.68709
103Delmar$12.68541
104Galva$12.68416
105Badger$12.67540
106Martensdale$12.63413
107Stanton$12.62664
108Hospers$12.58703
109Norway$12.53463
110Everly$12.51570
111Hazleton$12.48711
112Spillville$12.40371
113Alburnett$12.30672
114Moravia$12.27625
115Hedrick$12.22717
116Wheatland$12.18765
117Bonaparte$12.17357
118Schaller$12.14702
119Hawkeye$12.11429
120Colesburg$11.97379
121Albert City$11.88627
122Thornton$11.86394
123Runnells$11.79467
124Allerton$11.72432
125Orient$11.66363
126Merrill$11.64713
127Ellsworth$11.57495
128Morning Sun$11.50702
129Battle Creek$11.49683
130Wall Lake$11.43739
131Dakota City$11.39764
132Churdan$11.31359
133Miles$11.28400
134Sutherland$11.25628
135Arcadia$11.23588
136Whiting$11.21725
137Shelby$11.17730
138Blairstown$11.04705
139Manilla$11.01756
140Milton$10.98395
141Ireton$10.93571
142New Vienna$10.91384
143Letts$10.91358
144Fontanelle$10.88684
145Birmingham$10.87371
146Charlotte$10.86386
147Richland$10.82532
148Grand Mound$10.78608
149Batavia$10.77434
150Riverdale$10.67385
151Union$10.58378
152Calamus$10.47348
153Lovilia$10.46456
154Radcliffe$10.37540
155Stacyville$10.36436
156Ventura$10.22701
157Andrew$10.22374
158Milo$10.20762
159Royal$10.20379
160Hartford$10.16729
161What Cheer$10.01595
162Cumming$9.85527
163Breda$9.80492
164Doon$9.78640
165Lynnville$9.68382
166Farnhamville$9.18364
167Middletown$9.16365
168Alleman$9.12439
169Crescent$8.72626
170Ainsworth$8.62511
171Grand Junction$8.57715
172Gilman$8.10530
173Grandview$8.10431
174Kellogg$8.10597
175Lakeside$8.10695
176Lost Nation$8.10425
177Agency$7.94623
178Fremont$7.86688
179Delhi$7.81438
180Klemme$7.74429
181Beacon$7.56434
182Worthington$7.50374
183Marquette$7.08434
184Columbus City$6.94385
185Raymond$6.85754
186Keystone$6.80616
187Shueyville$6.79725
188New Virginia$5.97499
189Holy Cross$5.91348
190Conesville$5.86350
191University Park$5.27476
192Orleans$4.13503
193Okoboji$3.83729

The $8.10 limit

Ainsworth’s general levy is $7.25 per $1,000 of taxable value in FY27, $0.85 below the limit.4 838 of 934 Iowa cities have a higher general levy. All cities.

FY23 $8.10 · FY24 $8.10 · FY25 $8.00 · FY26 $7.92 · FY27 $7.25 (before FY25, the general levy alone)

Outside the limit: $1.37 more5

  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$1.37 · $16,630

Tax increment financing (TIF)

Ainsworth’s TIF revenue, from its reports to the state.

YearTIF revenue
FY16$1,139
FY17$1
Show the numbers
YearTIF revenue
FY16$1,139
FY17$1

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$88,18584%
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$16,63016%

Budget and spending

Reading a local budget

Where each dollar of Ainsworth’s budget goes, FY26

Business Type / Enterprise: 68¢ of every dollar68¢General Government: 12¢ of every dollar12¢Public Works: 11¢ of every dollar11¢Public Safety: 5¢ of every dollarDebt Service: 2¢ of every dollarEverything else: 2¢ 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 192 Iowa cities closest in size (350–770 people).

Where it goesOf each dollarCities this size (192)
Business Type / Enterprise68¢40¢
General Government12¢13¢
Public Works11¢18¢
Public Safety5¢9¢
Debt Service2¢5¢
Everything else2¢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 Works$152,57139%
  • General Government$118,18231%
  • Public Safety$55,94514%
  • Debt Service$39,50010%
  • Culture and Recreation$16,0594%
  • Health and Social Services$2,3501%
  • Community and Economic Development$2,3001%

The state’s FY27 file doesn’t include business type / enterprise yet ($784,026 in FY26), so this total is low.

Budget compared with what it spent, FY23
FunctionBudgetSpent
Public Works$80,258$64,923
Public Safety$33,392$35,923
Health and Social Services$18,200$586
General Government$134,151$85,864
Debt Service$0$38,464
Culture and Recreation$12,773$52,188
Community and Economic Development$16,858$543
Capital Projects$30,956$0
Business Type / Enterprise$495,891$372,931

What it spent each year

FY24 left out6

$1.2M

Debt, reserves and audits

How local debt works · What an audit tells you

What Ainsworth owes

$505,018 at June 30, 2026: $988 per resident. 551st most per resident of 939 Iowa places of its kind (the list).7

$549,409
$505,018
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$505,018$988
2025$364,413$713
2024$125,018$245
2023$274,108$536
2022$354,247$693
2021$431,196$844
2020$491,576$962
2019$549,409$1,075
2018$186,018$364
2017$195,018$382
2016$248,864$487
2015$99,000$194
2014$150,000$294
2013$200,000$391
2012$249,000$487
2011$363,000$710
2010$385,000$753
Show the numbers
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$505,018$988
2025$364,413$713
2024$125,018$245
2023$274,108$536
2022$354,247$693
2021$431,196$844
2020$491,576$962
2019$549,409$1,075
2018$186,018$364
2017$195,018$382
2016$248,864$487
2015$99,000$194
2014$150,000$294
2013$200,000$391
2012$249,000$487
2011$363,000$710
2010$385,000$753

Up 31% since 2010.

The 5% limit8

General obligation debt is $0, 0% of the limit of about $1.2M (5% of $23.0M, the full value of its taxable property in 2024).

2 obligations at June 30, 2026
KindForPaid off byOwed
Revenue BondsWater Main Replacement Project #22107.00 Loan D0755R2045$402,000
Revenue BondsWater Distribution Project SRF Loan #D0335RT2035$103,018

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. Ainsworth’s latest audit has them: Annual Examination, period ending Monday, June 30, 2025 (PDF).

Audits10

The latest: Annual Examination for the period ending Monday, June 30, 2025 (PDF), released Monday, March 30, 2026, by the Auditor of State.

The report has no Schedule of Findings Iowa Funnel could read.

2 earlier reports for Ainsworth

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: $72,572 in FY25, down 1% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 21% less. Grants are below.

Show the numbers
SourceFY22FY23FY24FY25
Road Use Tax (streets)$72,034$70,319$72,180$72,572

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.

$25,990
$0
    YearGrants and projects
    FY19$0
    FY20$0
    FY21$0
    FY22$0
    FY23$25,990
    FY24$24,883
    FY25$0
    Show the numbers
    YearGrants and projects
    FY19$0
    FY20$0
    FY21$0
    FY22$0
    FY23$25,990
    FY24$24,883
    FY25$0

    Has it kept up with prices?

    Each source from FY19 to FY25, after inflation.

    • Road Use Tax (streets)−21%$73,248 → $72,572, down 1% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 21% 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 28% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 2% more.

    $79,503
    $77,249

    Federal grants, for comparison: $307,766 in FY25.

    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

    3 seats: the top 3 win.

    Local races from civicAPI and county auditors for Ainsworth; 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.

    • Ainsworth City Council At-Large (2 seats)
      Now held by Dave Roberts, Ronald A. Greiner

    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

    Dawn Driscoll (Sen. 46)Heather Hora (Rep. 92)

    U.S. House:District 1

    Washington CountyHighland schools