Local taxes › Washington County › West Chester

City

West Chester

$2,820 a yearproperty tax on a $200,000 home here, FY27, for every local government ($33.54 per $1,000 of taxable value)¹

$660 a yearof that goes to the city ($7.82 per $1,000)

$28,267property taxes the city levies, FY27

$107,724city 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.

Chad C. PeifferWest Chester Mayor · elected November 4, 2025
Delores LillieWest Chester City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
Ronald CareyWest Chester City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
Andrew BarnhartWest Chester City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
Bryan WehrWest Chester City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
Dean HobbsWest Chester City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
Ron CareyWest Chester 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 West Chester

Homes and businesses in most of West Chester pay a combined $33.54 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, $7.82. Estimate your bill.

Mid-Prairie schools$13.0139%
Washington County$9.6829%
City of West Chester$7.8223%
Kirkwood Community College$1.434%
Washington County Hospital$1.003%
Washington County Assessor$0.411%
Washington County Extension (ISU Extension and Outreach)$0.18<1%

Rates over time

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

Year	Combined	City’s own
FY20	$32.32	$8.10
FY21	$32.22	$7.96
FY22	$32.02	$8.00
FY23	$33.04	$8.43
FY24	$33.48	$8.41
FY25	$33.73	$8.19
FY26	$33.51	$8.09
FY27	$33.54	$7.82

Show the numbers

Year	Combined	City’s own
FY20	$32.32	$8.10
FY21	$32.22	$7.96
FY22	$32.02	$8.00
FY23	$33.04	$8.43
FY24	$33.48	$8.41
FY25	$33.73	$8.19
FY26	$33.51	$8.09
FY27	$33.54	$7.82

Compared with places this size³

West Chester’s city property tax rate of $7.82 per $1,000 is the 29th lowest of 180 Iowa cities with 100–220 people. The middle of the group is $10.76.

See all 180

#	Place	Rate per $1,000	People
1	Castana	$34.13	103
2	Brayton	$25.07	138
3	Harris	$23.13	145
4	Whitten	$22.65	98
5	Soldier	$21.92	176
6	Coulter	$21.80	220
7	Chelsea	$21.61	207
8	Smithland	$21.12	184
9	Volga	$20.23	200
10	Alta Vista	$19.88	219
11	Arthur	$19.86	218
12	Coin	$19.59	171
13	Rowan	$19.53	118
14	Chester	$19.30	134
15	Bouton	$19.25	125
16	Ricketts	$19.22	105
17	Garden Grove	$19.20	173
18	Hastings	$18.95	157
19	Swaledale	$18.62	136
20	Jamaica	$18.24	196
21	Hillsboro	$17.68	158
22	Bristow	$17.39	139
23	Woolstock	$17.26	141
24	Prescott	$16.53	186
25	Monmouth	$16.41	129
26	Blockton	$16.37	123
27	Montour	$16.37	199
28	Geneva	$16.25	137
29	Waterville	$16.25	112
30	Little Sioux	$15.74	170
31	Moorhead	$15.68	186
32	Onslow	$15.63	198
33	Linden	$15.62	206
34	Woodburn	$15.59	133
35	Kamrar	$15.47	178
36	Greeley	$15.23	216
37	Goodell	$15.16	139
38	Marne	$15.03	109
39	Baldwin	$14.91	99
40	Magnolia	$14.68	194
41	Davis City	$14.45	178
42	Lucas	$14.40	176
43	Westgate	$14.05	190
44	Palmer	$13.89	137
45	Ayrshire	$13.55	128
46	Searsboro	$13.55	129
47	Ferguson	$13.53	98
48	Lanesboro	$13.53	112
49	Meservey	$13.43	212
50	Calumet	$13.16	144
51	Portsmouth	$13.05	187
52	Clutier	$13.03	209
53	Delaware	$12.86	139
54	Patterson	$12.84	176
55	Clemons	$12.69	135
56	Millersburg	$12.40	135
57	Aurora	$12.40	165
58	Bridgewater	$12.29	145
59	Hanlontown	$12.17	200
60	Stout	$12.14	194
61	Arion	$12.14	99
62	Webb	$12.10	139
63	Paton	$12.09	217
64	Decatur	$12.08	174
65	Rembrandt	$12.03	199
66	Shambaugh	$11.98	161
67	Lone Rock	$11.92	143
68	East Peru	$11.89	119
69	Henderson	$11.85	140
70	Parnell	$11.78	190
71	Reasnor	$11.76	157
72	Ledyard	$11.74	118
73	Joice	$11.72	206
74	Toronto	$11.68	101
75	Wadena	$11.65	201
76	Exline	$11.60	157
77	Beaman	$11.54	155
78	College Springs	$11.44	172
79	Melrose	$11.27	110
80	Linn Grove	$11.15	155
81	Dundee	$11.14	193
82	Randolph	$11.08	183
83	Leighton	$11.07	153
84	Rake	$11.05	179
85	Masonville	$11.00	98
86	Somers	$10.99	121
87	Frederika	$10.99	206
88	Havelock	$10.95	127
89	Alexander	$10.90	165
90	Lambs Grove	$10.78	174
91	Wallingford	$10.75	154
92	Woden	$10.68	183
93	Pacific Junction	$10.56	99
94	Barnes City	$10.44	152
95	Stockton	$10.37	171
96	Randall	$10.35	156
97	Meriden	$10.28	175
98	Drakesville	$10.24	170
99	North Washington	$10.23	107
100	Dawson	$10.19	110
101	Hancock	$10.13	199
102	Melvin	$10.05	196
103	Barnum	$9.96	186
104	Grafton	$9.83	212
105	Clare	$9.81	133
106	Tingley	$9.81	146
107	Ionia	$9.65	220
108	Rutland	$9.65	116
109	Van Wert	$9.62	175
110	Rock Falls	$9.61	143
111	Kirkville	$9.59	159
112	Superior	$9.58	127
113	Martinsburg	$9.49	109
114	Rippey	$9.42	217
115	Larrabee	$9.41	116
116	Hamilton	$9.35	125
117	Floris	$9.29	119
118	Mitchell	$9.22	118
119	Westphalia	$9.18	133
120	Elberon	$9.16	178
121	Dixon	$9.03	204
122	Blairsburg	$8.93	175
123	Prairieburg	$8.91	156
124	Oakville	$8.89	198
125	Welton	$8.86	124
126	Archer	$8.84	116
127	Luther	$8.83	147
128	Fraser	$8.81	107
129	Macksburg	$8.81	103
130	Washta	$8.65	206
131	Moorland	$8.61	169
132	Pilot Mound	$8.54	155
133	Ollie	$8.44	196
134	Thor	$8.38	182
135	Andover	$8.28	106
136	South English	$8.27	196
137	Thurman	$8.26	162
138	Boxholm	$8.11	177
139	Rome	$8.10	112
140	Westfield	$8.10	121
141	Laurel	$8.10	214
142	Lineville	$8.10	194
143	Vincent	$8.09	125
144	Morrison	$7.86	101
145	Mount Auburn	$7.86	162
146	Haverhill	$7.86	164
147	Grand River	$7.86	192
148	Olds	$7.86	174
149	Dickens	$7.86	146
150	Castalia	$7.86	141
151	Rose Hill	$7.86	156
152	West Chester	$7.82	147
153	Cromwell	$7.81	104
154	Mcclelland	$7.79	147
155	Luzerne	$7.69	111
156	Lidderdale	$7.68	162
157	Bernard	$7.56	117
158	Braddyville	$7.49	142
159	Alvord	$7.41	216
160	Franklin	$7.31	133
161	Weldon	$7.18	134
162	Brunsville	$6.95	128
163	Packwood	$6.77	186
164	Houghton	$6.73	129
165	Williamson	$6.72	126
166	Lincoln	$6.32	119
167	Gravity	$6.18	149
168	Ackworth	$5.90	117
169	Oakland Acres	$5.88	178
170	Springbrook	$5.79	145
171	Maysville	$5.77	155
172	Harper	$5.29	117
173	Panorama Park	$4.62	142
174	Keomah Village	$3.15	107
175	Mcintire	$2.78	115
176	Sherrill	$2.66	176
177	Centralia	$2.41	117
178	Rickardsville	$2.27	204
179	New Liberty	$2.27	141
180	North Buena Vista	$1.78	107

The $8.10 limit

West Chester’s general levy is $7.41 per $1,000 of taxable value in FY27, $0.69 below the limit.⁴ 818 of 934 Iowa cities have a higher general levy. All cities.

$8.10

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

Outside the limit: $0.41 more⁵

Total Employee Benefit Levies$0.41 · $1,467

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$26,51395%
Total Employee Benefit Levies$1,4675%

Budget and spending

Reading a local budget

Where each dollar of West Chester’s budget goes, FY26

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 180 Iowa cities closest in size (100–220 people).

Where it goes	Of each dollar	Cities this size (180)
General Government	43¢	23¢
Public Works	26¢	25¢
Public Safety	17¢	9¢
Culture and Recreation	14¢	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$49,30046%
Public Works$24,40023%
Culture and Recreation$17,37016%
Public Safety$16,65415%

Budget compared with what it spent, FY23

Function	Budget	Spent
Public Works	$25,400	$22,608
Public Safety	$11,650	$10,690
Health and Social Services	$0	$0
General Government	$44,970	$73,273
Debt Service	$0	$0
Culture and Recreation	$21,100	$32,739
Community and Economic Development	$0	$0
Capital Projects	$0	$0
Business Type / Enterprise	$56,042	$61,661

What it spent each year

FY24 left out⁶

$200,971

$185,655

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? ⁷

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: $16,249 in FY25, up 10% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 12% less. Grants are below.

Show the numbers

Source	FY22	FY23	FY24	FY25
Road Use Tax (streets)	$15,560	$15,397	$15,800	$16,249

Has it kept up with prices?

Each source from FY19 to FY25, after inflation.

Road Use Tax (streets)−12%$14,707 → $16,249, up 10% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 12% 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 39% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 11% more.

$22,669

$22,026

Federal grants, for comparison: $10,990 in FY23.

Elections

Most recent: November 4, 2025

City · 2

West Chester City Council At-Large

2 seats: the top 2 win.

Delores Lillie Winner1456.0%
Ronald Carey Winner1144.0%

West Chester Mayor

Chad C. Peiffer Unopposed17100.0%

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

Related places

At the Statehouse and in Congress⁸

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

U.S. House:District 1

Washington County Mid-Prairie schools

Notes

For a $200,000 home with the homestead credit, at the combined rate in most of the city. Some parts of the city pay a different rate (special districts, tax increment financing districts). ↩
Cities adopt their budgets each spring for the year starting July 1. ↩
FY27 rates from the Department of Management. A higher rate isn’t always a bigger bill: it depends on how much property there is to tax. Sizes: Census Bureau 2024 estimates. ↩
Iowa Code section 384.1, as changed by House File 718 (2023). Until FY25 a city’s regular general levy was capped at $8.10 by itself, and a city at the cap could add an emergency levy of up to $0.27. From FY25 the general levy and several smaller levies were combined into one “consolidated” general levy with an $8.10 limit; a city whose combined rate was above $8.10 lowers it in steps, in years its taxable value grows by more than the law allows, until it reaches $8.10. So years before FY25 aren’t directly comparable with later ones. ↩
Levies outside the limit are each set aside for one purpose and have their own rules: debt service pays back bonds voters or the council approved, employee benefits cover pensions and insurance, and some (transit, an airport, insurance costs) have their own caps in state law. ↩
The state’s FY24 spending file repeats the year before for nearly every Iowa city, so that year isn’t shown. ↩
From the city’s annual financial reports to the state (Iowa Data Hub, city actual revenues). “Today’s dollars” adjusts each year by the consumer price index for the Midwest, so a flat line in today’s dollars means the money buys the same as before. ↩
Legislative and congressional districts that cover West Chester; percentages are rough shares of its area. These lawmakers write the state laws and budget West Chester works within. ↩

Sources: City budgets and levies from the Department of Management; tax rates from the Iowa Data Hub; state payments from the Department of Revenue; prices from the consumer price index; legislative districts from Census Bureau maps.