Display
Language
About accessibility
Language
Display
Sign in

Local taxes › Wayne County › Seymour

City

Seymour

Wayne County · How cities work

$3,460 a yearproperty tax on a $200,000 home here, FY27, for every local government ($41.07 per $1,000 of taxable value)1
$1,580 a yearof that goes to the city ($18.78 per $1,000)
$252,762property taxes the city levies, FY27
$571,268city 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.

  • Caleb HoushSeymour Mayor · elected November 4, 2025
  • David Dotts (Write-InSeymour City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Tony FarhnerSeymour City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Trevor Banks (Write-In)Seymour City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Brody Lawson (Write-In)Seymour City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Michelle McMurrySeymour 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 Seymour

Homes and businesses in most of Seymour pay a combined $41.07 per $1,000 of taxable value (FY27). They pay it all to the Wayne County treasurer, who passes each government its share; the city sets and gets only its own piece, $18.78. Estimate your bill.

  • City of Seymour$18.7846%
  • Seymour schools$10.1625%
  • Wayne County$6.4716%
  • Wayne County Hospital$3.679%
  • Indian Hills Community College$1.243%
  • Wayne County Assessor$0.451%
  • Wayne County Extension (ISU Extension and Outreach)$0.30<1%

Rates over time

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

YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$44.34$18.50
FY21$43.06$17.86
FY22$45.32$20.54
FY23$43.56$20.55
FY24$43.32$19.52
FY25$41.68$18.88
FY26$42.15$18.98
FY27$41.07$18.78
Show the numbers
YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$44.34$18.50
FY21$43.06$17.86
FY22$45.32$20.54
FY23$43.56$20.55
FY24$43.32$19.52
FY25$41.68$18.88
FY26$42.15$18.98
FY27$41.07$18.78

Compared with places this size3

Seymour’s city property tax rate of $18.78 per $1,000 is the 9th highest of 186 Iowa cities with 430–970 people. The middle of the group is $12.87.

Exira: $24.81Rolfe: $22.67Dayton: $22.51Charter Oak: $21.32Correctionville: $19.84Pomeroy: $19.60Allison: $19.06Dumont: $19.04Dexter: $18.69Fonda: $18.52Kanawha: $18.11Swea City: $18.04Alden: $17.90Elma: $17.82Dows: $17.70New Hartford: $17.69Lansing: $17.67Walnut: $17.46Murray: $17.44Thompson: $17.25Gowrie: $17.17Ashton: $17.17Colo: $17.14Latimer: $16.96Adair: $16.84Eddyville: $16.82Elk Horn: $16.78Oxford: $16.70Buffalo Center: $16.58Whittemore: $16.54Bancroft: $16.52Titonka: $16.45Eldon: $16.42Early: $16.35Truro: $16.34Scranton: $16.01Armstrong: $15.87Ruthven: $15.84Minden: $15.77Walker: $15.74Newell: $15.49Riceville: $15.31Neola: $15.30Russell: $15.18Gilbertville: $15.15Stanwood: $15.12Stratford: $15.03Zearing: $14.99Readlyn: $14.99Maynard: $14.85Wyoming: $14.81Humeston: $14.80Hopkinton: $14.79Essex: $14.76Gilmore City: $14.60Garnavillo: $14.52Maxwell: $14.50Sabula: $14.38Collins: $14.32Clermont: $14.30Moulton: $14.25Mcgregor: $14.20Olin: $14.19Primghar: $14.18Garwin: $14.08Farragut: $14.07Elgin: $14.05Lime Springs: $13.95Dow City: $13.94Ossian: $13.88Redfield: $13.73Victor: $13.72Edgewood: $13.64Sioux Rapids: $13.63Donnellson: $13.63Albion: $13.58Gladbrook: $13.58New Albin: $13.55Rockford: $13.52Boyden: $13.39Anita: $13.28Van Horne: $13.27Keota: $13.21De Soto: $13.18Quasqueton: $13.12Farmington: $13.10Anthon: $13.05Little Rock: $13.03Odebolt: $13.00Coggon: $12.99Earlville: $12.90Brighton: $12.88Danville: $12.87Montrose: $12.78Goldfield: $12.73Wellsburg: $12.68Delmar: $12.68Badger: $12.67Stanton: $12.62Hospers: $12.58Norway: $12.53Everly: $12.51Hazleton: $12.48West Point: $12.39Hinton: $12.38Preston: $12.38Alburnett: $12.30Hubbard: $12.30Moravia: $12.27Hedrick: $12.22Carson: $12.22Wheatland: $12.18Schaller: $12.14Afton: $11.96Lowden: $11.93Albert City: $11.88Runnells: $11.79Allerton: $11.72Merrill: $11.64Ellsworth: $11.57Morning Sun: $11.50Battle Creek: $11.49Wall Lake: $11.43West Bend: $11.42Dakota City: $11.39Dunkerton: $11.30Sutherland: $11.25Arcadia: $11.23Whiting: $11.21Shelby: $11.17Blairstown: $11.04Manilla: $11.01Hamburg: $10.95Ireton: $10.93Fontanelle: $10.88Richland: $10.82Grand Mound: $10.78Batavia: $10.77Cambridge: $10.53Lovilia: $10.46Swisher: $10.39Schleswig: $10.39Melbourne: $10.38Radcliffe: $10.37Stacyville: $10.36Ventura: $10.22Inwood: $10.22Milo: $10.20Hartford: $10.16What Cheer: $10.01Newhall: $9.99Cumming: $9.85Graettinger: $9.81Breda: $9.80Doon: $9.78Long Grove: $9.59Alleman: $9.12Winthrop: $8.94Crescent: $8.72Ainsworth: $8.62Keosauqua: $8.58Grand Junction: $8.57Princeton: $8.24Gilman: $8.10Grandview: $8.10Kellogg: $8.10Lakeside: $8.10Agency: $7.94Hills: $7.94Fremont: $7.86Delhi: $7.81Beacon: $7.56Larchwood: $7.52Sully: $7.41Fruitland: $7.21Lawton: $7.10Marquette: $7.08Wayland: $7.07Raymond: $6.85Keystone: $6.80Shueyville: $6.79New Virginia: $5.97University Park: $5.27Orleans: $4.13Okoboji: $3.83Seymour: $18.78$3.83 lowest$24.81 highestmiddle
See all 186
#PlaceRate per $1,000People
1Exira$24.81766
2Rolfe$22.67505
3Dayton$22.51766
4Charter Oak$21.32521
5Correctionville$19.84759
6Pomeroy$19.60511
7Allison$19.06937
8Dumont$19.04614
9Seymour$18.78646
10Dexter$18.69631
11Fonda$18.52636
12Kanawha$18.11638
13Swea City$18.04545
14Alden$17.90738
15Elma$17.82493
16Dows$17.70509
17New Hartford$17.69555
18Lansing$17.67959
19Walnut$17.46728
20Murray$17.44609
21Thompson$17.25478
22Gowrie$17.17943
23Ashton$17.17434
24Colo$17.14856
25Latimer$16.96477
26Adair$16.84792
27Eddyville$16.82965
28Elk Horn$16.78631
29Oxford$16.70715
30Buffalo Center$16.58839
31Whittemore$16.54478
32Bancroft$16.52677
33Titonka$16.45491
34Eldon$16.42788
35Early$16.35571
36Truro$16.34515
37Scranton$16.01496
38Armstrong$15.87847
39Ruthven$15.84710
40Minden$15.77581
41Walker$15.74671
42Newell$15.49850
43Riceville$15.31807
44Neola$15.30917
45Russell$15.18475
46Gilbertville$15.15792
47Stanwood$15.12612
48Stratford$15.03688
49Zearing$14.99508
50Readlyn$14.99857
51Maynard$14.85466
52Wyoming$14.81526
53Humeston$14.80472
54Hopkinton$14.79622
55Essex$14.76721
56Gilmore City$14.60484
57Garnavillo$14.52751
58Maxwell$14.50862
59Sabula$14.38498
60Collins$14.32503
61Clermont$14.30571
62Moulton$14.25596
63Mcgregor$14.20725
64Olin$14.19652
65Primghar$14.18893
66Garwin$14.08469
67Farragut$14.07480
68Elgin$14.05676
69Lime Springs$13.95467
70Dow City$13.94477
71Ossian$13.88777
72Redfield$13.73719
73Victor$13.72852
74Edgewood$13.64908
75Sioux Rapids$13.63722
76Donnellson$13.63859
77Albion$13.58444
78Gladbrook$13.58775
79New Albin$13.55435
80Rockford$13.52722
81Boyden$13.39694
82Anita$13.28953
83Van Horne$13.27768
84Keota$13.21888
85De Soto$13.18937
86Quasqueton$13.12587
87Farmington$13.10583
88Anthon$13.05534
89Little Rock$13.03447
90Odebolt$13.00967
91Coggon$12.99691
92Earlville$12.90713
93Brighton$12.88592
94Danville$12.87910
95Montrose$12.78734
96Goldfield$12.73617
97Wellsburg$12.68709
98Delmar$12.68541
99Badger$12.67540
100Stanton$12.62664
101Hospers$12.58703
102Norway$12.53463
103Everly$12.51570
104Hazleton$12.48711
105West Point$12.39903
106Hinton$12.38959
107Preston$12.38940
108Alburnett$12.30672
109Hubbard$12.30837
110Moravia$12.27625
111Hedrick$12.22717
112Carson$12.22772
113Wheatland$12.18765
114Schaller$12.14702
115Afton$11.96864
116Lowden$11.93767
117Albert City$11.88627
118Runnells$11.79467
119Allerton$11.72432
120Merrill$11.64713
121Ellsworth$11.57495
122Morning Sun$11.50702
123Battle Creek$11.49683
124Wall Lake$11.43739
125West Bend$11.42770
126Dakota City$11.39764
127Dunkerton$11.30840
128Sutherland$11.25628
129Arcadia$11.23588
130Whiting$11.21725
131Shelby$11.17730
132Blairstown$11.04705
133Manilla$11.01756
134Hamburg$10.95863
135Ireton$10.93571
136Fontanelle$10.88684
137Richland$10.82532
138Grand Mound$10.78608
139Batavia$10.77434
140Cambridge$10.53844
141Lovilia$10.46456
142Swisher$10.39909
143Schleswig$10.39820
144Melbourne$10.38771
145Radcliffe$10.37540
146Stacyville$10.36436
147Ventura$10.22701
148Inwood$10.22962
149Milo$10.20762
150Hartford$10.16729
151What Cheer$10.01595
152Newhall$9.99887
153Cumming$9.85527
154Graettinger$9.81810
155Breda$9.80492
156Doon$9.78640
157Long Grove$9.59849
158Alleman$9.12439
159Winthrop$8.94814
160Crescent$8.72626
161Ainsworth$8.62511
162Keosauqua$8.58944
163Grand Junction$8.57715
164Princeton$8.24917
165Gilman$8.10530
166Grandview$8.10431
167Kellogg$8.10597
168Lakeside$8.10695
169Agency$7.94623
170Hills$7.94911
171Fremont$7.86688
172Delhi$7.81438
173Beacon$7.56434
174Larchwood$7.52954
175Sully$7.41891
176Fruitland$7.21928
177Lawton$7.10949
178Marquette$7.08434
179Wayland$7.07935
180Raymond$6.85754
181Keystone$6.80616
182Shueyville$6.79725
183New Virginia$5.97499
184University Park$5.27476
185Orleans$4.13503
186Okoboji$3.83729

The $8.10 limit

Seymour’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: $10.01 more5

  • Debt Service Levy$5.62 · $74,764
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$2.14 · $28,426
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$1.54 · $20,467
  • Capital Projects (Capital Improv. Reserve)$0.68 · $8,978
  • Support of a Local Emerg. Mgmt. Comm.$0.04 · $474

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$116,71847%
  • Debt Service Levy$74,76430%
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$28,42611%
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$20,4678%
  • Capital Projects (Capital Improv. Reserve)$8,9784%
  • Support of a Local Emerg. Mgmt. Comm.$4740%

Budget and spending

Reading a local budget

Where each dollar of Seymour’s budget goes, FY26

Business Type / Enterprise: 46¢ of every dollar46¢Public Safety: 19¢ of every dollar19¢Debt Service: 11¢ of every dollar11¢Public Works: 11¢ of every dollar11¢Culture and Recreation: 8¢ of every dollar8¢Everything else: 5¢ 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 185 Iowa cities closest in size (430–970 people).

Where it goesOf each dollarCities this size (185)
Business Type / Enterprise46¢40¢
Public Safety19¢9¢
Debt Service11¢5¢
Public Works11¢17¢
Culture and Recreation8¢9¢
Everything else5¢13¢

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$205,48036%
  • Public Works$118,08621%
  • Debt Service$104,23518%
  • Culture and Recreation$88,55016%
  • General Government$50,4179%
  • Community and Economic Development$4,5001%

The state’s FY27 file doesn’t include business type / enterprise yet ($448,033 in FY26), so this total is low.

Budget compared with what it spent, FY23
FunctionBudgetSpent
Public Works$92,598$96,816
Public Safety$137,872$143,662
Health and Social Services$0$0
General Government$34,037$21,891
Debt Service$119,615$119,606
Culture and Recreation$76,350$101,712
Community and Economic Development$2,000$2,700
Capital Projects$40,166$13,054
Business Type / Enterprise$413,600$398,602

What it spent each year

FY24 left out6

$1.7M
$1.1M

Debt, reserves and audits

How local debt works · What an audit tells you

What Seymour owes

$905,591 at June 30, 2026: $1,428 per resident. 472nd most per resident of 939 Iowa places of its kind (the list).7

$1.6M
$905,591
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$905,591$1,428
2025$1.0M$1,626
2024$1.2M$1,821
2023$1.3M$2,035
2022$1.4M$2,248
2021$1.6M$2,461
2020$641,503$1,012
2019$728,560$1,149
2018$840,649$1,326
2017$869,916$1,372
2016$653,516$1,031
2015$752,064$1,186
2014$849,420$1,340
2013$601,559$949
2012$677,790$1,069
2011$307,388$485
2010$349,306$551
Show the numbers
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$905,591$1,428
2025$1.0M$1,626
2024$1.2M$1,821
2023$1.3M$2,035
2022$1.4M$2,248
2021$1.6M$2,461
2020$641,503$1,012
2019$728,560$1,149
2018$840,649$1,326
2017$869,916$1,372
2016$653,516$1,031
2015$752,064$1,186
2014$849,420$1,340
2013$601,559$949
2012$677,790$1,069
2011$307,388$485
2010$349,306$551

Up 159% since 2010.

Money in reserve

The state’s budget files don’t include cities’ fund balances8. Seymour’s latest audit has them: Periodic Examination, period ending Saturday, June 30, 2018 (PDF).

Audits9

The latest: Periodic Examination for the period ending Saturday, June 30, 2018 (PDF), released Thursday, July 25, 2019, by the Auditor of State.

5 earlier reports for Seymour

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? 10

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: $105,296 in FY25, up 7% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 14% less. Grants are below.

Show the numbers
SourceFY22FY23FY24FY25
Road Use Tax (streets)$89,311$87,246$89,554$90,040
Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)$4,098$3,585$14,256$15,256

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.

$5,100
$0
    YearGrants and projects
    FY19$0
    FY20$0
    FY21$0
    FY22$5,100
    FY23$700
    FY24$3,924
    FY25$0
    Show the numbers
    YearGrants and projects
    FY19$0
    FY20$0
    FY21$0
    FY22$5,100
    FY23$700
    FY24$3,924
    FY25$0

    Has it kept up with prices?

    Each source from FY19 to FY25, after inflation.

    • Road Use Tax (streets)−21%$90,559 → $90,040, down 1% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 21% less
    • Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)+61%$7,537 → $15,256, up 102% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 61% more

    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 30% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 4% more.

    $84,056
    $84,043

    Federal grants, for comparison: $52,408 in FY23.

    Business awards

    Every award statewide

    Elections

    Running for mayor and city council

    Filing opens Monday, August 23, 2027: in 285 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)11.

    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 Seymour; 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.

    • Seymour City Council At-Large (2 seats)
      Now held by Michelle McMurry, Brody Lawson (Write-In)

    Candidates as county auditors and civicAPI list them; a filing can take a few days to appear here12.

    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 ballot13.

    Related places

    At the Statehouse and in Congress14

    Amy Sinclair (Sen. 12)Sam Wengryn (Rep. 24)

    U.S. House:District 3

    Wayne CountySeymour schools