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Local taxes › Wright County › Rowan

City

Rowan

Wright County · How cities work

$3,550 a yearproperty tax on a $200,000 home here, FY27, for every local government ($42.16 per $1,000 of taxable value)1
$1,640 a yearof that goes to the city ($19.53 per $1,000)
$40,420property taxes the city levies, FY27
$153,048city 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 KetchumRowan City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Dale HollmanRowan Mayor · elected November 4, 2025
  • David EricksenRowan City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Virgil ParkRowan City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Heather BaumgartnerRowan City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Mark L. BrunsRowan 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 Rowan

Homes and businesses in most of Rowan pay a combined $42.16 per $1,000 of taxable value (FY27). They pay it all to the Wright County treasurer, who passes each government its share; the city sets and gets only its own piece, $19.53. Estimate your bill.

Rates over time

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

YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$39.91$15.53
FY21$40.14$15.39
FY22$37.46$15.18
FY23$36.89$15.84
FY24$37.81$17.57
FY25$38.90$18.79
FY26$41.80$19.95
FY27$42.16$19.53
Show the numbers
YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$39.91$15.53
FY21$40.14$15.39
FY22$37.46$15.18
FY23$36.89$15.84
FY24$37.81$17.57
FY25$38.90$18.79
FY26$41.80$19.95
FY27$42.16$19.53

Compared with places this size3

Rowan’s city property tax rate of $19.53 per $1,000 is the 9th highest of 149 Iowa cities with 80–180 people. The middle of the group is $10.19.

Castana: $34.13Brayton: $25.07Hansell: $23.66Harris: $23.13Whitten: $22.65Soldier: $21.92Stanley: $20.69Coin: $19.59Chester: $19.30Bouton: $19.25Ricketts: $19.22Garden Grove: $19.20Hastings: $18.95Grant: $18.71Swaledale: $18.62Derby: $18.13Hillsboro: $17.68Bristow: $17.39Woolstock: $17.26Monmouth: $16.41Blockton: $16.37Geneva: $16.25Waterville: $16.25Little Sioux: $15.74Woodburn: $15.59Goodell: $15.16Marne: $15.03Baldwin: $14.91Lucas: $14.40Palmer: $13.89Ayrshire: $13.55Searsboro: $13.55Ferguson: $13.53Lanesboro: $13.53Calumet: $13.16Delaware: $12.86Patterson: $12.84Clemons: $12.69Cylinder: $12.52Millersburg: $12.40Aurora: $12.40Bridgewater: $12.29Arion: $12.14Webb: $12.10Decatur: $12.08Shambaugh: $11.98Lone Rock: $11.92East Peru: $11.89Henderson: $11.85Reasnor: $11.76Morley: $11.74Ledyard: $11.74Toronto: $11.68Exline: $11.60Beaman: $11.54College Springs: $11.44Melrose: $11.27Linn Grove: $11.15Promise City: $11.13Leighton: $11.07Masonville: $11.00Somers: $10.99Havelock: $10.95Alexander: $10.90Lambs Grove: $10.78Wallingford: $10.75Pacific Junction: $10.56Barnes City: $10.44Stockton: $10.37Randall: $10.35Meriden: $10.28Drakesville: $10.24North Washington: $10.23Dawson: $10.19Hartwick: $9.90Clare: $9.81Tingley: $9.81Rutland: $9.65Van Wert: $9.62Rock Falls: $9.61Kirkville: $9.59Superior: $9.58Webster: $9.55Martinsburg: $9.49Larrabee: $9.41Hamilton: $9.35Wiota: $9.32Floris: $9.29Mitchell: $9.22Westphalia: $9.18Blairsburg: $8.93Prairieburg: $8.91Welton: $8.86Archer: $8.84Luther: $8.83Fraser: $8.81Macksburg: $8.81Moorland: $8.61Pilot Mound: $8.54Andover: $8.28Thurman: $8.26Boxholm: $8.11Carpenter: $8.10Chillicothe: $8.10Rome: $8.10Westfield: $8.10Vincent: $8.09Buckeye: $7.94Morrison: $7.86Mount Auburn: $7.86Haverhill: $7.86Oyens: $7.86Olds: $7.86Castalia: $7.86Dickens: $7.86Rose Hill: $7.86West Chester: $7.82Cromwell: $7.81Mcclelland: $7.79Arispe: $7.71Luzerne: $7.69Lidderdale: $7.68Westwood: $7.67Kinross: $7.57Bernard: $7.56Braddyville: $7.49Franklin: $7.31Spragueville: $7.20Weldon: $7.18Brunsville: $6.95Zwingle: $6.93Pleasant Plain: $6.79Houghton: $6.73Williamson: $6.72Lincoln: $6.32Tennant: $6.29Gravity: $6.18Ackworth: $5.90Springbrook: $5.79Maysville: $5.77Harper: $5.29Panorama Park: $4.62Keomah Village: $3.15Mcintire: $2.78Sherrill: $2.66Centralia: $2.41New Liberty: $2.27North Buena Vista: $1.78Rowan: $19.53$1.78 lowest$34.13 highestmiddle
See all 149
#PlaceRate per $1,000People
1Castana$34.13103
2Brayton$25.07138
3Hansell$23.6685
4Harris$23.13145
5Whitten$22.6598
6Soldier$21.92176
7Stanley$20.6986
8Coin$19.59171
9Rowan$19.53118
10Chester$19.30134
11Bouton$19.25125
12Ricketts$19.22105
13Garden Grove$19.20173
14Hastings$18.95157
15Grant$18.7182
16Swaledale$18.62136
17Derby$18.1389
18Hillsboro$17.68158
19Bristow$17.39139
20Woolstock$17.26141
21Monmouth$16.41129
22Blockton$16.37123
23Geneva$16.25137
24Waterville$16.25112
25Little Sioux$15.74170
26Woodburn$15.59133
27Goodell$15.16139
28Marne$15.03109
29Baldwin$14.9199
30Lucas$14.40176
31Palmer$13.89137
32Ayrshire$13.55128
33Searsboro$13.55129
34Ferguson$13.5398
35Lanesboro$13.53112
36Calumet$13.16144
37Delaware$12.86139
38Patterson$12.84176
39Clemons$12.69135
40Cylinder$12.5284
41Millersburg$12.40135
42Aurora$12.40165
43Bridgewater$12.29145
44Arion$12.1499
45Webb$12.10139
46Decatur$12.08174
47Shambaugh$11.98161
48Lone Rock$11.92143
49East Peru$11.89119
50Henderson$11.85140
51Reasnor$11.76157
52Morley$11.7494
53Ledyard$11.74118
54Toronto$11.68101
55Exline$11.60157
56Beaman$11.54155
57College Springs$11.44172
58Melrose$11.27110
59Linn Grove$11.15155
60Promise City$11.1391
61Leighton$11.07153
62Masonville$11.0098
63Somers$10.99121
64Havelock$10.95127
65Alexander$10.90165
66Lambs Grove$10.78174
67Wallingford$10.75154
68Pacific Junction$10.5699
69Barnes City$10.44152
70Stockton$10.37171
71Randall$10.35156
72Meriden$10.28175
73Drakesville$10.24170
74North Washington$10.23107
75Dawson$10.19110
76Hartwick$9.9091
77Clare$9.81133
78Tingley$9.81146
79Rutland$9.65116
80Van Wert$9.62175
81Rock Falls$9.61143
82Kirkville$9.59159
83Superior$9.58127
84Webster$9.5594
85Martinsburg$9.49109
86Larrabee$9.41116
87Hamilton$9.35125
88Wiota$9.3291
89Floris$9.29119
90Mitchell$9.22118
91Westphalia$9.18133
92Blairsburg$8.93175
93Prairieburg$8.91156
94Welton$8.86124
95Archer$8.84116
96Luther$8.83147
97Fraser$8.81107
98Macksburg$8.81103
99Moorland$8.61169
100Pilot Mound$8.54155
101Andover$8.28106
102Thurman$8.26162
103Boxholm$8.11177
104Carpenter$8.1092
105Chillicothe$8.1079
106Rome$8.10112
107Westfield$8.10121
108Vincent$8.09125
109Buckeye$7.9482
110Morrison$7.86101
111Mount Auburn$7.86162
112Haverhill$7.86164
113Oyens$7.8688
114Olds$7.86174
115Castalia$7.86141
116Dickens$7.86146
117Rose Hill$7.86156
118West Chester$7.82147
119Cromwell$7.81104
120Mcclelland$7.79147
121Arispe$7.7195
122Luzerne$7.69111
123Lidderdale$7.68162
124Westwood$7.6796
125Kinross$7.5780
126Bernard$7.56117
127Braddyville$7.49142
128Franklin$7.31133
129Spragueville$7.2092
130Weldon$7.18134
131Brunsville$6.95128
132Zwingle$6.9386
133Pleasant Plain$6.7983
134Houghton$6.73129
135Williamson$6.72126
136Lincoln$6.32119
137Tennant$6.2983
138Gravity$6.18149
139Ackworth$5.90117
140Springbrook$5.79145
141Maysville$5.77155
142Harper$5.29117
143Panorama Park$4.62142
144Keomah Village$3.15107
145Mcintire$2.78115
146Sherrill$2.66176
147Centralia$2.41117
148New Liberty$2.27141
149North Buena Vista$1.78107

The $8.10 limit

Rowan’s general levy is $8.35 per $1,000 of taxable value in FY27, $0.25 above the limit; it has to come down in steps.4 68 of 934 Iowa cities have a higher general levy. All cities.

FY23 $8.10 · FY24 $8.10 · FY25 $8.52 · FY26 $8.52 · FY27 $8.35 (before FY25, the general levy alone)

Outside the limit: $11.18 more5

  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$7.92 · $15,948
  • Debt Service Levy$1.86 · $3,753
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$1.40 · $2,814

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$16,82743%
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$15,94841%
  • Debt Service Levy$3,75310%
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$2,8147%

Budget and spending

Reading a local budget

Where each dollar of Rowan’s budget goes, FY26

Business Type / Enterprise: 40¢ of every dollar40¢General Government: 27¢ of every dollar27¢Culture and Recreation: 19¢ of every dollar19¢Public Works: 8¢ of every dollar8¢Public Safety: 2¢ of every dollarEverything else: 4¢ 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 150 Iowa cities closest in size (80–180 people).

Where it goesOf each dollarCities this size (150)
Business Type / Enterprise40¢24¢
General Government27¢26¢
Culture and Recreation19¢8¢
Public Works8¢27¢
Public Safety2¢10¢
Everything else4¢4¢

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$60,47540%
  • Culture and Recreation$50,64833%
  • Public Works$24,00016%
  • Public Safety$7,3005%
  • Debt Service$4,1003%
  • Community and Economic Development$4,0253%
  • Health and Social Services$2,5002%

The state’s FY27 file doesn’t include business type / enterprise yet ($110,000 in FY26), so this total is low.

Budget compared with what it spent, FY23
FunctionBudgetSpent
Public Works$27,000$18,471
Public Safety$8,990$16,617
Health and Social Services$1,200$1,564
General Government$63,200$118,357
Debt Service$0$0
Culture and Recreation$84,655$55,698
Community and Economic Development$5,000$2,543
Capital Projects$0$0
Business Type / Enterprise$135,050$108,810

What it spent each year

FY24 left out6

$1.2M
$281,367

Debt, reserves and audits

How local debt works · What an audit tells you

What Rowan owes

$416,975 at June 30, 2026: $3,390 per resident. 239th most per resident of 939 Iowa places of its kind (the list).7

$700,000
$416,975
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$416,975$3,390
2025$433,490$3,524
2024$465,275$3,783
2023$514,406$4,182
2022$525,496$4,272
2021$570,737$4,640
2020$690,647$5,615
2019$700,000$5,691
2018$700,000$5,691
2017$0$0
2016$0$0
2015$8,176$66
2014$8,176$66
2013$14,137$115
2012$0$0
2011$0$0
2010$0$0
Show the numbers
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$416,975$3,390
2025$433,490$3,524
2024$465,275$3,783
2023$514,406$4,182
2022$525,496$4,272
2021$570,737$4,640
2020$690,647$5,615
2019$700,000$5,691
2018$700,000$5,691
2017$0$0
2016$0$0
2015$8,176$66
2014$8,176$66
2013$14,137$115
2012$0$0
2011$0$0
2010$0$0

Up 2850% since 2013.

The 5% limit8

General obligation debt is $0, 0% of the limit of about $230,630 (5% of $4.6M, the full value of its taxable property in 2024).

3 obligations at June 30, 2026
KindForPaid off byOwed
LoansPublic Sewer System - Wastewater Treatment2057$369,722
LoansRemoval of unsafe building2033$28,700
LoansEmergency Water System Repairs2030$18,552

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. Rowan’s latest audit has them: Financial Statement, period ending Saturday, June 30, 2018 (PDF).

Audits10

The latest: Financial Statement for the period ending Saturday, June 30, 2018 (PDF), released Tuesday, April 28, 2020, by a CPA firm.

2 earlier reports for Rowan

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: $14,622 in FY25, down 14% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 32% less. Grants are below.

Show the numbers
SourceFY22FY23FY24FY25
Road Use Tax (streets)$14,937$14,166$14,543$14,622

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.

$11,214
$0
    YearGrants and projects
    FY19$0
    FY20$0
    FY21$0
    FY22$11,214
    FY23$11,214
    FY24$0
    FY25$0
    Show the numbers
    YearGrants and projects
    FY19$0
    FY20$0
    FY21$0
    FY22$11,214
    FY23$11,214
    FY24$0
    FY25$0

    Has it kept up with prices?

    Each source from FY19 to FY25, after inflation.

    • Road Use Tax (streets)−32%$17,056 → $14,622, down 14% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 32% 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 down 14% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 31% less.

    $18,807
    $16,224

    Federal grants, for comparison: $120,788 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

    3 seats: the top 3 win.

    Local races from civicAPI and county auditors for Rowan; 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.

    • Rowan City Council At-Large (2 seats)
      Now held by Heather Baumgartner, Mark L. Bruns
    • Rowan Mayor
      Now held by Dale Hollman

    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

    Dennis Guth (Sen. 28)Mark I. Thompson (Rep. 56)

    U.S. House:District 4

    Wright CountyBelmond-Klemme schools