How Elma is run
Elma spent $1 million in the year to June 30, 2022, about $1,913 per resident.
What stands out about how Elma is run
Read from the town’s budget, meetings and records. The page puts what stands out first.
The typical homeowner pays $1,214 a year
Every local property tax on the home: town, schools and county. About 1.49% of the home’s value, vs 1.39% across Iowa.
Typical yearly bill next door and statewide
The Housing page’s calculator splits a monthly payment into loan, tax and insurance at Elma’s rate.
Can I afford it? →The median bill homeowners report to the Census survey (bills of $10,000+ are reported as “$10,000+”). The effective rate is that bill ÷ the median home value: a rough guide, not the official tax rate. In a town this small the estimate has a wide margin.
About $1,913 per resident a year, or $5.24 a day
The biggest line: roads & transportation, at 24% of spending.
Thank you for being a neighbor
Howard-Winneshiek Community School District
Elma’s K–12 school district, shared with Chester, Cresco, Lime Springs, Ridgeway. It’s its own government, with a budget separate from the town’s.
Of the $15,077 per pupil, $9,310 goes to the classroom (teachers, aides, supplies); the rest to buses, buildings, counselors and administration. Building projects and debt payments aren’t in the per-pupil figure.
Iowa districts overall: 43% local, 49% state, 8% federal.
School year 2023–24. Census Bureau school finance survey.
Who’s in charge in Elma
Local officials aren’t in the public records we use for Elma yet. Neighbors can add them.
One full-time town employee for every 529 residents
On the payroll in March 2022 (a Census Bureau estimate).
By department full-time, plus part-time
Pay is March payroll times twelve, so it’s approximate. Part-timers count half in the bar lengths.
From town hall to Washington
Every level of government that speaks for Elma.
- 1Your cityMayor & councilLocal officials aren’t on record yet.
- 2Iowa HouseState representatives
- 3Iowa SenateState senator
- 4GovernorStatewide
- 5U.S. HouseYour representative in Congress
- 6U.S. SenateBoth represent all of Iowa
Democrat · Republican · other or independent. Tap a name for their official page.
Reach Elma’s government
Numbers and hours come from neighbors and the town’s own site (the Handbook). A new one goes live once two neighbors confirm it.
Questions about how Elma is run?
Neighbors who’ve been to the meetings can help.
Your answer becomes a post in Town Square.
Budget and staff: U.S. Census Bureau, Census of Governments and Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances and the Annual Survey of Public Employment & Payroll. School district: Census school finance survey. Property tax: Census American Community Survey, 5-year estimates. Representatives: Open States, the Census and congress-legislators.