Guest, Sign inJoin

Post to Ashton

We’ll email a one-tap link to publish your post. No password, and nothing is public until you click it.
Already a member? Sign in
Town Hall · Ashton

Ashton spent more per resident in 2022 than 69% of similar cities

Ashton’s city government spent $465,000 on day-to-day services in the year to June 30, 2022, about $1,110 per resident. Water and other utilities ($65,000) are counted separately.

Election Day

Today

General election in Iowa.

Register or check: vote.gov ↗
Day-to-day spending, 2022
$465,000
year to June 30, 2022
Per resident, 2022
$1,110
In 2022: $1,110, more than 69% of 802 similar cities
Long-term debt
$426,000
end of FY2022, reported
City staff, 2022
1
full-time · 2 part-time · March payroll $10,633 · Census estimate
Typical tax bill
$1,052
1.06% of home value · IA 1.39%

What stands out about how Ashton is run

Read from the city’s budget and official records.

Spends more than most similar citiesIn 2022: $1,110 per resident, more than 69% of 802 similar cities.Runs its own water & sewer27% of day-to-day spending goes to water, sewer and trash (2022).A shared school districtShares Sheldon Community School District with 3 other towns.Lower tax billsThe typical bill is $1,052 a year: 1.06% of the home’s value, vs 1.39% across Iowa.
Compared with similar places

$1,110 per resident in 2022: more than 69% of them

Ashton’s day-to-day spending in 2022 ($1,110 per resident, hospital and utilities left out) against 802 Iowa cities of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools: the median was $900, and the middle half spent $632–$1,190. Ashton spent more than 69% of them.

Middle half of the group, $632–$1,190Median $900Ashton

Includes sewer and trash ($77,000), as the Census Bureau counts them. Later years come from a Census sample, so the comparison stays on 2022. How Town Hall compares budgets →

The group
802

Iowa cities of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools, 2022 Census of Governments (every government counted that year; Ashton itself left out).

Your share of the 2022 budget

About $1,110 per resident a year, or $3.04 a day

Day-to-day services only. The biggest line: roads & transportation, at 33%.

Where the money comes from
Property taxes 36%Fees & charges 15%From other local governments 14%Utility sales 12%Sales taxes 11%From the state 7%From the federal government 5%Other taxes & licenses <1%Interest, fines & other <1%
Not in the receipt.Building projects $438,000; interest on debt $20,000; payments to other governments $47,000. With these and the enterprises, the whole budget was $1 million.
Over the years

No trend yet

Ashton reported only 2022 to the Census Bureau, so there is no trend yet.

Property tax

The typical homeowner pays $1,052 a year

Every local property tax on the home: town, schools and county. About 1.06% of the home’s value, vs 1.39% across Iowa.

What homes cost →

Typical yearly bill next door and statewide

Iowa$2,897
Ashton$1,052
$1,052
typical bill a year
1.06%
effective rate
$98,800
typical home value (Census)
Your own bill

The Housing page’s calculator splits a monthly payment into loan, tax and insurance at Ashton’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.

Tax bills are one input to Ashton’s Cost of living grade. Cost of living in Ashton →

Who runs it

Who’s in charge in Ashton

Names change after every election, so we link to the source that keeps them current.

Check Ashton’s own website for current officialsWe name an official only when a public source lists a current term. None does for Ashton yet.
Who works for Ashton

One full-time city employee for every 419 residents

On the payroll in March 2022, from the Census Bureau’s Annual Survey of Public Employment & Payroll (a Census estimate). Residents: the Census population in the 2022 finance file (419).

By department full-time, plus part-time, March 2022

Roads & transportation1
Administration & buildings0 + 1 pt
Parks & libraries0 + 1 pt
1
full-time
2
part-time
$10,633
payroll for March 2022
$127,596
a year, estimated (March × 12)
$62,600
average full-time pay, before benefits (March × 12)
Estimates.Ashton didn’t report its staff figures; these are the Census Bureau’s estimates, so they aren’t compared with other towns.

The Census reports one month’s payroll (March); yearly figures are that month × 12, an estimate. Part-timers count half in the bar lengths.

The school district

Sheldon Community School District

Ashton’s K–12 school district, shared with Archer, Matlock, Sheldon. It’s its own government, with a budget separate from the town’s.

Schools in Ashton →
$12,356
per pupil · IA $13,713
1,221
students
$11.1 million
long-term debt

Of the $12,356 per pupil, $7,708 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.

The district: schools, scores and graduation →

Where the district’s money comes from
Local 41%State 53%Federal 7%

Iowa districts overall: 43% local, 49% state, 8% federal.

School year 2023–24. Census Bureau school finance survey.

Elections · 2024 general election

Ashton’s votes are counted by county

Iowa reports official results by county and precinct, not by city, so there are no official results for Ashton alone, and we don’t estimate them. These are Osceola County’s results.

President · Osceola County’s results3,219 votes · results as certified
Donald J TrumpDonald J TrumpRepublican81.5%2,623 votes
Kamala D HarrisKamala D HarrisDemocrat17.2%555 votes

Others: 1.3% (41 votes).

Most votes in Osceola County: Donald J Trump

Iowa: Trump 55.7%, Harris 42.5%

The county’s page

100% of Ashton lies in Osceola County. Every 2024 race in Osceola County is on the county’s page.

Osceola County’s 2024 results →
DemocratRepublicanLibertarianIndependent / other

Official 2024 general election returns, as certified (MIT Election Data + Science Lab). Percentages are of votes for candidates; blank and spoiled ballots aren’t counted. Candidates are listed by votes, and party colors are neutral on purpose.

Portraits: Kamala D Harris: official vice-presidential portrait, Lawrence Jackson, The White House, 2021; Donald J Trump: official portrait, Shealah Craighead, The White House, 2017. All are U.S. government works in the public domain. A race shows photos only when every candidate has an official portrait; otherwise every candidate in it gets initials.

Who represents Ashton

From town hall to Washington

Every level of government that speaks for Ashton.

2024 results ↑
  1. 1
    Your cityMayor & council
    Local officials aren’t on record yet.
  2. 2
    Iowa HouseState representatives
    Zach Dieken
  3. 3
    Iowa SenateState senator
    Lynn Evans
  4. 4
    GovernorStatewide
    Kim Reynolds
  5. 5
    U.S. HouseYour representative in Congress
    Randy Feenstra
  6. 6
    U.S. SenateBoth represent all of Iowa
    Chuck GrassleyJoni Ernst

Democrat · Republican · other or independent. Tap a name for their official page.

Reach Ashton’s government

Neighbors add phone numbers and hours to the Handbook.

The Handbook →

Questions about Ashton’s government

How much does Ashton spend per resident?

About $1,110 per resident on day-to-day services in the year to June 30, 2022, as reported to the Census Bureau. In 2022, the last full count, its $1,110 was more than 69% of 802 Iowa cities of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools.

What is the property tax rate in Ashton?

Homeowners report a typical bill of $1,052 a year (Census ACS, 2020–24), about 1.06% of the typical home’s value, vs 1.39% across Iowa. For the official rate per $1,000 of assessed value, see the city’s assessor.

Who runs Ashton’s government?

We name an official only when a public source lists a current term, and none does for Ashton yet.

How did Ashton vote in 2024?

Iowa counts votes by county and precinct, not by city, so there are no official results for Ashton alone. Osceola County, where 100% of Ashton lies, voted Trump 81.5%, Harris 17.2% for president; its page has every race.

How many people work for Ashton?

1 full-time and 2 part-time employees in March 2022, with a March payroll of $10,633 (about $127,596 a year if every month were the same); Census Bureau estimates.

Who represents Ashton in the state legislature?

State Senate District 3 (Lynn Evans) and State House District 5 (Zach Dieken). The House district also covers 16 other towns. Listed by Open States; districts from the Census Bureau.

Ask neighbors about Ashton’s government

Neighbors who’ve been to the meetings can help.

Town Square →
Ask neighbors

Budget and staff: U.S. Census Bureau, Census of Governments (2022, every government) and Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances (2023–24, a sample) and the Annual Survey of Public Employment & Payroll; day-to-day spending is current operations, with hospitals, utilities and airports apart. School district: Census school finance survey, 2023–24. Property tax: Census American Community Survey, 2020–24. Elections: official 2024 returns via the MIT Election Data + Science Lab; turnout uses Census citizen voting-age population (CVAP, 2020–24). Officials: Open States, names shown only with a current term (checked October 9, 2026). Districts: Census Bureau (119th Congress, 2024 state districts); legislators: Open States and congress-legislators. How Town Hall works →