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Diagonal, IAPhoto: Jared Winkler · CC BY-SA 4.0
Town Hall · Diagonal

Diagonal spent more per resident in 2022 than 78% of similar cities

Diagonal’s city government spent $394,000 on day-to-day services in the year to June 30, 2022, about $1,263 per resident. Water and other utilities ($52,000) are counted separately.

Election Day

Tomorrow

General election in Iowa.

Register or check: vote.gov ↗
Day-to-day spending, 2022
$394,000
year to June 30, 2022
Per resident, 2022
$1,263
In 2022: $1,263, more than 78% of 802 similar cities
Long-term debt
$237,000
end of FY2022, reported
Typical tax bill
$1,176
1.29% of home value · IA 1.39%

What stands out about how Diagonal is run

Read from the city’s budget and official records.

Spends more than most similar citiesIn 2022: $1,263 per resident, more than 78% of 802 similar cities.Lower tax billsThe typical bill is $1,176 a year: 1.29% of the home’s value, vs 1.39% across Iowa.
Compared with similar places

$1,263 per resident in 2022: more than 78% of them

Diagonal’s day-to-day spending in 2022 ($1,263 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–$1,186. Diagonal spent more than 78% of them.

Middle half of the group, $632–$1,186Median $900Diagonal

Includes sewer and trash ($11,000), 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; Diagonal itself left out).

Your share of the 2022 budget

About $1,263 per resident a year, or $3.46 a day

Day-to-day services only. The biggest line: administration & buildings, at 25%.

Where the money comes from
Fees & charges 32%Property taxes 19%Utility sales 19%Sales taxes 10%From the state 9%From the federal government 6%Interest, fines & other 3%From other local governments 3%Other taxes & licenses <1%
Not in the receipt.Interest on debt $8,000; payments to other governments $21,000. With these and the enterprises, the whole budget was $476,000.
About “Other”.42% of Diagonal’s day-to-day spending ($167,000) is filed by the Census Bureau outside the named functions above, so the receipt can’t say what it buys.
Over the years

No trend yet

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

Property tax

The typical homeowner pays $1,176 a year

Every local property tax on the home: town, schools and county. About 1.29% of the home’s value, vs 1.39% across Iowa.

What homes cost →

Typical yearly bill next door and statewide

Iowa$2,897
Diagonal$1,176
$1,176
typical bill a year
1.29%
effective rate
$91,500
typical home value (Census)
Your own bill

The Housing page’s calculator splits a monthly payment into loan, tax and insurance at Diagonal’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 Diagonal’s Cost of living grade. Cost of living in Diagonal →

Who runs it

Who’s in charge in Diagonal

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

Check Diagonal’s own website for current officialsWe name an official only when a public source lists a current term. None does for Diagonal yet.
The school district

Diagonal Community School District

Diagonal’s K–12 school district. It’s its own government, with a budget separate from the town’s.

Schools in Diagonal →
$18,542
per pupil · IA $13,713
107
students
$420,000
long-term debt

Of the $18,542 per pupil, $8,636 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 47%State 39%Federal 14%

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

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

Elections · 2024 general election

Diagonal’s votes are counted by county

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

President · Ringgold County’s results2,683 votes · results as certified
Donald J TrumpDonald J TrumpRepublican75.1%2,015 votes
Kamala D HarrisKamala D HarrisDemocrat23.8%638 votes

Others: 1.1% (30 votes).

Most votes in Ringgold County: Donald J Trump

Iowa: Trump 55.7%, Harris 42.5%

The county’s page

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

Ringgold 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 Diagonal

From town hall to Washington

Every level of government that speaks for Diagonal.

2024 results ↑
  1. 1
    Your cityMayor & council
    Local officials aren’t on record yet.
  2. 2
    Iowa HouseState representatives
    Devon Wood
  3. 3
    Iowa SenateState senator
    Tom Shipley
  4. 4
    GovernorStatewide
    Kim Reynolds
  5. 5
    U.S. HouseYour representative in Congress
    Zachary Nunn
  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 Diagonal’s government

Neighbors add phone numbers and hours to the Handbook.

The Handbook →

Questions about Diagonal’s government

How much does Diagonal spend per resident?

About $1,263 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 $1,263 was more than 78% of 802 Iowa cities of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools.

What is the property tax rate in Diagonal?

Homeowners report a typical bill of $1,176 a year (Census ACS, 2020–24), about 1.29% 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 Diagonal’s government?

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

How did Diagonal vote in 2024?

Iowa counts votes by county and precinct, not by city, so there are no official results for Diagonal alone. Ringgold County, where 100% of Diagonal lies, voted Trump 75.1%, Harris 23.8% for president; its page has every race.

Who represents Diagonal in the state legislature?

State Senate District 9 (Tom Shipley) and State House District 17 (Devon Wood). The House district also covers 30 other towns. Listed by Open States; districts from the Census Bureau.

Ask neighbors about Diagonal’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 →