Photo: Warby07-644-2010 · Public domainMilford spent less per resident in 2022 than 75% of similar cities
Milford’s city government spent $3.1 million on day-to-day services in the year to June 30, 2022, about $1,028 per resident.
What stands out about how Milford is run
Read from the city’s budget and official records.
$1,028 per resident in 2022: less than 75% of them
Milford’s day-to-day spending in 2022 ($1,028 per resident, hospital and utilities left out) against 91 Iowa cities of 2,500–9,999 that don’t run their own schools: the median was $1,177, and the middle half spent $1,028–$1,402. Milford spent less than 75% of them.
Includes sewer and trash ($263,000), as the Census Bureau counts them. Later years come from a Census sample, so the comparison stays on 2022. How Town Hall compares budgets →
Iowa cities of 2,500–9,999 that don’t run their own schools, 2022 Census of Governments (every government counted that year; Milford itself left out).
About $1,028 per resident a year, or $2.82 a day
Day-to-day services only. The biggest line: roads & transportation, at 20%.
Thank you for being a neighbor
Revenue is well above spending. That usually means Milford collects property taxes for the school district and county and passes them on, so only its own spending is counted.
No trend yet
Milford reported only 2022 to the Census Bureau, so there is no trend yet.
The typical homeowner pays $2,308 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.
Typical yearly bill next door and statewide
The Housing page’s calculator splits a monthly payment into loan, tax and insurance at Milford’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.
Tax bills are one input to Milford’s Cost of living grade. Cost of living in Milford →
Who’s in charge in Milford
Names change after every election, so we link to the source that keeps them current.
Milford’s meeting calendar isn’t in our feed yet. The city posts agendas and minutes on milford.ia.us ↗.
One full-time city employee for every 127 residents
On the payroll in March 2022, from the Census Bureau’s Annual Survey of Public Employment & Payroll. Residents: the Census population in the 2022 finance file (3,043).
By department full-time, plus part-time, March 2022
The Census reports one month’s payroll (March); yearly figures are that month × 12, an estimate. Part-timers count half in the bar lengths.
Okoboji Community School District
Milford’s K–12 school district, shared with Arnolds Park, Wahpeton, West Okoboji, Fostoria, Okoboji. It’s its own government, with a budget separate from the town’s.
Of the $12,988 per pupil, $8,690 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.
Milford’s votes are counted by county
Iowa reports official results by county and precinct, not by city, so there are no official results for Milford alone, and we don’t estimate them. These are Dickinson County’s results.
Donald J TrumpRepublican69.5%7,775 votes
Kamala D HarrisDemocrat29.5%3,297 votesOthers: 1.1% (120 votes).
Most votes in Dickinson County: Donald J Trump
Iowa: Trump 55.7%, Harris 42.5%
100% of Milford lies in Dickinson County. Every 2024 race in Dickinson County is on the county’s page.
Dickinson County’s 2024 results →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.
From town hall to Washington
Every level of government that speaks for Milford.
- 1Your cityMayor & councilOfficials: milford.ia.us ↗
- 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.
How Milford compares with the towns next door
Milford spent $1,028 per resident in 2022; the 2 neighbors that reported 2022 spent $1,508 to $2,062. Towns that run more services spend more. Tap a town to see its page.
| Town | Day-to-day, per resident (2022) | Tax bill |
|---|---|---|
| West Okoboji | $1,508 | $3,857 |
| Arnolds Park | $2,062 | $3,836 |
| Milford | $1,028 | $2,308 |
Day-to-day spending in 2022, the last year every government was counted, for governments that reported it; hospital and utilities left out. Tax bill: the typical homeowner’s bill (Census ACS, 2020–24).
Reach Milford’s government
The official site has phone numbers, hours and forms. Neighbors add the rest to the Handbook.
Questions about Milford’s government
How much does Milford spend per resident?
About $1,028 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 $1,028 was less than 75% of 91 Iowa cities of 2,500–9,999 that don’t run their own schools.
What is the property tax rate in Milford?
Homeowners report a typical bill of $2,308 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 milford.ia.us.
Who runs Milford’s government?
See milford.ia.us for current officials. We name an official only when a public source lists a current term, and none does for Milford yet.
How did Milford vote in 2024?
Iowa counts votes by county and precinct, not by city, so there are no official results for Milford alone. Dickinson County, where 100% of Milford lies, voted Trump 69.5%, Harris 29.5% for president; its page has every race.
How many people work for Milford?
24 full-time and 14 part-time employees in March 2022, with a March payroll of $135,127 (about $1.6M a year if every month were the same), as reported to the Census Bureau.
Who represents Milford in the state legislature?
State Senate District 5 (Dave Rowley) and State House District 10 (John Wills). The House district also covers 23 other towns. Listed by Open States; districts from the Census Bureau.
Ask neighbors about Milford’s government
Neighbors who’ve been to the meetings can help.
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 →