Photo: PopePompus · CC BY-SA 4.0University Park spent less per resident in 2022 than 87% of similar cities
University Park’s city government spent $224,000 on day-to-day services in the year to June 30, 2022, about $479 per resident.
What stands out about how University Park is run
Read from the city’s budget and official records.
$479 per resident in 2022: less than 87% of them
University Park’s day-to-day spending in 2022 ($479 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 $634–$1,190. University Park spent less than 87% of them.
Later years come from a Census sample, so the comparison stays on 2022. How Town Hall compares budgets →
Iowa cities of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools, 2022 Census of Governments (every government counted that year; University Park itself left out).
About $479 per resident a year, or $1.31 a day
Day-to-day services only. The biggest line: roads & transportation, at 46%.
Thank you for being a neighbor
No trend yet
University Park reported only 2022 to the Census Bureau, so there is no trend yet.
The typical homeowner pays $1,693 a year
Every local property tax on the home: town, schools and county. About 1.50% 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 University Park’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 University Park’s Cost of living grade. Cost of living in University Park →
Who’s in charge in University Park
Names change after every election, so we link to the source that keeps them current.
Oskaloosa Community School District
University Park’s K–12 school district, shared with Beacon, Keomah Village, Oskaloosa, Rose Hill. It’s its own government, with a budget separate from the town’s.
Of the $13,969 per pupil, $8,153 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.
University Park’s votes are counted by county
Iowa reports official results by county and precinct, not by city, so there are no official results for University Park alone, and we don’t estimate them. These are Mahaska County’s results.
Donald J TrumpRepublican75.2%8,207 votes
Kamala D HarrisDemocrat23.6%2,577 votesOthers: 1.2% (126 votes).
Most votes in Mahaska County: Donald J Trump
Iowa: Trump 55.7%, Harris 42.5%
100% of University Park lies in Mahaska County. Every 2024 race in Mahaska County is on the county’s page.
Mahaska 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 University Park.
- 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.
How University Park compares with the towns next door
University Park spent $479 per resident in 2022; the neighbor that reported 2022 spent $1,462. Towns that run more services spend more. Tap a town to see its page.
| Town | Day-to-day, per resident (2022) | Tax bill |
|---|---|---|
| Oskaloosa | $1,462 | $2,162 |
| University Park | $479 | $1,693 |
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 University Park’s government
Neighbors add phone numbers and hours to the Handbook.
Questions about University Park’s government
How much does University Park spend per resident?
About $479 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 $479 was less than 87% of 802 Iowa cities of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools.
What is the property tax rate in University Park?
Homeowners report a typical bill of $1,693 a year (Census ACS, 2020–24), about 1.50% 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 University Park’s government?
We name an official only when a public source lists a current term, and none does for University Park yet.
How did University Park vote in 2024?
Iowa counts votes by county and precinct, not by city, so there are no official results for University Park alone. Mahaska County, where 100% of University Park lies, voted Trump 75.2%, Harris 23.6% for president; its page has every race.
How many people work for University Park?
0 full-time and 7 part-time employees in March 2022, with a March payroll of $2,553 (about $30,636 a year if every month were the same), as reported to the Census Bureau.
Who represents University Park in the state legislature?
State Senate District 44 (Adrian Dickey) and State House District 88 (Helena Hayes). The House district also covers 28 other towns. Listed by Open States; districts from the Census Bureau.
Ask neighbors about University Park’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 →