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Town Hall · Whitten

Whitten spent less per resident in 2022 than 68% of similar cities

Whitten’s city government spent $101,000 on day-to-day services in the year to June 30, 2022, about $721 per resident.

Election Day

Today

General election in Iowa.

Register or check: vote.gov ↗
Day-to-day spending, 2022
$101,000
year to June 30, 2022
Per resident, 2022
$721
In 2022: $721, less than 68% of 802 similar cities
Long-term debt
Not reported
end of FY2022, reported
City staff, 2022
0
full-time · 1 part-time · March payroll $187
Typical tax bill
$1,281
1.42% of home value · IA 1.39%

What stands out about how Whitten is run

Read from the city’s budget and official records.

Spends less than most similar citiesIn 2022: $721 per resident, less than 68% of 802 similar cities.A shared school districtShares BCLUW Community School District with 4 other towns.Low bills, a higher rateThe typical bill is $1,281 a year: 1.42% of the home’s value, vs 1.39% across Iowa.
Compared with similar places

$721 per resident in 2022: less than 68% of them

Whitten’s day-to-day spending in 2022 ($721 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. Whitten spent less than 68% of them.

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

Includes sewer and trash ($10,000), 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; Whitten itself left out).

Your share of the 2022 budget

About $721 per resident a year, or $1.98 a day

Day-to-day services only. The biggest line: fire, at 39%.

Where the money comes from
Property taxes 20%Interest, fines & other 19%From other local governments 17%Sales taxes 15%From the federal government 13%Fees & charges 8%From the state 8%
Not in the receipt.Payments to other governments $5,000. With these, the whole budget was $106,000.
About “Other”.27% of Whitten’s day-to-day spending ($27,000) 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

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

Property tax

The typical homeowner pays $1,281 a year

Every local property tax on the home: town, schools and county. About 1.42% of the home’s value, vs 1.39% across Iowa.

What homes cost →

Typical yearly bill next door and statewide

Iowa$2,897
Whitten$1,281
$1,281
typical bill a year
1.42%
effective rate
$90,000
typical home value (Census)
Your own bill

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

Who runs it

Who’s in charge in Whitten

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

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

BCLUW Community School District

Whitten’s K–12 school district, shared with Beaman, Conrad, Liscomb, Union. It’s its own government, with a budget separate from the town’s.

Schools in Whitten →
$15,632
per pupil · IA $13,713
478
students
None
long-term debt

Of the $15,632 per pupil, $9,088 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 49%State 38%Federal 13%

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

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

Elections · 2024 general election

Whitten’s votes are counted by county

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

President · Hardin County’s results8,434 votes · results as certified
Donald J TrumpDonald J TrumpRepublican68.7%5,790 votes
Kamala D HarrisKamala D HarrisDemocrat30.3%2,553 votes

Others: 1.1% (91 votes).

Most votes in Hardin County: Donald J Trump

Iowa: Trump 55.7%, Harris 42.5%

The county’s page

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

Hardin 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 Whitten

From town hall to Washington

Every level of government that speaks for Whitten.

2024 results ↑
  1. 1
    Your cityMayor & council
    Local officials aren’t on record yet.
  2. 2
    Iowa HouseState representatives
    Josh Meggers
  3. 3
    Iowa SenateState senator
    Annette Sweeney
  4. 4
    GovernorStatewide
    Kim Reynolds
  5. 5
    U.S. HouseYour representative in Congress
    Ashley Hinson
  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 Whitten’s government

Neighbors add phone numbers and hours to the Handbook.

The Handbook →

Questions about Whitten’s government

How much does Whitten spend per resident?

About $721 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 $721 was less than 68% of 802 Iowa cities of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools.

What is the property tax rate in Whitten?

Homeowners report a typical bill of $1,281 a year (Census ACS, 2020–24), about 1.42% 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 Whitten’s government?

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

How did Whitten vote in 2024?

Iowa counts votes by county and precinct, not by city, so there are no official results for Whitten alone. Hardin County, where 100% of Whitten lies, voted Trump 68.7%, Harris 30.3% for president; its page has every race.

How many people work for Whitten?

0 full-time and 1 part-time employees in March 2022, with a March payroll of $187 (about $2,244 a year if every month were the same), as reported to the Census Bureau.

Who represents Whitten in the state legislature?

State Senate District 27 (Annette Sweeney) and State House District 54 (Josh Meggers). The House district also covers 21 other towns. Listed by Open States; districts from the Census Bureau.

Ask neighbors about Whitten’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 →