| Location | TO TOP |
| Nearby Metropolitan Cities | Distance |
| Des Moines, Iowa | 84 Miles |
| Cedar Rapids, Iowa | 105 Miles |
| Omaha, Nebraska | 222 Miles |
| Kansas City, Missouri | 222 Miles |
| Lincoln, Nebraska | 277 Miles |
| St. Louis, Missouri | 277 Miles |
| Chicago, Illinois | 286 Miles |
| Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota | 327 Miles |
| Milwaukee, Wisconsin | 377 Miles |
| Detroit, Michigan | 570 Miles |
| Population | TO TOP |
| City of Ottumwa (2008 Estimate) | 26,000 |
| City of Ottumwa (2000 Census) | 24,998 |
| City of Ottumwa (1990 Census) | 24,488 |
| Median Age (2000 Census) | 38.2 Years |
| Wapello County (2007 Estimate) | 36,371 |
| Wapello County (2000 Census) | 36,051 |
| Wapello County (1990 Census) | 35,687 |
| Ten County Region Population (2007 Estimate) | 137,619 |
| Population, 30-Mile Radius (2006 Estimate) | 103,327 |
| Population, 60-Mile Radius (2006 Estimate) | 347,402 |
| Source: ESRI | |
| Climate | TO TOP |
| Avg. Annual Temperature | 51.1° F |
| Avg. Monthly Temperature (Jan.) | 22° F |
| Avg. Monthly Temperature (Jul.) | 72.5° F |
| Avg. Annual Rainfall | 35.9 in. |
| Avg. Annual Snowfall | 27.3 in. |
| Days Between Killing Frost | 183 |
| Heating Degree Days (Average Yearly) | 6,145 |
| Cooling Degree Days (Average Yearly) | 1,088 |
| Relative Humidity by Hour 0000 Hours 0600 Hours 1200 Hours 1800 Hours |
75% 82% 60% 60% |
| Financial | TO TOP |
| Banks & Credit Unions | 10 |
| Total Deposits (11/1/2008, 9 Reporting) | $430 Million |
| Plant Financial Assistance Available? | Yes |
| Per-Capita Personal Income (2004) | $26,581 |
| Median HUD Household Income (2005) (4 Person Family @ 100%) | $53,600 |
| Education | TO TOP | ||
| Public School Budget, 2008 - 2009 Ottumwa Community Schools: | $45.6 Million | ||
Schools |
Teachers |
Grades |
Enrolled |
| Elementary - 8 | 88 | Pre - 6 | 2,647 |
| Middle School - 1 | 53 | 7 - 8 | 771 |
| High School - 1 | 93 | 9 - 12 | 1,556 |
Staff Skills Attainment: 344 Certified Staff (190 Bachelor's Degrees, 144 Masters and Above) Parochial Schools: Seton Catholic, Ottumwa Christian Student Average Class Size (Ottumwa Community School District, '08 - '09) |
|||
| Kindergarten | 18.4 | ||
| First Grade | 20.0 | ||
| Second Grade | 19.9 | ||
| Third Grade | 19.7 | ||
ACT Composit Average A total of 114 students graduating in 2008 took the ACT. 88 students, or 77%, scored 20 or above, which is Iowa's identified college success indicator score. The Iowa average is 70%, the national average is 59%. Childcare Facilities/Preschools Ottumwa Community Schools Preschool, First Presbyterian Church Preschool, Trinity Lutheran, American Home Finding Day Care, Kid's Corner Day Care, Ottumwa Schools Prime Time Youth Care, YMCA Child Development Center, Your Family Center, Indian Hills Community College Child Development Center Colleges and Universities Indian Hills Community College, St. Ambrose MBA Ottumwa Program, Buena Vista College Ottumwa Program Other Colleges/Universities within Commuting Distance Buena Vista College, St. Ambrose University, Willliam Penn College Educational Attainment (25 and Over) High School Degree or Higher: 79.9% Bachelor's Degree or Higher: 15.4% |
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| Communication | TO TOP |
| Daily Newspaper The Ottumwa Courier Out of Town Papers The Des Moines Register, USA Today, Wall Street Journal Radio Stations KBIZ, KLEE, KKIS, KOTM, KRKW, KTWA Local Television Stations KTVO (ABC), KYOU (FOX) Satellite Television DirecTV, Dish Network Cable Television: Mediacom Telephone Service Qwest Communications Internet Services RE Wireless DSL, Mediacom High Speed, MCG, FirstNet, KDS, Qwest, State Wireless, PCSIA |
|
| Amenities | TO TOP |
| Places of Worship 55 Churches Hotels/Motels 8 (409 Rooms) Country Club Ottumwa Country Club & Golf Course Museums Air Power Museum, Wapello County Historical Museum Public Library Ottumwa Public Library City Parks 15 Parks (759 Acres) Cultural Amenities The Ottumwa Symphony, Ottumwa Area Arts Council, Civic Music Association, Ottumwa Community Players, GOVAP Children's Chorus, Southeast Iowa Symphony Additional Recreational Facilities Cedar Creek Municipal Golf Course, Wildwood Park Disc Golf Course (18 Holes), Indian Hills Disc Golf Course (18 Holes), Beach Ottumwa Water Park, Tennis & Basketball Courts, 3 Children's Baseball Leagues, Adult Leagues (Softball and Hardball), Pioneer Ridge County Park, Rathbun Lake, Lake Wapello, Lake Red Rock, hunting, fishing, hiking, nature watching, bicycling |
|
| Housing | TO TOP |
| Average Cost: Existing Three-Bedroom Home | |
| High | $150,000 |
| Median | $80,000 |
| Low | $35,000 |
Average Cost: New Three-Bedroom Home |
|
| High | $350,000 |
| Median | $220,000 |
| Low | $180,000 |
Typical Lot Size |
8,700 sq. ft. |
| Typical Lot Cost | $22 - $27k |
| Homes Sold (1/08 to 10/08) | 256 (MLS) |
| Average Sale Price (1/08 to 10/08) | $87,375 |
Apartment Rental Rates: Unfurnished, Excluding Utilities |
|
| 1 Bedroom | $350-$450 |
| 2 Bedroom | $450-$750 |
| 3 Bedroom | $525-$800 |
| No Sales Tax Applies to Rentals | |
| Average Household Size | 2.31 People |
| Total Housing Units | 11,038 |
| Owner-Occupied Housing Units | 7,423 |
| Renter-Occupied Housing Units | 2,960 |
| Source: 2000 Census | |
| City Government | TO TOP |
| Type of Government | Mayor/Council-Appointed City Administrator |
| Council Members | 5 + Mayor |
| Police Department Personnel (FTE) | 39 Officers, 11 Civilians |
| Fire Department Personnel (FTE) | 48 Professionals |
| Insurance Rating | 6 |
| 911 Service? | Yes |
Other Area Law Enforcement |
|
| Sherriff's Department | Sheriff, 10 Deputies, 29 Civilians |
| Iowa State Patrol | Yes |
District 14 Planning Commission? |
Yes |
| Zoning Regulations? | Yes (City and County) |
City Financing (2007 - 2008) |
|
| Business Activities Budget | $17.1M |
| Operating Expenditures Budget (Government) | $31.9M |
| Total Revenue Budget | $54.5M |
| > Property Tax Revenue | $10.6M |
| > Sales Tax Revenue | $2.8M |
| > Bed Tax Revenue | $300k |
| > Other Revenues (Sewer, Water, etc.) | $40.7M |
Dept Payments (6/08) |
|
| General Obligation Bonds Outstanding | $18.6M |
| Revenue Bonds and Others | $7.0M |
Capital Expenditures (Government) |
$12.7M |
| Total Expenditure Budget | $55.6M |
| City Bond Rating | A3 |
| County Government | TO TOP |
| Type of Government | Supervisory Control |
| Council Members | 3 Supervisors |
| Sheriff's Department | Sheriff, 10 Deputies, 29 Civilians |
| Fire Department | Wapello Co. Rural, Ottumwa Fire Dept. |
| 911 Service? | Yes |
Other Area Law Enforcement |
|
| Sherriff's Department | 39 Officers, 11 Civilians |
| Iowa State Patrol | Yes |
District 14 Planning Commission? |
Yes |
| Zoning Regulations? | Yes (County Wide) |
County Financing (2006 - 2007) |
|
| Operating Expenditures Budget | $16.4M |
| Total Revenue Budget | $15.5M |
| > Property Tax Revenue | $5.9M |
| > Sales Tax Revenue | $1.9M |
| > Intergovernmental Revenues | $8.4M |
Dept Payments |
|
| General Obligation Bonds Outstanding | $198k |
| Revenue Bonds and Others | $0 |
Capital Expenditures (Government) |
$1.1 M |
| Total Expenditure Budget | $18.0M |
| City Bond Rating | N/A |
| Health Care | TO TOP |
| Hospitals | 1 |
| Ottumwa Regional Health Center | 217 Beds |
| Rehabilitation | 13 Beds |
| Hospital Staff | 798 (FTE) |
| Doctors | 75 |
| Dentists | 12 |
Nursing Homes |
|
| Good Samaritan | 146 Beds |
| Ridgewood Nursing | 70 Beds |
| Vista Woods | 60 Beds |
Assisted Living |
|
| Prairie Hills | 52 Units |
| Sylvan Woods | 51 Units |
Memory Support |
|
| Haven/Sylvan Woods | 16 Units |
| Good Samaritan | 15 Units |
Independent Living |
|
| South Oak Towers | 103 Units |
| Camelot Towers | 99 Units |
| Westgate | 97 Units |
| Pennsylvania Place | 91 Units |
| Hillside Apartments | 44 Units |
Trained Emergency Transportation |
Yes |
| Ottumwa Regional Mobile Intensive Care Services |
| Utilities | TO TOP |
| Electricity | |
| Supplier | Alliant Energy Company |
| Source | Coal, Natural Gas, Nuclear, Hydro |
Natural Gas |
|
| Supplier | Mid American Energy |
Water |
|
| Supplier | Ottumwa Water Works |
| Source | Des Moines River |
| Maximum Daily Capacity | 14 Million Gallons/Day |
| Peak Load | 9.5 Million Gallons/Day |
| Storage Capacity (Overhead/Ground) | 7.5 Million Gallons |
| Water Cost Industrial (e.g. 100,000 Gallons) | $200 Total Cost |
Sewers |
|
| Storm Sewer Coverage | 80% |
| Sanitary Sewer Coverage | 98% |
| Type | Activated Sludge |
| Capacity | 6 Million Gallons/Day |
| Present Average Load | 4.8 Million Gallons/Day |
| Solid Waste Disposal | 30 to 50 Yrs. Remaining Capacity |
| Sewage Cost Industrial (e.g. 100,000 Gallons) | $401.16 Total Cost |
Other Fuels |
|
| Fuel Oil Distributor | Bob Lancaster Oil Company |
| Coal Source | Burlington Northern Santa Fe |
| LP Gas Distributors | Dixon's LP, Hamilton Propane |
Solid Waste |
|
| Curb-Side Pickup and Recycling | Yes |
| Transportation | TO TOP |
| Highways Serving Area US Highways 63 and 34; State Highway 149 Divided 4-Lane Highway Serving Bus. Hwy. 63 to St. Hwy. 163 West (Oskaloosa, Pella, Des Moines) and U.S. Hwy. 34 East (Fairfield, Mt. Pleasant, Burlington) Railroads Burlington Northern Santa Fe (Main Line); AMTRAK Passenger Train; Iowa, Chicago, and Eastern Railroad (Main Line) Ports Nearest Ports: Burlington, Iowa (65 Miles); Muscatine, Iowa (101 Miles) Major Waterway: Mississippi River Motor Freight Carriers (Intrerstate & Intrastate) Ottumwa Terminals: Con Way Central, Roadway Express, Yellow Freight Working Ottumwa Market: ABF Freight Systems, Alexander Truck Lines, Barr Nunn Trucking, Harold Dickey Transport, D.R.S. Transport, Elliott Transport, Swift, Warren, Airland, Standard Forwarding, Don Hummer, GNF Express, Ken Hite Trucking, Jacobson Trucking, Gary Jenkins Corp., CH Robinson, Jerry Rozenboom Trucking City Transit System Bus System: Ottumwa Transit Authority Air Local Commerical Service: None Commerical Service within 90 Miles: Des Moines (American, United, Northwest, American West Express, Midwest Connect, Allegiant Air, Continental Express, Comair) Ottumwa Municipal Airport Runway 13-31: 5885' long x 150' wide Runway 04-22: 5178' long x 150' wide Paved, 200,000 lbs. gross weight) Instruments: Category 1 Instrument System (ILS) Charter or Full FBO Services: Yes, provided by Ottumwa Flying Services Hangar Space: Up to Falcon 50 Jet Parcel Service UPS, FedEx, USPS |
|
| Taxes | TO TOP | |||
| Industrial/Manufacturers/Commercial Real Property Tax Tax Year 2006 - 2007 Rate (x) $1,000 |
||||
| Tax Rate | Effective Asses. Ratio |
Rate |
Rate Out City |
|
| City | $21.61 | 99.25% | $21.61 | $3.00 |
| County | $9.85 | 99.25% | $9.85 | $12.57 |
| School | $13.86 | 99.25% | $13.86 | $13.86 |
| State | $0.004 | 99.25% | $0.004 | $0.004 |
| Other | $1.37 | 99.25% | $1.37 | $1.37 |
| Total | $46.70 | $28.09 | ||
Residential Real Property Tax Tax Year 2006 - 2007 Rate (x) $1,000 |
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| Tax Rate | Effective Asses. Ratio |
Rate |
Rate |
|
| City | $21.61 | 46.00% | $21.61 | $3.00 |
| County | $9.85 | 46.00% | $9.85 | $12.57 |
| School | $13.86 | 46.00% | $13.86 | $13.86 |
| State | $0.004 | 46.00% | $0.004 | $0.004 |
| Other | $1.37 | 46.00% | $1.37 | $1.37 |
| Total | $46.70 | $28.09 | ||
Tax Categories |
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| Type | City |
County |
||
| Inventory | No | No | ||
| Machinery - Equip | No | No | ||
| Retail Sales Tax (Food/Drugs Exempt) | Yes - 7% | Yes - 7% | ||
| Local Income Tax | No | No | ||
| Hotel/Motel Occupancy Tax | Yes - 7% | Yes - 7% | ||
Corporate State Tax |
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| Iowa's Corporate income tax rates are based solely on income dreived from sales within the state of Iowa. If a company in Iowa had all sales to customers outside the state of Iowa, there would be no state income tax do. For companies that do have sales in Iowa, the percentage of the company's overall income which is attributable to those Iowa sales, would be subjected to these tax rates: First $25,000 = 6%; $25,001 to $100,000 = 8%; $100,001 to $250,000 = 10%; over $250,000 = 12% State Taxes |
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| Franchise Tax | Applies to Banks Only | |||
| Individual Income Tax | .036% to 8.98% | |||
| 8.98% when greater than $57,105 fed. net income | ||||
| State Gasoline Fuel Tax | 20.5 cents/gal | |||
| State Diesel Fuel Tax | 22.5 cents/gal | |||
| State Ethanol 10% Blend Tax | 19 cents/gal | |||
| State Aviation Fuel Tax | 8 cents/gal | |||
| State Jet Fuel Tax | 3 cents/gal | |||
| Retail Sales | TO TOP |
| Wapello County Total Retail Sales | $505.7M |
| Ottumwa Total Retail Sales | $382.3M |
| 10-County Region Total Retail Sales Wapello County |
$1.766B |
| Food & Beverage Stores | $259.1M |
| Food Service & Drinking Establishments | $87.6M |
| General Merchandise | $217.0M |
| Furniture, Home, Electronic, Appliances | $50.0M |
| Motor Vehicles & Parts Dealers | $231.5M |
Effective Buying Income (EFB) |
|
| Total Wapello County | $533.4M |
| Total Ottumwa | $347.6M |
| 10-County Region | $2.084B |
| Median Household EFB (Wapello) | $50,009 |
| Average 10-County Median Household EFB | $30,905 |
| Source: 2005 Survey of Buying Power; Sales & Marketing Management Magazine | |
| Natural Resources | TO TOP |
| Iowa truly lives up to its image of being an industrial agricultural state. Iowa ranks #1 in the nation in swine productionwith 29.6 million hogs raised and processed each year. Wapello County farmers produce over 32,000 swine per year and the 10-county region produced 644,521 hogs in 2004. Cargill Meat Solutions Excel plant in Ottumwa processes over 3 million hogs per year. Iowa produces 2 billion bushels of corn per year and the 10-county region produced 100.6 million bushels in 2004. Iowa produced 497 million bushels of soybeans in 2004 with 27.8 million bushels produced in the 10-county area. There are 8,650 farms with 2.677 million acres of land in agricultural production in the 10-county region. | |
| Major Employers | TO TOP | |
| Name | Product/Service | Employees |
| Cargill Excel Meat Solutions | Pork Processing | 2,250 |
| John Deere Ottumwa Works | Farm Implement | 950 |
| Ottumwa Regional Hospital | Health Care | 950 |
| Ottumwa Community Schools | Education | 700 |
| Cargill Eddyville Corn Sweetener Plant including Contractors |
Corn Fructos, Ethanol & Vitamin E |
600 |
| Wal-Mart Super Center | Retail | 383 |
| Indian Hills Community College | Education | 343 |
Hy-Vee Corporation |
Grocery Stores | 334 |
| WINBCO Tank Company | Food Grade Tanks | 235 |
| Dr. Pepper Seven Up | Beverage Bottling | 200 |
| Winger Companies | Mechanical Contractor | 197 |
| City of Ottumwa | City Government | 183 |
| Wapello County | County Government | 170 |
| Menards | Retail | 166 |
| State of Iowa in Ottumwa | State Government | 154 |
| Tenco Industries | Contract Assembly | 150 |
| Al-Jon Manufacturing | Scrap Metal Equipment | 115 |
| Ajinomoto Heartland, Inc. | Animal Feed Additives | 95 |
| Millard Refrigeration | Public Cold Storage | 94 |
| Carroll Distributing Company | Concrete Forming | 90 |
| Norris Asphalt | Paving Contractor | 85 |
| Praxis Mid America | Bathroom Systems | 75 |
| Ajinomoto USA, Inc. | MSG & Proteferm | 60 |
| More About Ottumwa and Wapello County |
| Wapello County was established in 1843 by land rush along the banks of the Des Moines River. The initial population of 5,000 people built cabins with native trees, cleared the land to plant crops and made use of the abundant grass prairies for their livestock. Farming is still very much a way of life. Today, Ottumwa is a city of 24,998 people in a county of 35,842 serving a regional population of 140,000 located in a state with 2,954,451 citizens. It is located in the southeastern portion of Iowa approximately 60 miles south of Interstate 80 and 90 miles southeast of Des Moines, the state capital. Air service is a short 90 minutes via four-lane divided highway from Ottumwa to Des Moines. Major airlines providing service include American, United, Northwest, America West Express, Midwest Connect, Allegiant Air, Continental Express, and Comair. Non-stop service is provided to: Atlanta, Chicago, Cincinnati, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Houston, Las Vegas, Memphis, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, Orlando, Phoenix, St. Louis and Washington, D.C. Ottumwa’s labor force is considered to be industrious and creative. Many are under-employed and anxious for an opportunity to improve themselves and work in a more challenging field. Ottumwans are also extremely well connected to the Internet with high speed broadband service through multiple independent service providers. Both the city and county are fortunate to be able to embrace and nurture several economic engines: Ottumwa is best known for the quality and quantity of agricultural products which principally include growing corn and soybeans and raising feeder hogs. Since the beginnings of the John Morrell Meat Packing Company in the 1850’s, Ottumwa continues to both produce agricultural products and add value by processing those products to primary and secondary foods. The processing of America’s foods continues today with the Cargill Meat Solutions Excel plant which processes four million hogs a year with 2,500 employees. The corn from Ottumwa and the surrounding 10-county region is processed into corn sweetener by Cargill’s Eddyville plant where enough corn sweetener is produced for 61 billion cans of soft drinks. Since 1910, John Deere has been making quality farm equipment in Ottumwa, where today 950 employees produce haying equipment painted in the familiar John Deere green and yellow. Another metal fabricator, Al-Jon Company, manufactures metal recycling equipment and Winbco produces food grade tanks. Further diversification of Ottumwa’s economy includes Indian Hills Community College, where the education of Ottumwa’s current and future labor force occurs with over 1,000 graduates each year.The Ottumwa Regional Health Center’s 950 employees keeps our labor force healthy and productive. The Ottumwa Community Schools provide 4,700 students with a quality education. Quality of life is in the eyes of the beholder, and Ottumwans agree that the city’s warm, friendly environment and low crime rate make it a haven for raising families, educating children and reaching new goals in our work. The goal of the Ottumwa Economic Development Corporation (OEDC) is to strengthen Ottumwa’s economic engines and further diversify our economy. If you would like to learn more about Ottumwa, its economy, opportunities and businesses, please feel free to make contact with OEDC and the other organizations listed on the back of this publication. Back: Community Profile |