The Wautoma Area School District has provided the following information on Property Tax Information. Wautoma Area School District’s 2025-26 property tax rate slightly increased from $5.05 to $5.20 (3%) per $1,000 of equalized property value. That is among the lowest tax rate of the local area school districts and is ranked as the 30th lowest rate for all K-12 districts in the state.
The levy increase primarily the result of the following factors:
WASD received $1 million less in state aid due to the increase in value of properties in our district increasing more than in other school districts and combining with declining enrollment.
Additionally, more funding was allocated towards schools in the Milwaukee area
Property and Home market values have increased by an average of 12.6% across our municipalities (dependent on your own property).
What does this mean? As an example:
Last year, a property valued at $215,000 was taxed at a mill rate of $5.05 per $1,000 of value, your school property tax would have been $1,086.
This year, the property saw its value increase to $245,000 (13.95% value increase) and the mill rate increased to $5.20 (3%) per $1,000 of value, your property tax would now be $1,274.
However, if the property value would have stayed the same this year: $215,000 and the mill rate was $5.20. Then the School District tax would have been $1,118 (an increase of $32). As you can see, the increased property values have had a direct impact on this amount.
Most of this increase is due from the increase in the equalized property value. While a smaller portion comes from the increase in the school mill rate. In simple terms, the property tax went up mostly because the property was valued higher, not because the school dramatically raised its mill tax rate.
Our goal is to communicate openly and provide clarity around our district's finances. The new administration is in the process of reviewing all aspects of the WASD financial picture. More information about school funding and our district’s financial direction will be shared.