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Local taxes › Butler County › Parkersburg

City

Parkersburg

Butler County · How cities work

$3,090 a yearproperty tax on a $200,000 home here, FY27, for every local government ($36.65 per $1,000 of taxable value)1
$1,190 a yearof that goes to the city ($14.15 per $1,000)
$1.3Mproperty taxes the city levies, FY27
$2.8Mcity budget, FY27, without city-run utilities (not yet reported)2

Who runs it

The city council passes ordinances, adopts the budget and sets the city’s property tax.

  • Dave ClearyParkersburg City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Kent MadsenParkersburg City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Mike TimmerParkersburg Mayor · elected November 4, 2025
  • Tim CuvelierParkersburg City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • David SchneidermanParkersburg City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Joseph T. SimonParkersburg City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Tom ManifoldParkersburg City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023

Officials are worked out from election results: every member whose four-year term is still running, plus appointments and titles Iowa Funnel has been told about. A resignation may not show yet.

Meetings and agendas

What the council is deciding: each agenda, the resolutions and ordinances on it, and a plain-language summary.

Iowa Funnel doesn’t read this city’s agendas yet. Every council and board posts its agenda at least 24 hours before it meets.

Property taxes

How the bill is collected · What each levy is for

Who gets a property owner’s tax bill in Parkersburg

Homes and businesses in most of Parkersburg pay a combined $36.65 per $1,000 of taxable value (FY27). They pay it all to the Butler County treasurer, who passes each government its share; the city sets and gets only its own piece, $14.15. Estimate your bill.

Rates over time

Per $1,000 of taxable value: the typical combined rate people in Parkersburg pay, and the city government’s own piece of it.

YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$33.38$13.49
FY21$33.78$13.33
FY22$33.61$13.27
FY23$31.73$12.53
FY24$32.57$13.00
FY25$33.84$13.27
FY26$33.71$13.24
FY27$36.65$14.15
Show the numbers
YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$33.38$13.49
FY21$33.78$13.33
FY22$33.61$13.27
FY23$31.73$12.53
FY24$32.57$13.00
FY25$33.84$13.27
FY26$33.71$13.24
FY27$36.65$14.15

Compared with places this size3

Parkersburg’s city property tax rate of $14.15 per $1,000 is the 53rd lowest of 106 Iowa cities with 1,300–2,900 people. The middle of the group is $14.18.

Eldora: $26.87Pocahontas: $20.79Rockwell City: $20.74Bloomfield: $20.41Belmond: $19.86Sibley: $19.77Sac City: $19.69Traer: $19.56Corning: $19.36Lake City: $19.32Corydon: $18.22Toledo: $18.21La Porte City: $18.08Clarion: $17.74Britt: $17.72Missouri Valley: $17.68Madrid: $16.93Manson: $16.87Nashua: $16.81Ackley: $16.63West Union: $16.60Audubon: $16.52Roland: $16.51Monona: $16.41Grundy Center: $16.36Belle Plaine: $16.34Colfax: $16.25Durant: $16.24Lamoni: $16.15Marengo: $16.10Holstein: $15.81State Center: $15.80Pleasantville: $15.80Postville: $15.68Earlham: $15.55Brooklyn: $15.49Stuart: $15.48Mount Ayr: $15.32Granger: $15.22Sigourney: $15.20Guttenberg: $15.19Logan: $15.05Sumner: $14.83Woodbine: $14.80Bedford: $14.66Lenox: $14.65Manning: $14.62Van Meter: $14.60Rock Rapids: $14.57Jesup: $14.31Nora Springs: $14.25Kingsley: $14.25Urbana: $14.20Hartley: $14.11Ida Grove: $14.10Woodward: $14.05Guthrie Center: $14.04Lake Mills: $13.82Montezuma: $13.79Gilbert: $13.71Wilton: $13.62Avoca: $13.51Wapello: $13.29Hudson: $13.19Center Point: $13.19Greenfield: $13.13Hawarden: $13.02Akron: $12.93Leon: $12.93Slater: $12.79Bellevue: $12.67Sanborn: $12.62New London: $12.56Lisbon: $12.50Dallas Center: $12.42Onawa: $12.32Remsen: $12.32Monroe: $12.28Denver: $12.27Alta: $12.13Reinbeck: $12.10Atkins: $11.99Wellman: $11.88Blue Grass: $11.79Hull: $11.79Columbus Junction: $11.71Cascade: $11.64West Branch: $11.63Mitchellville: $11.54Palo: $11.49Prairie City: $11.38Northwood: $11.28Mediapolis: $11.27Ely: $11.08Ogden: $10.99Farley: $10.91Oakland: $10.85Moville: $10.67Kalona: $10.37Walcott: $10.29Peosta: $9.82Epworth: $9.42Walford: $8.72Lone Tree: $8.13Fairfax: $8.10Parkersburg: $14.15$8.10 lowest$26.87 highestmiddle
See all 106
#PlaceRate per $1,000People
1Eldora$26.872,595
2Pocahontas$20.791,848
3Rockwell City$20.742,185
4Bloomfield$20.412,773
5Belmond$19.862,405
6Sibley$19.772,787
7Sac City$19.691,992
8Traer$19.561,547
9Corning$19.361,509
10Lake City$19.321,656
11Corydon$18.221,563
12Toledo$18.212,372
13La Porte City$18.082,267
14Clarion$17.742,751
15Britt$17.722,001
16Missouri Valley$17.682,638
17Madrid$16.932,824
18Manson$16.871,646
19Nashua$16.811,515
20Ackley$16.631,538
21West Union$16.602,435
22Audubon$16.522,008
23Roland$16.511,376
24Monona$16.411,462
25Grundy Center$16.362,821
26Belle Plaine$16.342,335
27Colfax$16.252,305
28Durant$16.241,798
29Lamoni$16.152,072
30Marengo$16.102,415
31Holstein$15.811,475
32State Center$15.801,403
33Pleasantville$15.801,696
34Postville$15.682,418
35Earlham$15.551,411
36Brooklyn$15.491,474
37Stuart$15.481,887
38Mount Ayr$15.321,616
39Granger$15.222,095
40Sigourney$15.201,974
41Guttenberg$15.191,804
42Logan$15.051,351
43Sumner$14.832,032
44Woodbine$14.801,707
45Bedford$14.661,474
46Lenox$14.651,355
47Manning$14.621,390
48Van Meter$14.601,840
49Rock Rapids$14.572,709
50Jesup$14.312,541
51Nora Springs$14.251,330
52Kingsley$14.251,394
53Urbana$14.201,635
54Parkersburg$14.151,986
55Hartley$14.111,584
56Ida Grove$14.101,988
57Woodward$14.051,383
58Guthrie Center$14.041,579
59Lake Mills$13.822,077
60Montezuma$13.791,421
61Gilbert$13.711,397
62Wilton$13.622,914
63Avoca$13.511,685
64Wapello$13.292,026
65Hudson$13.192,916
66Center Point$13.192,578
67Greenfield$13.131,988
68Hawarden$13.022,630
69Akron$12.931,545
70Leon$12.931,779
71Slater$12.791,626
72Bellevue$12.672,321
73Sanborn$12.621,463
74New London$12.561,853
75Lisbon$12.502,238
76Dallas Center$12.421,993
77Onawa$12.322,795
78Remsen$12.321,681
79Monroe$12.282,021
80Denver$12.271,955
81Alta$12.132,039
82Reinbeck$12.101,673
83Atkins$11.992,168
84Wellman$11.881,531
85Blue Grass$11.791,707
86Hull$11.792,459
87Columbus Junction$11.711,794
88Cascade$11.642,396
89West Branch$11.632,876
90Mitchellville$11.542,686
91Palo$11.491,554
92Prairie City$11.381,722
93Northwood$11.282,047
94Mediapolis$11.271,679
95Ely$11.082,371
96Ogden$10.991,970
97Farley$10.911,723
98Oakland$10.851,519
99Moville$10.671,707
100Kalona$10.372,762
101Walcott$10.291,556
102Peosta$9.822,195
103Epworth$9.422,042
104Walford$8.721,357
105Lone Tree$8.131,341
106Fairfax$8.102,937

The $8.10 limit

Parkersburg’s general levy is $7.56 per $1,000 of taxable value in FY27, $0.54 below the limit.4 791 of 934 Iowa cities have a higher general levy. All cities.

FY23 $8.10 · FY24 $8.10 · FY25 $7.94 · FY26 $7.79 · FY27 $7.56 (before FY25, the general levy alone)

Outside the limit: $6.59 more5

  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$2.99 · $273,413
  • Debt Service Levy$2.14 · $205,350
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$1.46 · $133,144

Tax increment financing (TIF)

$4.4M of taxable value in Parkersburg is in TIF districts’ increment (5% of the city’s taxable value), 2025 valuations, taxed in FY27.6 It budgeted $455,395 in TIF revenue for FY25.

$498,484
$442,640

What that value would raise at each government’s rate, FY277

Taxes on TIF value go to the city’s TIF fund instead of the governments that levy them, including about $53,016 of the city’s own.

  • Butler County$26,437
YearTIF revenue
FY16$381,833
FY17$363,695
FY18$387,805
FY19$477,704
FY20$441,017
FY21$498,484
FY22$477,763
FY23$442,640
Show the numbers
YearTIF revenue
FY16$381,833
FY17$363,695
FY18$387,805
FY19$477,704
FY20$441,017
FY21$498,484
FY22$477,763
FY23$442,640

The city’s levies, FY27

What the city raises from each levy. The general levy is capped by state law; the others are set aside for one purpose.

  • Consolidate General Fund$690,74453%
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$273,41321%
  • Debt Service Levy$205,35016%
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$133,14410%

Budget and spending

Reading a local budget

Where each dollar of Parkersburg’s budget goes, FY26

Capital Projects: 19¢ of every dollar19¢Public Works: 16¢ of every dollar16¢Business Type / Enterprise: 15¢ of every dollar15¢Public Safety: 12¢ of every dollar12¢Community and Economic Development: 12¢ of every dollar12¢Everything else: 26¢ of every dollar26¢

Planned spending from all funds, including city-run utilities like water and sewer (“business type”), which some cities run and others don’t. Transfers between funds are left out. “Cities this size” is the average for the 105 Iowa cities closest in size (1,300–2,900 people).

Where it goesOf each dollarCities this size (105)
Capital Projects19¢14¢
Public Works16¢11¢
Business Type / Enterprise15¢41¢
Public Safety12¢11¢
Community and Economic Development12¢3¢
Everything else26¢20¢

Planned spending, FY27

All funds: property taxes, utility and other fees, state and federal money. “Business type” is city-run utilities and enterprises like water or sewer.

  • Public Works$539,61119%
  • Debt Service$510,84518%
  • Public Safety$508,21418%
  • Culture and Recreation$449,11516%
  • General Government$362,96713%
  • Capital Projects$335,00012%
  • Community and Economic Development$109,8004%
  • Health and Social Services$4,2720%

The state’s FY27 file doesn’t include business type / enterprise yet ($606,400 in FY26), so this total is low.

Budget compared with what it spent, FY23
FunctionBudgetSpent
Public Works$655,390$461,443
Public Safety$475,532$393,314
Health and Social Services$4,530$156
General Government$245,093$244,467
Debt Service$309,845$309,745
Culture and Recreation$374,169$343,169
Community and Economic Development$442,807$145,292
Capital Projects$556,841$389,252
Business Type / Enterprise$549,983$493,361

What it spent each year

FY24 left out8

$5.2M

Debt, reserves and audits

How local debt works · What an audit tells you

What Parkersburg owes

$2.5M at June 30, 2026: $1,256 per resident. 502nd most per resident of 939 Iowa places of its kind (the list).9

$2.5M
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$2.5M$1,256
2025$1.2M$591
2024$1.4M$720
2023$1.7M$854
2022$2.2M$1,069
2021$2.3M$1,129
2020$1.2M$588
2019$1.4M$700
2018$1.6M$816
2017$1.2M$596
2016$1.5M$720
2015$1.7M$844
2014$2.0M$989
2013$2.3M$1,133
2012$1.8M$900
2011$2.0M$968
2010$2.1M$1,066
Show the numbers
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$2.5M$1,256
2025$1.2M$591
2024$1.4M$720
2023$1.7M$854
2022$2.2M$1,069
2021$2.3M$1,129
2020$1.2M$588
2019$1.4M$700
2018$1.6M$816
2017$1.2M$596
2016$1.5M$720
2015$1.7M$844
2014$2.0M$989
2013$2.3M$1,133
2012$1.8M$900
2011$2.0M$968
2010$2.1M$1,066

Up 18% since 2010.

The 5% limit10

General obligation debt is $2.5M, 26% of the limit of about $9.7M (5% of $193.6M, the full value of its taxable property in 2024).

3 obligations at June 30, 2026
KindForPaid off byOwed
General ObligationCONSTRUCTING WATER,SANITARY SEWER,STORM WATER SYSTEM IMPROVEMENTS,SAFER SIDEWALKS,STREETS,RAILROAD INTERSECTIONS2036$1.6M
General ObligationINFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS:WATER,SEWER,STREETS,ETC2031$750,000
General Obligation2017 STREET,SEWER,WATER IMPROVEMENTS2028$180,000

General obligation bonds are repaid from property taxes; revenue bonds and loans from the fees or revenue they’re tied to. On the Treasurer’s site

Money in reserve

The state’s budget files don’t include cities’ fund balances11. Parkersburg’s latest audit has them: Financial Statement, period ending Monday, June 30, 2025 (PDF).

Audits12

The latest: Financial Statement for the period ending Monday, June 30, 2025 (PDF), released Friday, May 22, 2026, by a CPA firm.

17 earlier reports for Parkersburg

State money

What the State of Iowa pays the city each year, and whether it has kept up with prices. Does state money keep pace? 13

What the state pays the city every year

Road Use Tax for streets, the commercial and industrial tax “backfill”, and ambulance reimbursement, paid every year by formula: $5,607 in FY25, down 98% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 98% less. Grants are below.

Show the numbers
SourceFY22FY23FY24FY25
Road Use Tax (streets)$274,926$277,287$284,624–
Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)$17,944$15,701$13,457$5,607

Grants and project money

State grants and money for specific projects (roads, development, natural resources) vary with what the city applies for and wins, so they aren’t counted as the state’s regular support.

$372,258
$0
    YearGrants and projects
    FY19$6,632
    FY20$372,258
    FY21$369,009
    FY22$88,591
    FY23$0
    FY24$0
    FY25$0
    Show the numbers
    YearGrants and projects
    FY19$6,632
    FY20$372,258
    FY21$369,009
    FY22$88,591
    FY23$0
    FY24$0
    FY25$0

    Has it kept up with prices?

    Each source from FY19 to FY25, after inflation.

    • Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)−80%$22,023 → $5,607, down 75% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 80% less

    Collected by the state for the city

    The local option sales tax is a city tax voters approved; the state collects it with the state sales tax and sends it back. It isn’t state aid. It’s up 71% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 36% more.

    $220,395
    $202,849

    Federal grants, for comparison: $2,500 in FY25.

    Business awards

    Every award statewide

    State economic development awards

    Community college new jobs training: 1 contract since 2006 worth $45K, for 8 pledged jobs.

    Awards statewide

    Elections

    Running for mayor and city council

    Filing opens Monday, August 23, 2027: in 285 days.

    For the Tuesday, November 2, 2027 election, candidates file Monday, August 23, 2027 to Thursday, September 16, 2027 with the county auditor (or the city clerk, if the auditor names the clerk to take them)14.

    In a city that can hold a primary, filing runs Monday, August 9, 2027 to Thursday, August 26, 2027.

    Most recent: November 4, 2025

    City · 3

    2 seats: the top 2 win.

    Local races from civicAPI and county auditors for Parkersburg; official results are on each county auditor’s site.

    Who has filed for Tuesday, November 2, 2027

    Filing hasn’t opened. These seats are expected on the ballot.

    • Parkersburg City Council At-Large (3 seats)
      Now held by Tom Manifold, David Schneiderman, Joseph T. Simon

    Candidates as county auditors and civicAPI list them; a filing can take a few days to appear here15.

    Past ballot measures

    None found since 2022.

    When a measure can be on the ballot

    • Tuesday, March 2, 2027 · no bond or debt questions
    • Tuesday, September 14, 2027 · no bond or debt questions
    • Tuesday, November 2, 2027 · any question, including bonds
    • Tuesday, March 7, 2028 · no bond or debt questions

    Bonds and other borrowing can only go on the November ballot16.

    Related places

    At the Statehouse and in Congress17

    Sandy Salmon (Sen. 29)Pat Grassley (Rep. 57)

    U.S. House:District 2

    Butler CountyAplington-Parkersburg schools