Local taxes › Cerro Gordo County › Plymouth

City

Plymouth

$2,520 a yearproperty tax on a $200,000 home here, FY27, for every local government ($29.95 per $1,000 of taxable value)¹

$1,110 a yearof that goes to the city ($13.21 per $1,000)

$168,361property taxes the city levies, FY27

$300,406city 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.

Amy BerdingPlymouth Mayor · elected November 4, 2025
Matt DirksenPlymouth City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
Neal BrennanPlymouth City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
Zach RygPlymouth City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
Jay StumpPlymouth City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
Lissa MerfeldPlymouth 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 Plymouth

Homes and businesses in most of Plymouth pay a combined $29.95 per $1,000 of taxable value (FY27). They pay it all to the Cerro Gordo County treasurer, who passes each government its share; the city sets and gets only its own piece, $13.21. Estimate your bill.

City of Plymouth$13.2144%
Central Springs schools$9.9933%
Cerro Gordo County$4.9817%
North Iowa Area Community College$1.244%
Cerro Gordo County Assessor$0.431%
Cerro Gordo County Extension (ISU Extension and Outreach)$0.10<1%

Rates over time

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

Year	Combined	City’s own
FY20	$33.07	$14.87
FY21	$29.88	$12.60
FY22	$31.86	$14.62
FY23	$32.45	$15.40
FY24	$31.06	$13.77
FY25	$29.39	$13.09
FY26	$29.79	$12.87
FY27	$29.95	$13.21

Show the numbers

Year	Combined	City’s own
FY20	$33.07	$14.87
FY21	$29.88	$12.60
FY22	$31.86	$14.62
FY23	$32.45	$15.40
FY24	$31.06	$13.77
FY25	$29.39	$13.09
FY26	$29.79	$12.87
FY27	$29.95	$13.21

Compared with places this size³

Plymouth’s city property tax rate of $13.21 per $1,000 is the 82nd highest of 193 Iowa cities with 250–550 people. The middle of the group is $12.63.

See all 193

#	Place	Rate per $1,000	People
1	Stanhope	$29.10	354
2	Rolfe	$22.67	505
3	Fenton	$22.05	250
4	Elliott	$21.61	328
5	Charter Oak	$21.32	521
6	Oxford Junction	$20.84	424
7	Earling	$20.47	394
8	Pomeroy	$19.60	511
9	Fort Atkinson	$19.19	300
10	Salem	$19.15	380
11	Cumberland	$18.42	248
12	Massena	$18.23	352
13	Swea City	$18.04	545
14	Elma	$17.82	493
15	Callender	$17.78	361
16	Casey	$17.72	387
17	Dows	$17.70	509
18	Vail	$17.66	383
19	Ringsted	$17.65	346
20	Emerson	$17.54	401
21	Thompson	$17.25	478
22	Ashton	$17.17	434
23	Pierson	$17.12	335
24	Burt	$17.10	404
25	Pisgah	$17.09	248
26	Latimer	$16.96	477
27	Lohrville	$16.95	366
28	Lakota	$16.84	261
29	Marble Rock	$16.78	258
30	Auburn	$16.65	253
31	Mccallsburg	$16.58	356
32	Whittemore	$16.54	478
33	Irwin	$16.46	320
34	Titonka	$16.45	491
35	Truro	$16.34	515
36	Lewis	$16.25	358
37	Corwith	$16.22	259
38	Duncombe	$16.10	374
39	Bayard	$16.05	402
40	Scranton	$16.01	496
41	Granville	$16.00	302
42	Minburn	$15.75	317
43	Peterson	$15.27	321
44	Russell	$15.18	475
45	Zearing	$14.99	508
46	Arlington	$14.98	415
47	Maynard	$14.85	466
48	Plainfield	$14.84	392
49	Ryan	$14.84	348
50	Otho	$14.82	417
51	Wyoming	$14.81	526
52	Humeston	$14.80	472
53	Gilmore City	$14.60	484
54	Sabula	$14.38	498
55	Garrison	$14.38	345
56	Halbur	$14.37	268
57	Lorimor	$14.36	377
58	Collins	$14.32	503
59	Kimballton	$14.27	281
60	Ocheyedan	$14.22	424
61	Steamboat Rock	$14.19	261
62	Garwin	$14.08	469
63	Farragut	$14.07	480
64	Mystic	$14.01	318
65	Lime Springs	$13.95	467
66	Dow City	$13.94	477
67	Wesley	$13.91	382
68	Diagonal	$13.91	331
69	Bussey	$13.83	378
70	Mondamin	$13.82	335
71	Livermore	$13.78	382
72	Fertile	$13.70	300
73	Stockport	$13.68	272
74	Albion	$13.58	444
75	Lamont	$13.57	429
76	New Albin	$13.55	435
77	Persia	$13.41	292
78	Lawler	$13.39	392
79	Lacona	$13.38	336
80	Ute	$13.26	326
81	New Market	$13.25	381
82	Plymouth	$13.21	368
83	Harcourt	$13.21	257
84	Bennett	$13.16	330
85	Ridgeway	$13.10	261
86	Farmersburg	$13.09	264
87	Anthon	$13.05	534
88	Little Rock	$13.03	447
89	Lehigh	$12.97	395
90	Menlo	$12.92	347
91	Templeton	$12.91	337
92	Martelle	$12.83	250
93	Malcom	$12.82	257
94	Delmar	$12.68	541
95	Galva	$12.68	416
96	Badger	$12.67	540
97	Martensdale	$12.63	413
98	Williams	$12.57	299
99	Maurice	$12.56	271
100	Norway	$12.53	463
101	Clearfield	$12.50	277
102	Kensett	$12.47	256
103	Mccausland	$12.45	314
104	Spillville	$12.40	371
105	Modale	$12.34	284
106	Mingo	$12.31	314
107	Brandon	$12.29	331
108	Blakesburg	$12.21	273
109	Bonaparte	$12.17	357
110	Macedonia	$12.12	266
111	Hawkeye	$12.11	429
112	Kiron	$12.03	262
113	Colesburg	$11.97	379
114	Liscomb	$11.96	292
115	Thornton	$11.86	394
116	Runnells	$11.79	467
117	Allerton	$11.72	432
118	Atalissa	$11.71	287
119	Kelley	$11.69	312
120	Orient	$11.66	363
121	Ellsworth	$11.57	495
122	Cincinnati	$11.57	280
123	Delta	$11.52	257
124	Terril	$11.48	310
125	Westside	$11.45	283
126	Holland	$11.37	261
127	Churdan	$11.31	359
128	Mallard	$11.28	255
129	Miles	$11.28	400
130	Milton	$10.98	395
131	New Vienna	$10.91	384
132	Letts	$10.91	358
133	Goose Lake	$10.89	250
134	Birmingham	$10.87	371
135	Charlotte	$10.86	386
136	Yale	$10.85	265
137	Richland	$10.82	532
138	Batavia	$10.77	434
139	Hornick	$10.74	255
140	Riverdale	$10.67	385
141	Bode	$10.64	304
142	Union	$10.58	378
143	Calamus	$10.47	348
144	Lovilia	$10.46	456
145	Danbury	$10.43	315
146	Lytton	$10.38	274
147	Radcliffe	$10.37	540
148	Stacyville	$10.36	436
149	Rhodes	$10.36	269
150	Deloit	$10.28	246
151	Protivin	$10.28	264
152	Andrew	$10.22	374
153	Royal	$10.20	379
154	Bronson	$10.14	294
155	Rudd	$10.13	339
156	Defiance	$10.05	248
157	Floyd	$10.02	297
158	Cumming	$9.85	527
159	Breda	$9.80	492
160	Lynnville	$9.68	382
161	Salix	$9.63	303
162	Farnhamville	$9.18	364
163	Middletown	$9.16	365
164	Alleman	$9.12	439
165	Lester	$8.94	309
166	Ainsworth	$8.62	511
167	Rowley	$8.31	264
168	Gilman	$8.10	530
169	Lost Nation	$8.10	425
170	Bertram	$8.10	267
171	Grandview	$8.10	431
172	Nichols	$8.10	317
173	Luana	$7.98	303
174	Delhi	$7.81	438
175	Klemme	$7.74	429
176	Pulaski	$7.58	259
177	Beacon	$7.56	434
178	Sheldahl	$7.56	312
179	Worthington	$7.50	374
180	Harpers Ferry	$7.49	273
181	Marquette	$7.08	434
182	Columbus City	$6.94	385
183	Donahue	$6.83	336
184	Libertyville	$6.60	278
185	Crawfordsville	$6.44	278
186	New Virginia	$5.97	499
187	Holy Cross	$5.91	348
188	Conesville	$5.86	350
189	University Park	$5.27	476
190	Orleans	$4.13	503
191	Maharishi Vedic City	$3.87	290
192	Wahpeton	$3.19	337
193	West Okoboji	$2.92	311

The $8.10 limit

Plymouth’s general levy is $7.86 per $1,000 of taxable value in FY27, $0.24 below the limit.⁴ 613 of 934 Iowa cities have a higher general levy. All cities.

$8.10

FY23 $8.10 · FY24 $8.10 · FY25 $7.86 · FY26 $8.10 · FY27 $7.86 (before FY25, the general levy alone)

Outside the limit: $5.35 more⁵

Liability, property & self insurance costs$2.60 · $33,036
Debt Service Levy$1.67 · $21,214
Total Employee Benefit Levies$1.01 · $12,806
Support of a Local Emerg. Mgmt. Comm.$0.07 · $898

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$99,93060%
Liability, property & self insurance costs$33,03620%
Debt Service Levy$21,21413%
Total Employee Benefit Levies$12,8068%
Support of a Local Emerg. Mgmt. Comm.$8981%

Budget and spending

Reading a local budget

Where each dollar of Plymouth’s budget goes, FY26

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 192 Iowa cities closest in size (250–550 people).

Where it goes	Of each dollar	Cities this size (192)
Business Type / Enterprise	40¢	39¢
Public Works	27¢	19¢
General Government	14¢	15¢
Public Safety	9¢	9¢
Culture and Recreation	4¢	8¢
Everything else	5¢	5¢

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$136,71546%
General Government$70,10523%
Public Safety$45,02515%
Debt Service$22,4667%
Culture and Recreation$21,0507%
Community and Economic Development$3,0001%
Health and Social Services$2,0451%

The state’s FY27 file doesn’t include business type / enterprise yet ($215,475 in FY26), so this total is low.

Budget compared with what it spent, FY23

Function	Budget	Spent
Public Works	$116,745	$167,747
Public Safety	$59,625	$49,903
Health and Social Services	$2,800	$0
General Government	$65,115	$59,170
Debt Service	$44,517	$0
Culture and Recreation	$21,400	$20,243
Community and Economic Development	$4,700	$27,590
Capital Projects	$0	$0
Business Type / Enterprise	$173,625	$194,808

What it spent each year

FY24 left out⁶

$1.6M

$456,465

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? ⁷

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: $36,993 in FY25, up 12% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 11% less. Grants are below.

Show the numbers

Source	FY22	FY23	FY24	FY25
Road Use Tax (streets)	$34,798	$35,104	$36,083	$36,278
Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)	–	–	–	$715

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.

$24,257

Year	Grants and projects
FY19	$0
FY20	$0
FY21	$0
FY22	$0
FY23	$0
FY24	$24,257
FY25	$0

Show the numbers

Year	Grants and projects
FY19	$0
FY20	$0
FY21	$0
FY22	$0
FY23	$0
FY24	$24,257
FY25	$0

Has it kept up with prices?

Each source from FY19 to FY25, after inflation.

Road Use Tax (streets)−12%$33,016 → $36,278, up 10% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 12% 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 28% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 2% more.

$82,845

$80,976

Federal grants, for comparison: $70,517 in FY23.

Elections

Most recent: November 4, 2025

City · 2

Plymouth City Council At-Large

3 seats: the top 3 win.

Zach Ryg Winner4329.3%
Matt Dirksen Winner4228.6%
Neal Brennan Winner3926.5%
Jesup Pirie 2315.7%

Plymouth Mayor

Amy Berding Unopposed52100.0%

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

Related places

At the Statehouse and in Congress⁸

Doug Campbell (Sen. 30)Christian A. Hermanson (Rep. 59)

U.S. House:District 2

Cerro Gordo County Central Springs schools

Notes

For a $200,000 home with the homestead credit, at the combined rate in most of the city. Some parts of the city pay a different rate (special districts, tax increment financing districts). ↩
Cities adopt their budgets each spring for the year starting July 1. ↩
FY27 rates from the Department of Management. A higher rate isn’t always a bigger bill: it depends on how much property there is to tax. Sizes: Census Bureau 2024 estimates. ↩
Iowa Code section 384.1, as changed by House File 718 (2023). Until FY25 a city’s regular general levy was capped at $8.10 by itself, and a city at the cap could add an emergency levy of up to $0.27. From FY25 the general levy and several smaller levies were combined into one “consolidated” general levy with an $8.10 limit; a city whose combined rate was above $8.10 lowers it in steps, in years its taxable value grows by more than the law allows, until it reaches $8.10. So years before FY25 aren’t directly comparable with later ones. ↩
Levies outside the limit are each set aside for one purpose and have their own rules: debt service pays back bonds voters or the council approved, employee benefits cover pensions and insurance, and some (transit, an airport, insurance costs) have their own caps in state law. ↩
The state’s FY24 spending file repeats the year before for nearly every Iowa city, so that year isn’t shown. ↩
From the city’s annual financial reports to the state (Iowa Data Hub, city actual revenues). “Today’s dollars” adjusts each year by the consumer price index for the Midwest, so a flat line in today’s dollars means the money buys the same as before. ↩
Legislative and congressional districts that cover Plymouth; percentages are rough shares of its area. These lawmakers write the state laws and budget Plymouth works within. ↩

Sources: City budgets and levies from the Department of Management; tax rates from the Iowa Data Hub; state payments from the Department of Revenue; prices from the consumer price index; legislative districts from Census Bureau maps.

Plymouth

Who runs it

Meetings and agendas

Property taxes

Who gets a property owner’s tax bill in Plymouth

Rates over time

Compared with places this size3

The $8.10 limit

Outside the limit: $5.35 more5

The city’s levies, FY27

Budget and spending

Where each dollar of Plymouth’s budget goes, FY26

Planned spending, FY27

What it spent each year

State money

What the state pays the city every year

Grants and project money

Has it kept up with prices?

Collected by the state for the city

Elections

Most recent: November 4, 2025

Related places

At the Statehouse and in Congress8

Compared with places this size³

Outside the limit: $5.35 more⁵

At the Statehouse and in Congress⁸