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Local taxes › Taylor County › Clearfield

City

Clearfield

Taylor County · How cities work

$2,950 a yearproperty tax on a $200,000 home here, FY27, for every local government ($35.08 per $1,000 of taxable value)1
$1,050 a yearof that goes to the city ($12.50 per $1,000)
$155,015property taxes the city levies, FY27
$380,723city 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.

  • Charles StrassnerClearfield Mayor · elected November 4, 2025
  • Charles StrassnerClearfield Mayor · elected November 4, 2025
  • Danielle BriggsClearfield City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Logan LarsenClearfield City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Richard ReinClearfield City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Clete BoyerClearfield City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Travis I. BorcherdingClearfield 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 Clearfield

Homes and businesses in most of Clearfield pay a combined $30.01 per $1,000 of taxable value (FY27). They pay it all to the Taylor County treasurer, who passes each government its share; the city sets and gets only its own piece, $12.50. Estimate your bill.

Rates over time

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

YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$42.46$16.90
FY21$41.74$16.92
FY22$41.37$16.85
FY23$38.10$16.02
FY24$38.53$16.04
FY25$38.35$15.96
FY26$37.23$15.04
FY27$34.25$12.50
Show the numbers
YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$42.46$16.90
FY21$41.74$16.92
FY22$41.37$16.85
FY23$38.10$16.02
FY24$38.53$16.04
FY25$38.35$15.96
FY26$37.23$15.04
FY27$34.25$12.50

Compared with places this size3

Clearfield’s city property tax rate of $12.50 per $1,000 is the 93rd highest of 203 Iowa cities with 190–420 people. The middle of the group is $12.17.

Stanhope: $29.10Fenton: $22.05Coulter: $21.80Chelsea: $21.61Elliott: $21.61Earling: $20.47Volga: $20.23Alta Vista: $19.88Arthur: $19.86Fort Atkinson: $19.19Salem: $19.15Cumberland: $18.42Jamaica: $18.24Massena: $18.23Callender: $17.78Casey: $17.72Vail: $17.66Ringsted: $17.65Emerson: $17.54Pierson: $17.12Burt: $17.10Pisgah: $17.09Lohrville: $16.95Lakota: $16.84Marble Rock: $16.78Auburn: $16.65Mccallsburg: $16.58Prescott: $16.53Irwin: $16.46Montour: $16.37Lewis: $16.25Corwith: $16.22Deep River: $16.18Waucoma: $16.17Duncombe: $16.10Bayard: $16.05Granville: $16.00Minburn: $15.75Moorhead: $15.68Onslow: $15.63Linden: $15.62Peterson: $15.27Greeley: $15.23Arlington: $14.98Riverton: $14.94Marathon: $14.89Plainfield: $14.84Ryan: $14.84Ladora: $14.74Magnolia: $14.68Bagley: $14.63Garrison: $14.38Halbur: $14.37Lorimor: $14.36Crystal Lake: $14.36Kimballton: $14.27Steamboat Rock: $14.19Westgate: $14.05Mystic: $14.01Wesley: $13.91Diagonal: $13.91Bussey: $13.83Mondamin: $13.82Livermore: $13.78Fertile: $13.70Stockport: $13.68Kellerton: $13.60Quimby: $13.58Meservey: $13.43Persia: $13.41Lawler: $13.39Lacona: $13.38Leland: $13.31Ute: $13.26New Market: $13.25Plymouth: $13.21Harcourt: $13.21Bennett: $13.16Ridgeway: $13.10Farmersburg: $13.09Portsmouth: $13.05Clutier: $13.03Lehigh: $12.97Menlo: $12.92Templeton: $12.91Silver City: $12.87Martelle: $12.83Malcom: $12.82Martensdale: $12.63Blencoe: $12.57Williams: $12.57Maurice: $12.56Kensett: $12.47Mccausland: $12.45Spillville: $12.40Modale: $12.34Mingo: $12.31Brandon: $12.29Blakesburg: $12.21Cushing: $12.18Bonaparte: $12.17Hanlontown: $12.17Stout: $12.14Macedonia: $12.12Paton: $12.09Kiron: $12.03Rembrandt: $12.03Colesburg: $11.97Liscomb: $11.96New Providence: $11.88Thornton: $11.86Parnell: $11.78Joice: $11.72Atalissa: $11.71Cantril: $11.69Kelley: $11.69Orient: $11.66Wadena: $11.65Cincinnati: $11.57Delta: $11.52Terril: $11.48Westside: $11.45Holland: $11.37Churdan: $11.31Mallard: $11.28Miles: $11.28Renwick: $11.16Dundee: $11.14Frederika: $10.99Milton: $10.98New Vienna: $10.91Letts: $10.91Goose Lake: $10.89Birmingham: $10.87Charlotte: $10.86Yale: $10.85Hornick: $10.74Riverdale: $10.67Bode: $10.64Union: $10.58Cleghorn: $10.49Calamus: $10.47Danbury: $10.43Lytton: $10.38Rhodes: $10.36Dedham: $10.28Deloit: $10.28Protivin: $10.28Andrew: $10.22Royal: $10.20Bronson: $10.14Hancock: $10.13Rudd: $10.13La Motte: $10.09Melvin: $10.05Defiance: $10.05Floyd: $10.02Barnum: $9.96Panama: $9.85Grafton: $9.83Lynnville: $9.68Ionia: $9.65Salix: $9.63Luxemburg: $9.58Rippey: $9.42Farnhamville: $9.18Middletown: $9.16Dixon: $9.03Lester: $8.94Oakville: $8.89Harvey: $8.71Washta: $8.65Ollie: $8.44Rowley: $8.31South English: $8.27Bertram: $8.10Fostoria: $8.10Low Moor: $8.10Nichols: $8.10Laurel: $8.10Lineville: $8.10Luana: $7.98Lockridge: $7.92Grand River: $7.86Pulaski: $7.58Sheldahl: $7.56Fredonia: $7.55Worthington: $7.50Harpers Ferry: $7.49Alvord: $7.41Columbus City: $6.94Donahue: $6.83Packwood: $6.77Libertyville: $6.60Keswick: $6.49Crawfordsville: $6.44Holy Cross: $5.91Conesville: $5.86Maharishi Vedic City: $3.87Wahpeton: $3.19West Okoboji: $2.92Rickardsville: $2.27Clearfield: $12.50$2.27 lowest$29.10 highestmiddle
See all 203
#PlaceRate per $1,000People
1Stanhope$29.10354
2Fenton$22.05250
3Coulter$21.80220
4Chelsea$21.61207
5Elliott$21.61328
6Earling$20.47394
7Volga$20.23200
8Alta Vista$19.88219
9Arthur$19.86218
10Fort Atkinson$19.19300
11Salem$19.15380
12Cumberland$18.42248
13Jamaica$18.24196
14Massena$18.23352
15Callender$17.78361
16Casey$17.72387
17Vail$17.66383
18Ringsted$17.65346
19Emerson$17.54401
20Pierson$17.12335
21Burt$17.10404
22Pisgah$17.09248
23Lohrville$16.95366
24Lakota$16.84261
25Marble Rock$16.78258
26Auburn$16.65253
27Mccallsburg$16.58356
28Prescott$16.53186
29Irwin$16.46320
30Montour$16.37199
31Lewis$16.25358
32Corwith$16.22259
33Deep River$16.18243
34Waucoma$16.17235
35Duncombe$16.10374
36Bayard$16.05402
37Granville$16.00302
38Minburn$15.75317
39Moorhead$15.68186
40Onslow$15.63198
41Linden$15.62206
42Peterson$15.27321
43Greeley$15.23216
44Arlington$14.98415
45Riverton$14.94243
46Marathon$14.89221
47Plainfield$14.84392
48Ryan$14.84348
49Ladora$14.74223
50Magnolia$14.68194
51Bagley$14.63230
52Garrison$14.38345
53Halbur$14.37268
54Lorimor$14.36377
55Crystal Lake$14.36243
56Kimballton$14.27281
57Steamboat Rock$14.19261
58Westgate$14.05190
59Mystic$14.01318
60Wesley$13.91382
61Diagonal$13.91331
62Bussey$13.83378
63Mondamin$13.82335
64Livermore$13.78382
65Fertile$13.70300
66Stockport$13.68272
67Kellerton$13.60241
68Quimby$13.58245
69Meservey$13.43212
70Persia$13.41292
71Lawler$13.39392
72Lacona$13.38336
73Leland$13.31240
74Ute$13.26326
75New Market$13.25381
76Plymouth$13.21368
77Harcourt$13.21257
78Bennett$13.16330
79Ridgeway$13.10261
80Farmersburg$13.09264
81Portsmouth$13.05187
82Clutier$13.03209
83Lehigh$12.97395
84Menlo$12.92347
85Templeton$12.91337
86Silver City$12.87244
87Martelle$12.83250
88Malcom$12.82257
89Martensdale$12.63413
90Blencoe$12.57223
91Williams$12.57299
92Maurice$12.56271
93Clearfield$12.50277
94Kensett$12.47256
95Mccausland$12.45314
96Spillville$12.40371
97Modale$12.34284
98Mingo$12.31314
99Brandon$12.29331
100Blakesburg$12.21273
101Cushing$12.18225
102Bonaparte$12.17357
103Hanlontown$12.17200
104Stout$12.14194
105Macedonia$12.12266
106Paton$12.09217
107Kiron$12.03262
108Rembrandt$12.03199
109Colesburg$11.97379
110Liscomb$11.96292
111New Providence$11.88233
112Thornton$11.86394
113Parnell$11.78190
114Joice$11.72206
115Atalissa$11.71287
116Cantril$11.69224
117Kelley$11.69312
118Orient$11.66363
119Wadena$11.65201
120Cincinnati$11.57280
121Delta$11.52257
122Terril$11.48310
123Westside$11.45283
124Holland$11.37261
125Churdan$11.31359
126Mallard$11.28255
127Miles$11.28400
128Renwick$11.16228
129Dundee$11.14193
130Frederika$10.99206
131Milton$10.98395
132New Vienna$10.91384
133Letts$10.91358
134Goose Lake$10.89250
135Birmingham$10.87371
136Charlotte$10.86386
137Yale$10.85265
138Hornick$10.74255
139Riverdale$10.67385
140Bode$10.64304
141Union$10.58378
142Cleghorn$10.49235
143Calamus$10.47348
144Danbury$10.43315
145Lytton$10.38274
146Rhodes$10.36269
147Dedham$10.28221
148Deloit$10.28246
149Protivin$10.28264
150Andrew$10.22374
151Royal$10.20379
152Bronson$10.14294
153Hancock$10.13199
154Rudd$10.13339
155La Motte$10.09235
156Melvin$10.05196
157Defiance$10.05248
158Floyd$10.02297
159Barnum$9.96186
160Panama$9.85234
161Grafton$9.83212
162Lynnville$9.68382
163Ionia$9.65220
164Salix$9.63303
165Luxemburg$9.58240
166Rippey$9.42217
167Farnhamville$9.18364
168Middletown$9.16365
169Dixon$9.03204
170Lester$8.94309
171Oakville$8.89198
172Harvey$8.71242
173Washta$8.65206
174Ollie$8.44196
175Rowley$8.31264
176South English$8.27196
177Bertram$8.10267
178Fostoria$8.10229
179Low Moor$8.10242
180Nichols$8.10317
181Laurel$8.10214
182Lineville$8.10194
183Luana$7.98303
184Lockridge$7.92245
185Grand River$7.86192
186Pulaski$7.58259
187Sheldahl$7.56312
188Fredonia$7.55227
189Worthington$7.50374
190Harpers Ferry$7.49273
191Alvord$7.41216
192Columbus City$6.94385
193Donahue$6.83336
194Packwood$6.77186
195Libertyville$6.60278
196Keswick$6.49238
197Crawfordsville$6.44278
198Holy Cross$5.91348
199Conesville$5.86350
200Maharishi Vedic City$3.87290
201Wahpeton$3.19337
202West Okoboji$2.92311
203Rickardsville$2.27204

The $8.10 limit

Clearfield’s general levy is $7.89 per $1,000 of taxable value in FY27, $0.21 below the limit.4 526 of 934 Iowa cities have a higher general levy. All cities.

FY23 $8.10 · FY24 $8.10 · FY25 $8.13 · FY26 $8.13 · FY27 $7.89 (before FY25, the general levy alone)

Outside the limit: $4.61 more5

  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$2.78 · $31,476
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$1.83 · $20,754

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$89,40063%
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$31,47622%
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$20,75415%

Budget and spending

Reading a local budget

Where each dollar of Clearfield’s budget goes, FY26

Business Type / Enterprise: 45¢ of every dollar45¢Community and Economic Development: 21¢ of every dollar21¢Public Works: 17¢ of every dollar17¢General Government: 11¢ of every dollar11¢Culture and Recreation: 4¢ of every dollarEverything else: 3¢ of every dollar

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 201 Iowa cities closest in size (190–420 people).

Where it goesOf each dollarCities this size (201)
Business Type / Enterprise45¢38¢
Community and Economic Development21¢2¢
Public Works17¢20¢
General Government11¢17¢
Culture and Recreation4¢8¢
Everything else3¢9¢

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$223,50059%
  • General Government$95,02325%
  • Culture and Recreation$38,80010%
  • Public Safety$23,4006%

The state’s FY27 file doesn’t include business type / enterprise yet ($390,530 in FY26), so this total is low.

Budget compared with what it spent, FY23
FunctionBudgetSpent
Public Works$120,650$141,174
Public Safety$19,100$21,801
Health and Social Services$0$0
General Government$69,900$80,982
Debt Service$9,810$9,878
Culture and Recreation$41,350$47,836
Community and Economic Development$43,000$0
Capital Projects$0$0
Business Type / Enterprise$309,000$415,540

What it spent each year

FY24 left out6

$834,124
$498,379

Debt, reserves and audits

How local debt works · What an audit tells you

What Clearfield owes

$28,262 at June 30, 2026: $102 per resident. 701st most per resident of 939 Iowa places of its kind (the list).7

$274,958
$28,262
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$28,262$102
2025$36,614$132
2024$53,564$193
2023$70,130$252
2022$86,332$311
2021$106,101$382
2020$117,409$422
2019$131,513$473
2018$144,839$521
2017$158,465$570
2016$171,814$618
2015$184,159$662
2014$200,948$723
2013$218,746$787
2012$252,201$907
2011$265,666$956
2010$274,958$989
Show the numbers
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$28,262$102
2025$36,614$132
2024$53,564$193
2023$70,130$252
2022$86,332$311
2021$106,101$382
2020$117,409$422
2019$131,513$473
2018$144,839$521
2017$158,465$570
2016$171,814$618
2015$184,159$662
2014$200,948$723
2013$218,746$787
2012$252,201$907
2011$265,666$956
2010$274,958$989

Down 90% since 2010.

The 5% limit8

General obligation debt is $0, 0% of the limit of about $1.1M (5% of $21.0M, the full value of its taxable property in 2024).

1 obligation at June 30, 2026
KindForPaid off byOwed
Revenue BondsSewer Loan USDA2030$28,262

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 balances9. Clearfield’s latest audit has them: Periodic Examination, period ending Thursday, March 31, 2022 (PDF).

Audits10

The latest: Periodic Examination for the period ending Thursday, March 31, 2022 (PDF), released Monday, December 12, 2022, by a CPA firm.

2 earlier reports for Clearfield

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? 11

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: $34,358 in FY25, down 13% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 31% less. Grants are below.

Show the numbers
SourceFY22FY23FY24FY25
Road Use Tax (streets)$34,328$32,409$33,268$33,449
Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)–$636$8,024$909

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.

$60,000
$0
    YearGrants and projects
    FY19$0
    FY20$60,000
    FY21$0
    FY22$0
    FY23$0
    FY24$0
    FY25$0
    Show the numbers
    YearGrants and projects
    FY19$0
    FY20$60,000
    FY21$0
    FY22$0
    FY23$0
    FY24$0
    FY25$0

    Has it kept up with prices?

    Each source from FY19 to FY25, after inflation.

    • Road Use Tax (streets)−33%$39,700 → $33,449, down 16% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 33% 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 35% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 8% more.

    $39,186

    Federal grants, for comparison: $25,643 in FY23.

    Business awards

    Every award statewide

    Elections

    Running for mayor and city council

    Filing opens Monday, August 23, 2027: in 284 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)12.

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

    Local races from civicAPI and county auditors for Clearfield; 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.

    • Clearfield City Council At-Large (2 seats)
      Now held by Travis I. Borcherding, Clete Boyer
    • Clearfield Mayor
      Now held by Charles Strassner

    Candidates as county auditors and civicAPI list them; a filing can take a few days to appear here13.

    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 ballot14.

    Related places

    At the Statehouse and in Congress15

    Tom Shipley (Sen. 9)Devon Wood (Rep. 17)

    U.S. House:District 3

    Taylor CountyDiagonal schoolsLenox schoolsMount Ayr schools