City

Pierson

$3,320 a yearproperty tax on a $200,000 home here, FY27, for every local government ($39.48 per $1,000 of taxable value)¹

$1,440 a yearof that goes to the city ($17.12 per $1,000)

$164,096property taxes the city levies, FY27

$651,395city 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.

Carrie BookPierson City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
Courtney KosterPierson City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
Dallas D. GroenPierson Mayor · elected November 4, 2025
Alex KrierPierson City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
Daniel SistrunkPierson City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
Peter SchieuerPierson 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 Pierson

Homes and businesses in most of Pierson pay a combined $39.48 per $1,000 of taxable value (FY27). They pay it all to the Woodbury County treasurer, who passes each government its share; the city sets and gets only its own piece, $17.12. Estimate your bill.

City of Pierson$17.1243%
Kingsley-Pierson schools$13.7435%
Woodbury County$7.1118%
Western Iowa Tech Community College$1.023%
Woodbury County Assessor$0.38<1%
Woodbury County Extension (ISU Extension and Outreach)$0.11<1%

Rates over time

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

Year	Combined	City’s own
FY20	$38.81	$18.02
FY21	$38.86	$18.25
FY22	$38.84	$18.36
FY23	$38.47	$18.77
FY24	$38.69	$19.22
FY25	$38.56	$19.15
FY26	$38.50	$17.13
FY27	$39.48	$17.12

Show the numbers

Year	Combined	City’s own
FY20	$38.81	$18.02
FY21	$38.86	$18.25
FY22	$38.84	$18.36
FY23	$38.47	$18.77
FY24	$38.69	$19.22
FY25	$38.56	$19.15
FY26	$38.50	$17.13
FY27	$39.48	$17.12

Compared with places this size³

Pierson’s city property tax rate of $17.12 per $1,000 is the 18th highest of 198 Iowa cities with 220–500 people. The middle of the group is $12.46.

See all 198

#	Place	Rate per $1,000	People
1	Stanhope	$29.10	354
2	Fenton	$22.05	250
3	Elliott	$21.61	328
4	Oxford Junction	$20.84	424
5	Earling	$20.47	394
6	Fort Atkinson	$19.19	300
7	Salem	$19.15	380
8	Cumberland	$18.42	248
9	Massena	$18.23	352
10	Elma	$17.82	493
11	Callender	$17.78	361
12	Casey	$17.72	387
13	Vail	$17.66	383
14	Ringsted	$17.65	346
15	Emerson	$17.54	401
16	Thompson	$17.25	478
17	Ashton	$17.17	434
18	Pierson	$17.12	335
19	Burt	$17.10	404
20	Pisgah	$17.09	248
21	Latimer	$16.96	477
22	Lohrville	$16.95	366
23	Lakota	$16.84	261
24	Marble Rock	$16.78	258
25	Auburn	$16.65	253
26	Mccallsburg	$16.58	356
27	Whittemore	$16.54	478
28	Irwin	$16.46	320
29	Titonka	$16.45	491
30	Lewis	$16.25	358
31	Corwith	$16.22	259
32	Deep River	$16.18	243
33	Waucoma	$16.17	235
34	Duncombe	$16.10	374
35	Bayard	$16.05	402
36	Scranton	$16.01	496
37	Granville	$16.00	302
38	Minburn	$15.75	317
39	Peterson	$15.27	321
40	Russell	$15.18	475
41	Arlington	$14.98	415
42	Riverton	$14.94	243
43	Maynard	$14.85	466
44	Plainfield	$14.84	392
45	Ryan	$14.84	348
46	Otho	$14.82	417
47	Humeston	$14.80	472
48	Bagley	$14.63	230
49	Gilmore City	$14.60	484
50	Sabula	$14.38	498
51	Garrison	$14.38	345
52	Halbur	$14.37	268
53	Lorimor	$14.36	377
54	Crystal Lake	$14.36	243
55	Kimballton	$14.27	281
56	Ocheyedan	$14.22	424
57	Steamboat Rock	$14.19	261
58	Garwin	$14.08	469
59	Farragut	$14.07	480
60	Mystic	$14.01	318
61	Lime Springs	$13.95	467
62	Dow City	$13.94	477
63	Wesley	$13.91	382
64	Diagonal	$13.91	331
65	Bussey	$13.83	378
66	Mondamin	$13.82	335
67	Livermore	$13.78	382
68	Fertile	$13.70	300
69	Stockport	$13.68	272
70	Kellerton	$13.60	241
71	Albion	$13.58	444
72	Quimby	$13.58	245
73	Lamont	$13.57	429
74	New Albin	$13.55	435
75	Persia	$13.41	292
76	Lawler	$13.39	392
77	Lacona	$13.38	336
78	Leland	$13.31	240
79	Ute	$13.26	326
80	New Market	$13.25	381
81	Plymouth	$13.21	368
82	Harcourt	$13.21	257
83	Bennett	$13.16	330
84	Ridgeway	$13.10	261
85	Farmersburg	$13.09	264
86	Little Rock	$13.03	447
87	Lehigh	$12.97	395
88	Menlo	$12.92	347
89	Templeton	$12.91	337
90	Silver City	$12.87	244
91	Martelle	$12.83	250
92	Malcom	$12.82	257
93	Galva	$12.68	416
94	Martensdale	$12.63	413
95	Williams	$12.57	299
96	Maurice	$12.56	271
97	Norway	$12.53	463
98	Clearfield	$12.50	277
99	Kensett	$12.47	256
100	Mccausland	$12.45	314
101	Spillville	$12.40	371
102	Modale	$12.34	284
103	Mingo	$12.31	314
104	Brandon	$12.29	331
105	Blakesburg	$12.21	273
106	Cushing	$12.18	225
107	Bonaparte	$12.17	357
108	Macedonia	$12.12	266
109	Hawkeye	$12.11	429
110	Kiron	$12.03	262
111	Colesburg	$11.97	379
112	Liscomb	$11.96	292
113	New Providence	$11.88	233
114	Thornton	$11.86	394
115	Runnells	$11.79	467
116	Allerton	$11.72	432
117	Atalissa	$11.71	287
118	Cantril	$11.69	224
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	Renwick	$11.16	228
131	Milton	$10.98	395
132	New Vienna	$10.91	384
133	Letts	$10.91	358
134	Goose Lake	$10.89	250
135	Birmingham	$10.87	371
136	Charlotte	$10.86	386
137	Yale	$10.85	265
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	Cleghorn	$10.49	235
144	Calamus	$10.47	348
145	Lovilia	$10.46	456
146	Danbury	$10.43	315
147	Lytton	$10.38	274
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	La Motte	$10.09	235
157	Defiance	$10.05	248
158	Floyd	$10.02	297
159	Panama	$9.85	234
160	Breda	$9.80	492
161	Lynnville	$9.68	382
162	Salix	$9.63	303
163	Luxemburg	$9.58	240
164	Farnhamville	$9.18	364
165	Middletown	$9.16	365
166	Alleman	$9.12	439
167	Lester	$8.94	309
168	Harvey	$8.71	242
169	Rowley	$8.31	264
170	Fostoria	$8.10	229
171	Lost Nation	$8.10	425
172	Low Moor	$8.10	242
173	Bertram	$8.10	267
174	Grandview	$8.10	431
175	Nichols	$8.10	317
176	Luana	$7.98	303
177	Lockridge	$7.92	245
178	Delhi	$7.81	438
179	Klemme	$7.74	429
180	Pulaski	$7.58	259
181	Beacon	$7.56	434
182	Sheldahl	$7.56	312
183	Fredonia	$7.55	227
184	Worthington	$7.50	374
185	Harpers Ferry	$7.49	273
186	Marquette	$7.08	434
187	Columbus City	$6.94	385
188	Donahue	$6.83	336
189	Libertyville	$6.60	278
190	Keswick	$6.49	238
191	Crawfordsville	$6.44	278
192	New Virginia	$5.97	499
193	Holy Cross	$5.91	348
194	Conesville	$5.86	350
195	University Park	$5.27	476
196	Maharishi Vedic City	$3.87	290
197	Wahpeton	$3.19	337
198	West Okoboji	$2.92	311

The $8.10 limit

Pierson’s general levy is $8.13 per $1,000 of taxable value in FY27, $0.03 above the limit; it has to come down in steps.⁴ 200 of 934 Iowa cities have a higher general levy. All cities.

$8.10

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

Outside the limit: $8.99 more⁵

Debt Service Levy$4.29 · $41,063
Liability, property & self insurance costs$2.68 · $25,664
Total Employee Benefit Levies$1.65 · $15,793
Capital Projects (Capital Improv. Reserve)$0.36 · $3,455

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$77,72447%
Debt Service Levy$41,06325%
Liability, property & self insurance costs$25,66416%
Total Employee Benefit Levies$15,79310%
Capital Projects (Capital Improv. Reserve)$3,4552%

Budget and spending

Reading a local budget

Where each dollar of Pierson’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 196 Iowa cities closest in size (220–500 people).

Where it goes	Of each dollar	Cities this size (196)
Business Type / Enterprise	45¢	39¢
General Government	16¢	16¢
Public Safety	14¢	9¢
Public Works	12¢	20¢
Culture and Recreation	6¢	8¢
Everything else	7¢	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 Safety$382,18759%
Public Works$96,12715%
General Government$75,56912%
Culture and Recreation$46,9127%
Debt Service$41,6006%
Community and Economic Development$9,0001%

The state’s FY27 file doesn’t include business type / enterprise yet ($351,438 in FY26), so this total is low.

Budget compared with what it spent, FY23

Function	Budget	Spent
Public Works	$330,690	$296,059
Public Safety	$47,930	$63,231
Health and Social Services	$2,500	$1,995
General Government	$80,400	$98,078
Debt Service	$43,000	$42,235
Culture and Recreation	$81,000	$39,585
Community and Economic Development	$125,000	$77,301
Capital Projects	$0	$0
Business Type / Enterprise	$238,920	$211,206

What it spent each year

FY24 left out⁶

$982,063

$683,578

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: $51,515 in FY25, up 37% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 9% more. Grants are below.

Show the numbers

Source	FY22	FY23	FY24	FY25
Road Use Tax (streets)	$37,700	$37,442	$38,474	$38,683
Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)	$5,558	$4,936	$4,231	$12,832

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.

$53,430

Year	Grants and projects
FY19	$0
FY20	$5,800
FY21	$53,430
FY22	$33,311
FY23	$22,749
FY24	$27,161
FY25	$0

Show the numbers

Year	Grants and projects
FY19	$0
FY20	$5,800
FY21	$53,430
FY22	$33,311
FY23	$22,749
FY24	$27,161
FY25	$0

Has it kept up with prices?

Each source from FY19 to FY25, after inflation.

Road Use Tax (streets)−18%$37,679 → $38,683, up 3% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 18% 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 26% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 0% more.

$65,859

Federal grants, for comparison: $972 in FY24.

Elections

Most recent: November 4, 2025

City · 2

Pierson City Council At-Large

2 seats: the top 2 win.

Carrie Book Winner4446.3%
Courtney Koster Winner3435.8%
Doyle Struve 1717.9%

Pierson Mayor

Dallas D. Groen Unopposed46100.0%

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

Related places

At the Statehouse and in Congress⁸

Kevin Alons (Sen. 7)Travis M. Sitzmann (Rep. 13)

U.S. House:District 4

Woodbury County Kingsley-Pierson 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 Pierson; percentages are rough shares of its area. These lawmakers write the state laws and budget Pierson 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.

Pierson

Who runs it

Meetings and agendas

Property taxes

Who gets a property owner’s tax bill in Pierson

Rates over time

Compared with places this size3

The $8.10 limit

Outside the limit: $8.99 more5

The city’s levies, FY27

Budget and spending

Where each dollar of Pierson’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: $8.99 more⁵

At the Statehouse and in Congress⁸