Town Hall · Denison

Denison, IA town hall & government

Denison spent $25.7 million in the year to June 30, 2024, about $3,143 per resident.

Where the money goes, where it comes from, property taxes, and how to reach Denison's government.

Local leadership

Who runs Denison

Pam SosemanMayorSince 2019 Wikidata ↗ Out of date? Sign in to tell us

From public records (Open States and Wikidata), which can lag behind an election. If a name is out of date, tell us: when two neighbors agree, it's hidden until the records catch up.

Town budget

Where Denison's money goes

Spent
$25.7 million
fiscal year to June 30, 2024
Per resident
$3,143
typical Iowa cities: $2,814
Long-term debt
$17 million
$2,081 per resident
Water & other utilities
$15.3 million60%
Sewer & trash
$3.3 million13%
Police
$2 million8%
Roads & transportation
$1.5 million6%
Parks & libraries
$1.2 million5%
Administration & buildings
$899,0004%
Fire
$361,0001%
Interest on debt
$233,0001%
Courts, inspections & corrections
$191,0001%
Health & welfare
$34,000<1%
Other
$656,0003%

Where the money comes from

  • Utility sales 44%
  • Fees & charges 17%
  • Property taxes 16%
  • Interest, fines & other 9%
  • From the state 5%
  • Sales taxes 5%
  • From the federal government 4%
  • From other local governments <1%
  • Other taxes & licenses <1%
Town workforce

Who works for Denison

Full-time staff
71
22 part-time too
Average full-time pay
$62,700
a year, before benefits
Sworn police officers
14
and 1 full-time firefighter
Police
20 full-time
Parks & libraries
7 full-time19 part
Water & other utilities
15 full-time
Roads & transportation
9 full-time1 part
Sewer & trash
8 full-time
Administration & buildings
3 full-time1 part
Fire
1 full-time
Health & welfare
0 full-time1 part
Other
8 full-time

Staff on the town's payroll in March 2023. Pay is March payroll times twelve, so it's approximate.

Schools · school year 2023–24

Denison Community School District

Denison's K–12 school district, shared with Buck Grove, Deloit and Kiron. It is its own government, with a budget separate from the town's.

Spending per pupil
$13,411
Iowa: $13,713
Students
2,259
in the whole district
Long-term debt
$19.8 million
at year end

Where the district's money comes from Iowa districts overall: 43% local, 49% state, 8% federal

  • Local 28%
  • State 64%
  • Federal 8%

Of the $13,411 per pupil, $7,940 goes to classroom instruction (teachers, aides, supplies); the rest to support services such as buses, buildings, counselors and administration. Building projects and debt payments aren't in the per-pupil figure.

Property tax

What homeowners in Denison pay

Typical tax bill
$2,527
a year · Iowa typical $2,897
Effective rate
1.68%
of home value · Iowa 1.39%
Typical home value
$150,200
owner-occupied

The median yearly bill homeowners report, covering every local property tax on the home (town, schools, county). The effective rate is that bill divided by the median home value, so it's a rough guide, not the official tax rate.

Local

Contact Denison's government

🏛️ Official websitedenisonia.com ↗

Town hall & decisions in Denison →

Beyond town hall

Who represents Denison

Denison is represented in Congress by Senators Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst and Representative Randy Feenstra. Kim Reynolds is governor.

All of Denison's representatives, with contacts →

Budget: U.S. Census Bureau, 2022 Census of Governments: Finance (every city and town government's revenue, spending and debt, grouped into plain categories). Property tax: Census American Community Survey, 5-year estimates.

You’re browsing

Denison

Iowa · IA
View town boundary →
Township / city / CDP overlaps possible.
Loading boundary…

Denison is your selected town. The feed includes posts assigned to this town, not a distance radius or ZIP code.

Neighborhoods narrow the feed further, while townwide announcements, events, and issues remain visible.

Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/18 · 2025-01-01