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Granger Iowa 20090607 Post OfficePhoto: Richc80 · CC BY 3.0
Town Hall · Granger

Granger spent more per resident in 2022 than 88% of similar cities

Granger’s city government spent $2.5 million on day-to-day services in the year to June 30, 2022, about $1,513 per resident. Water and other utilities ($669,000) are counted separately.

Town website
Election Day

Tomorrow

General election in Iowa.

Register or check: vote.gov ↗
Day-to-day spending, 2022
$2.5M
year to June 30, 2022
Per resident, 2022
$1,513
In 2022: $1,513, more than 88% of 802 similar cities
Long-term debt
$6.6M
end of FY2022, reported
City staff, 2022
10
full-time · 32 part-time · March payroll $63,127
Typical tax bill
$5,169
1.57% of home value · IA 1.39%

What stands out about how Granger is run

Read from the city’s budget and official records.

Compared with similar places

$1,513 per resident in 2022: more than 88% of them

Granger’s day-to-day spending in 2022 ($1,513 per resident, hospital and utilities left out) against 802 Iowa cities of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools: the median was $900, and the middle half spent $632–$1,186. Granger spent more than 88% of them.

Middle half of the group, $632–$1,186Median $900Granger

Includes sewer and trash ($375,000), as the Census Bureau counts them. Later years come from a Census sample, so the comparison stays on 2022. How Town Hall compares budgets →

The group
802

Iowa cities of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools, 2022 Census of Governments (every government counted that year; Granger itself left out).

Your share of the 2022 budget

About $1,513 per resident a year, or $4.15 a day

Day-to-day services only. The biggest line: parks & libraries, at 17%.

Where the money comes from
Property taxes 39%Fees & charges 19%Utility sales 17%Sales taxes 8%From the state 5%Interest, fines & other 4%From other local governments 3%From the federal government 2%Other taxes & licenses 2%
Not in the receipt.Interest on debt $146,000; payments to other governments $16,000. With these and the enterprises, the whole budget was $3.3 million.
Over the years

No trend yet

Granger reported only 2022 to the Census Bureau, so there is no trend yet.

Property tax

The typical homeowner pays $5,169 a year

Every local property tax on the home: town, schools and county. About 1.57% of the home’s value, vs 1.39% across Iowa.

What homes cost →

Typical yearly bill next door and statewide

Granger$5,169
Iowa$2,897
$5,169
typical bill a year
1.57%
effective rate
$329,400
typical home value (Census)
Your own bill

The Housing page’s calculator splits a monthly payment into loan, tax and insurance at Granger’s rate.

Can I afford it? →

The median bill homeowners report to the Census survey (bills of $10,000+ are reported as “$10,000+”). The effective rate is that bill ÷ the median home value: a rough guide, not the official tax rate. In a town this small the estimate has a wide margin.

Tax bills are one input to Granger’s Cost of living grade. Cost of living in Granger →

Who runs it

Who’s in charge in Granger

Names change after every election, so we link to the source that keeps them current.

See grangeriowa.org for Granger’s current officialsWe name an official only when a public source lists a current term. None does for Granger yet.grangeriowa.org ↗
Agendas

Granger’s meeting calendar isn’t in our feed yet. The city posts agendas and minutes on grangeriowa.org ↗.

Who works for Granger

One full-time city employee for every 163 residents

On the payroll in March 2022, from the Census Bureau’s Annual Survey of Public Employment & Payroll. Residents: the Census population in the 2022 finance file (1,631).

By department full-time, plus part-time, March 2022

Fire0 + 15 pt
Administration & buildings3 + 6 pt
Health & welfare0 + 7 pt
Parks & libraries1 + 3 pt
Roads & transportation2
Police2
Sewer & trash1
Water & other utilities1
Other0 + 1 pt
10
full-time
32
part-time
$63,127
payroll for March 2022
$757,524
a year, estimated (March × 12)
$49,200
average full-time pay, before benefits (March × 12)
2
sworn police officers
Compared, 2022.Granger had 6.1 full-time staff per 1,000 residents in March 2022. The median for the 648 of the 802 Iowa cities of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools that reported 2022 staff was 2.8: Granger had more than 76% of them. Same group and year as the budget comparison.

The Census reports one month’s payroll (March); yearly figures are that month × 12, an estimate. Part-timers count half in the bar lengths.

The school district

Woodward-Granger Community School District

Granger’s K–12 school district, shared with Woodward. It’s its own government, with a budget separate from the town’s.

Schools in Granger →
$14,388
per pupil · IA $13,713
1,236
students
$10.9 million
long-term debt

Of the $14,388 per pupil, $9,189 goes to the classroom (teachers, aides, supplies); the rest to buses, buildings, counselors and administration. Building projects and debt payments aren’t in the per-pupil figure.

The district: schools, scores and graduation →

Where the district’s money comes from
Local 49%State 47%Federal 4%

Iowa districts overall: 43% local, 49% state, 8% federal.

School year 2023–24. Census Bureau school finance survey.

Elections · 2024 general election

Granger’s votes are counted by county

Iowa reports official results by county and precinct, not by city, so there are no official results for Granger alone, and we don’t estimate them. These are Dallas County’s results.

President · Dallas County’s results62,633 votes · results as certified
Donald J TrumpDonald J TrumpRepublican51.7%32,374 votes
Kamala D HarrisKamala D HarrisDemocrat46.9%29,402 votes

Others: 1.4% (857 votes).

Most votes in Dallas County: Donald J Trump

Iowa: Trump 55.7%, Harris 42.5%

The county’s page

74% of Granger lies in Dallas County; the rest in Polk County. Every 2024 race in Dallas County is on the county’s page.

Dallas County’s 2024 results →
DemocratRepublicanLibertarianIndependent / other

Official 2024 general election returns, as certified (MIT Election Data + Science Lab). Percentages are of votes for candidates; blank and spoiled ballots aren’t counted. Candidates are listed by votes, and party colors are neutral on purpose.

Portraits: Kamala D Harris: official vice-presidential portrait, Lawrence Jackson, The White House, 2021; Donald J Trump: official portrait, Shealah Craighead, The White House, 2017. All are U.S. government works in the public domain. A race shows photos only when every candidate has an official portrait; otherwise every candidate in it gets initials.

Who represents Granger

From town hall to Washington

Every level of government that speaks for Granger.

2024 results ↑
  1. 1
    Your cityMayor & council
  2. 2
    Iowa HouseGranger is split between 2 districts
  3. 3
    Iowa SenateState senator
  4. 4
    GovernorStatewide
  5. 5
    U.S. HouseYour representative in Congress
  6. 6
    U.S. SenateBoth represent all of Iowa

Democrat · Republican · other or independent. Tap a name for their official page.

Reach Granger’s government

The official site has phone numbers, hours and forms. Neighbors add the rest to the Handbook.

The Handbook →

Questions about Granger’s government

How much does Granger spend per resident?

About $1,513 per resident on day-to-day services in the year to June 30, 2022, as reported to the Census Bureau. In 2022, the last full count, its $1,513 was more than 88% of 802 Iowa cities of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools.

What is the property tax rate in Granger?

Homeowners report a typical bill of $5,169 a year (Census ACS, 2020–24), about 1.57% of the typical home’s value, vs 1.39% across Iowa. For the official rate per $1,000 of assessed value, see grangeriowa.org.

Who runs Granger’s government?

See grangeriowa.org for current officials. We name an official only when a public source lists a current term, and none does for Granger yet.

How did Granger vote in 2024?

Iowa counts votes by county and precinct, not by city, so there are no official results for Granger alone. Dallas County, where 74% of Granger lies, voted Trump 51.7%, Harris 46.9% for president; its page has every race.

How many people work for Granger?

10 full-time and 32 part-time employees in March 2022, with a March payroll of $63,127 (about $757,524 a year if every month were the same), as reported to the Census Bureau.

Who represents Granger in the state legislature?

Granger is split among 2 State House districts, so your address decides. The Iowa Legislature’s lookup finds yours. Its State Senate district is District 23 (Jack Whitver). Listed by Open States; districts from the Census Bureau.

Ask neighbors about Granger’s government

Neighbors who’ve been to the meetings can help.

Town Square →
Ask neighbors

Budget and staff: U.S. Census Bureau, Census of Governments (2022, every government) and Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances (2023–24, a sample) and the Annual Survey of Public Employment & Payroll; day-to-day spending is current operations, with hospitals, utilities and airports apart. School district: Census school finance survey, 2023–24. Property tax: Census American Community Survey, 2020–24. Elections: official 2024 returns via the MIT Election Data + Science Lab; turnout uses Census citizen voting-age population (CVAP, 2020–24). Officials: Open States, names shown only with a current term (checked October 9, 2026). Districts: Census Bureau (119th Congress, 2024 state districts); legislators: Open States and congress-legislators. How Town Hall works →