Guest, Sign inJoin

Post to Stuart

We’ll email a one-tap link to publish your post. No password, and nothing is public until you click it.
Already a member? Sign in
Stuart, FL. DowntownPhoto: JonathanPuello · CC BY-SA 4.0
Town Hall · Stuart

Stuart spent more per resident in 2022 than 76% of similar cities

Stuart’s city government spent $36.9 million on day-to-day services in the year to September 30, 2022, about $2,214 per resident. Water and other utilities ($2.4 million) are counted separately.

Town website
Election Day

Tomorrow

General election in Florida.

Register or check: vote.gov ↗
Day-to-day spending, 2022
$36.9M
year to September 30, 2022
Per resident, 2022
$2,214
In 2022: $2,214, more than 76% of 67 similar cities
Long-term debt
$34.2M
end of FY2022, reported
City staff, 2022
223
full-time · 26 part-time · March payroll $1.5M
Typical tax bill
$2,063
0.63% of home value · FL 0.76%

What stands out about how Stuart is run

Read from the city’s budget, meetings and official records.

★ What stands out · Meetings

6 upcoming meetings at town hall

From Stuart’s own agenda portal, checked daily. Agendas can change up to the meeting, so check before you go.

Recent meetings

Go in person

Most meetings are open to the public, and many have a public comment period at the start.

Agenda portal ↗
Your share of the 2022 budget

About $2,214 per resident a year, or $6.07 a day

Day-to-day services only. The biggest line: sewer & trash, at 28%.

Where the money comes from
Fees & charges 28%Property taxes 20%Utility sales 13%Interest, fines & other 11%Sales taxes 9%Other taxes & licenses 8%From the state 6%From other local governments 5%From the federal government <1%
Not in the receipt.Building projects $3.2 million; interest on debt $1.1 million. With these and the enterprises, the whole budget was $43.6 million.
Compared with similar places

$2,214 per resident in 2022: more than 76% of them

Stuart’s day-to-day spending in 2022 ($2,214 per resident, hospital and utilities left out) against 67 Florida cities of 10,000–24,999 that don’t run their own schools: the median was $1,525, and the middle half spent $1,160–$2,146. Stuart spent more than 76% of them.

Middle half of the group, $1,160–$2,146Median $1,525Stuart

Includes sewer and trash ($10.5 million), 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
67

Florida cities of 10,000–24,999 that don’t run their own schools, 2022 Census of Governments (every government counted that year; Stuart itself left out).

Over the years

No trend yet

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

Property tax

The typical homeowner pays $2,063 a year

Every local property tax on the home: town, schools and county. About 0.63% of the home’s value, vs 0.76% across Florida.

What homes cost →

Typical yearly bill next door and statewide

Palm City$4,643
Jensen Beach$3,092
North River Shores$2,916
Rio$2,753
Florida$2,730
Stuart$2,063
$2,063
typical bill a year
0.63%
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 Stuart’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.

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

Who runs it

Who’s in charge in Stuart

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

See cityofstuart.us for Stuart’s current officialsWe name an official only when a public source lists a current term. None does for Stuart yet.cityofstuart.us ↗
Who works for Stuart

One full-time city employee for every 75 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 (16,652).

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

Police57 + 5 pt
Fire43
Water & other utilities29
Administration & buildings22 + 1 pt
Sewer & trash21
Roads & transportation13 + 5 pt
Parks & libraries5 + 15 pt
Housing & development3
Courts, inspections & corrections2
Other28
223
full-time
26
part-time
$1.5M
payroll for March 2022
$18.1M
a year, estimated (March × 12)
$77,400
average full-time pay, before benefits (March × 12)
42
sworn police officers
42
full-time firefighters
Compared, 2022.Stuart had 13.4 full-time staff per 1,000 residents in March 2022. The median for the 53 of the 67 Florida cities of 10,000–24,999 that don’t run their own schools that reported 2022 staff was 9.7: Stuart had more than 81% 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

Martin County School District

Stuart’s K–12 school district, shared with Indiantown, Jupiter Island, Ocean Breeze, Sewall's Point. It’s its own government, with a budget separate from the town’s.

Schools in Stuart →
$13,894
per pupil · FL $13,006
18,270
students
$41.4 million
long-term debt

Of the $13,894 per pupil, $7,607 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 78%State 10%Federal 12%

Florida districts overall: 55% local, 29% state, 15% federal.

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

Elections · 2024 general election

Stuart’s votes are counted by county

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

President · Martin County’s results98,796 votes · results as certified
Donald J TrumpDonald J TrumpRepublican64.9%64,121 votes
Kamala D HarrisKamala D HarrisDemocrat33.9%33,539 votes

Others: 1.1% (1,136 votes).

Most votes in Martin County: Donald J Trump

Florida: Trump 56.1%, Harris 43.0%

The county’s page

100% of Stuart lies in Martin County. Every 2024 race in Martin County is on the county’s page.

Martin 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 Stuart

From town hall to Washington

Every level of government that speaks for Stuart.

2024 results ↑
  1. 1
    Your cityMayor & council
  2. 2
    Florida HouseState representatives
  3. 3
    Florida SenateState senator
  4. 4
    GovernorStatewide
  5. 5
    U.S. HouseYour representative in Congress
  6. 6
    U.S. SenateBoth represent all of Florida

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

Next door

How Stuart compares with the towns next door

Stuart spent $2,214 per resident in 2022. Towns that run more services spend more. Tap a town to see its page.

Spends the leastSpends the mostEstimate or no figures
TownDay-to-day, per resident (2022)Tax bill
Stuart$2,214$2,063

Day-to-day spending in 2022, the last year every government was counted, for governments that reported it; hospital and utilities left out. Tax bill: the typical homeowner’s bill (Census ACS, 2020–24).

Reach Stuart’s government

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

The Handbook →

Questions about Stuart’s government

How much does Stuart spend per resident?

About $2,214 per resident on day-to-day services in the year to September 30, 2022, as reported to the Census Bureau. In 2022, the last full count, its $2,214 was more than 76% of 67 Florida cities of 10,000–24,999 that don’t run their own schools.

What is the property tax rate in Stuart?

Homeowners report a typical bill of $2,063 a year (Census ACS, 2020–24), about 0.63% of the typical home’s value, vs 0.76% across Florida. For the official rate per $1,000 of assessed value, see cityofstuart.us.

Who runs Stuart’s government?

See cityofstuart.us for current officials. We name an official only when a public source lists a current term, and none does for Stuart yet.

How did Stuart vote in 2024?

Florida counts votes by county and precinct, not by city, so there are no official results for Stuart alone. Martin County, where 100% of Stuart lies, voted Trump 64.9%, Harris 33.9% for president; its page has every race.

How many people work for Stuart?

223 full-time and 26 part-time employees in March 2022, with a March payroll of $1.5M (about $18.1M a year if every month were the same), as reported to the Census Bureau.

Who represents Stuart in the state legislature?

State Senate District 31 (Gayle Harrell) and State House District 86 (John Snyder). The House district also covers seven other towns. Listed by Open States; districts from the Census Bureau.

When is the next public meeting in Stuart?

The next posted meeting is Community Redevelopment Board on Tuesday, November 3, at 4:00 pm in 121 SW Flagler Ave, from the city’s own agenda portal.

Ask neighbors about Stuart’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 →