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Town Hall · Bellflower

Bellflower spent less per resident in 2022 than 68% of similar cities

Bellflower’s village government spent $134,000 on day-to-day services in the year to April 30, 2022, about $391 per resident. Water and other utilities ($46,000) are counted separately.

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Today

General election in Illinois.

Register or check: vote.gov ↗
Day-to-day spending, 2022
$134,000
year to April 30, 2022
Per resident, 2022
$391
In 2022: $391, less than 68% of 637 similar cities
Long-term debt
Not reported
end of FY2022, reported
Village staff, 2022
0
full-time · 12 part-time · March payroll $11,942
Typical tax bill
$1,792
1.47% of home value · IL 2.01%

What stands out about how Bellflower is run

Read from the village’s budget and official records.

Compared with similar places

$391 per resident in 2022: less than 68% of them

Bellflower’s day-to-day spending in 2022 ($391 per resident, hospital and utilities left out) against 637 Illinois cities of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools: the median was $503, and the middle half spent $342–$713. Bellflower spent less than 68% of them.

Middle half of the group, $342–$713Median $503Bellflower

Later years come from a Census sample, so the comparison stays on 2022. How Town Hall compares budgets →

The group
637

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

Your share of the 2022 budget

About $391 per resident a year, or $1.07 a day

Day-to-day services only. The biggest line: roads & transportation, at 35%.

Where the money comes from
From the state 37%Utility sales 29%Property taxes 13%From the federal government 11%Interest, fines & other 7%Fees & charges 3%Sales taxes <1%
Not in the receipt.Interest on debt $3,000; payments to other governments $17,000. With these and the enterprises, the whole budget was $200,000.
Over the years

No trend yet

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

Property tax

The typical homeowner pays $1,792 a year

Every local property tax on the home: town, schools and county. About 1.47% of the home’s value, vs 2.01% across Illinois.

What homes cost →

Typical yearly bill next door and statewide

Illinois$5,298
Bellflower$1,792
$1,792
typical bill a year
1.47%
effective rate
$122,000
typical home value (Census)
Your own bill

The Housing page’s calculator splits a monthly payment into loan, tax and insurance at Bellflower’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 Bellflower’s Cost of living grade. Cost of living in Bellflower →

Who runs it

Who’s in charge in Bellflower

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

Check Bellflower’s own website for current officialsWe name an official only when a public source lists a current term. None does for Bellflower yet.
The school district

Blue Ridge Community Unit School District 18

Bellflower’s K–12 school district, shared with Bellflower Township, Farmer City, Mansfield, Blue Ridge Township, Santa Anna Township and more. It’s its own government, with a budget separate from the town’s.

Schools in Bellflower →
$19,407
per pupil · IL $21,567
670
students
$14.1 million
long-term debt

Of the $19,407 per pupil, $10,433 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 66%State 28%Federal 5%

Illinois districts overall: 52% local, 38% state, 10% federal.

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

Elections · 2024 general election

Bellflower’s votes are counted by county

Illinois reports official results by county and precinct, not by village, so there are no official results for Bellflower alone, and we don’t estimate them. These are McLean County’s results.

President · McLean County’s results87,469 votes · results as certified
Kamala D HarrisKamala D HarrisDemocrat50.9%44,495 votes
Donald J TrumpDonald J TrumpRepublican46.1%40,290 votes

Others: 3.1% (2,684 votes).

Most votes in McLean County: Kamala D Harris

Illinois: Harris 54.4%, Trump 43.5%

The county’s page

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

McLean 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 Bellflower

From town hall to Washington

Every level of government that speaks for Bellflower.

2024 results ↑
  1. 1
    Your cityMayor & council
    Local officials aren’t on record yet.
  2. 2
    Illinois HouseState representatives
  3. 3
    Illinois SenateState senator
  4. 4
    GovernorStatewide
  5. 5
    U.S. HouseYour representative in Congress
  6. 6
    U.S. SenateBoth represent all of Illinois

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

Reach Bellflower’s government

Neighbors add phone numbers and hours to the Handbook.

The Handbook →

Questions about Bellflower’s government

How much does Bellflower spend per resident?

About $391 per resident on day-to-day services in the year to April 30, 2022, as reported to the Census Bureau. In 2022, the last full count, its $391 was less than 68% of 637 Illinois cities of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools.

What is the property tax rate in Bellflower?

Homeowners report a typical bill of $1,792 a year (Census ACS, 2020–24), about 1.47% of the typical home’s value, vs 2.01% across Illinois. For the official rate per $1,000 of assessed value, see the village’s assessor.

Who runs Bellflower’s government?

We name an official only when a public source lists a current term, and none does for Bellflower yet.

How did Bellflower vote in 2024?

Illinois counts votes by county and precinct, not by village, so there are no official results for Bellflower alone. McLean County, where 100% of Bellflower lies, voted Harris 50.9%, Trump 46.1% for president; its page has every race.

How many people work for Bellflower?

0 full-time and 12 part-time employees in March 2022, with a March payroll of $11,942 (about $143,304 a year if every month were the same), as reported to the Census Bureau.

Who represents Bellflower in the state legislature?

State Senate District 44 (Sally Turner) and State House District 88 (Regan Deering). The House district also covers 74 other towns. Listed by Open States; districts from the Census Bureau.

Ask neighbors about Bellflower’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 →