Bethel Township spent more per resident in 2022 than 81% of similar towns
Bethel Township’s town government spent $140,000 on day-to-day services in the year to March 31, 2022, about $475 per resident.
What stands out about how Bethel Township is run
Read from the town’s budget and official records.
$475 per resident in 2022: more than 81% of them
Bethel Township’s day-to-day spending in 2022 ($475 per resident, hospital and utilities left out) against 860 Illinois towns and townships of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools: the median was $264, and the middle half spent $165–$396. Bethel Township spent more than 81% of them.
Later years come from a Census sample, so the comparison stays on 2022. How Town Hall compares budgets →
Illinois towns and townships of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools, 2022 Census of Governments (every government counted that year; Bethel Township itself left out).
About $475 per resident a year, or $1.30 a day
Day-to-day services only. The biggest line: administration & buildings, at 39%.
Thank you for being a neighbor
No trend yet
Bethel Township reported only 2022 to the Census Bureau, so there is no trend yet.
The typical homeowner pays $4,367 a year
Every local property tax on the home: town, schools and county. About 2.71% of the home’s value, vs 2.01% across Illinois.
Typical yearly bill next door and statewide
The Housing page’s calculator splits a monthly payment into loan, tax and insurance at Bethel Township’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 Bethel Township’s Cost of living grade. Cost of living in Bethel Township →
Who’s in charge in Bethel Township
Names change after every election, so we link to the source that keeps them current.
One full-time town employee for every 295 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 (295).
By department full-time, plus part-time, March 2022
The Census reports one month’s payroll (March); yearly figures are that month × 12, an estimate. Part-timers count half in the bar lengths.
West Prairie Community Unit School District 103
Bethel Township’s K–12 school district, shared with Blandinsville, Colchester, Colchester Township, Good Hope, Hire Township and more. It’s its own government, with a budget separate from the town’s.
Of the $20,946 per pupil, $10,656 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.
Illinois districts overall: 52% local, 38% state, 10% federal.
Schuyler-Industry Community Unit School District 5 · $15,117 per pupil
Macomb Community Unit School District 185 · $18,427 per pupil
Southeastern Community Unit School District 337 · $17,131 per pupil
School year 2023–24. Census Bureau school finance survey.
How Bethel Township voted in 2024
Official results for Bethel Township’s own voters, as certified after the November 5, 2024 general election, with the county and the state beside them.
Donald J TrumpRepublican74.5%111 votes
Kamala D HarrisDemocrat24.8%37 votesOthers: 0.7% (1 votes).
Most votes in Bethel Township: Donald J Trump
McDonough County: Trump 57.9%, Harris 39.3% · Illinois: Harris 54.4%, Trump 43.5%
Most votes in the district: Mary E Miller
Whole-district result
President, 2024: Bethel Township, its county and the state
| Trump | Harris | Others | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bethel Township | 74.5% | 24.8% | 0.7% | 149 |
| McDonough County | 57.9% | 39.3% | 2.8% | 12,057 |
| Illinois | 43.5% | 54.4% | 2.2% | 5,633,310 |
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.
From town hall to Washington
Every level of government that speaks for Bethel Township.
- 1Your townTown governmentLocal officials aren’t on record yet.
- 2Illinois HouseState representatives
- 3Illinois SenateState senator
- 4GovernorStatewide
- 5U.S. HouseYour representative in Congress
- 6U.S. SenateBoth represent all of Illinois
Democrat · Republican · other or independent. Tap a name for their official page.
How Bethel Township compares with the towns next door
Bethel Township spent $475 per resident in 2022; the 2 neighbors that reported 2022 spent $226 to $297. Towns that run more services spend more. Tap a town to see its page.
| Town | Day-to-day, per resident (2022) | Tax bill |
|---|---|---|
| Lamoine Township | $226 | — |
| Chalmers Township | $297 | $5,024 |
| Brooklyn Township | estimate | $1,297 |
| Industry Township | estimate | $1,228 |
| Bethel Township | $475 | $4,367 |
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 Bethel Township’s government
Neighbors add phone numbers and hours to the Handbook.
Questions about Bethel Township’s government
How much does Bethel Township spend per resident?
About $475 per resident on day-to-day services in the year to March 31, 2022, as reported to the Census Bureau. In 2022, the last full count, its $475 was more than 81% of 860 Illinois towns and townships of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools.
What is the property tax rate in Bethel Township?
Homeowners report a typical bill of $4,367 a year (Census ACS, 2020–24), about 2.71% of the typical home’s value, vs 2.01% across Illinois. For the official rate per $1,000 of assessed value, see the town’s assessor.
Who runs Bethel Township’s government?
We name an official only when a public source lists a current term, and none does for Bethel Township yet.
How did Bethel Township vote in 2024?
For president, Donald J Trump 74.5%, Kamala D Harris 24.8% (149 votes, official results). McDonough County: Trump 57.9%, Harris 39.3%. Illinois: Harris 54.4%, Trump 43.5%.
How many people work for Bethel Township?
1 full-time and 7 part-time employees in March 2022, with a March payroll of $13,057 (about $156,684 a year if every month were the same), as reported to the Census Bureau.
Who represents Bethel Township in the state legislature?
State Senate District 47 (Neil Anderson) and State House District 94 (Norine Hammond). The House district also covers 203 other towns. Listed by Open States; districts from the Census Bureau.
Ask neighbors about Bethel Township’s government
Neighbors who’ve been to the meetings can help.
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 →