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Thomson Station - November 2016Photo: Adam Moss · CC BY-SA 2.0
Town Hall · Thomson

Thomson spent more per resident in 2022 than 69% of similar cities

Thomson’s village government spent $363,000 on day-to-day services in the year to April 30, 2022, about $662 per resident. Water and other utilities ($410,000) are counted separately.

Town website
Election Day

Tomorrow

General election in Illinois.

Register or check: vote.gov ↗
Day-to-day spending, 2022
$363,000
year to April 30, 2022
Per resident, 2022
$662
In 2022: $662, more than 69% of 637 similar cities
Long-term debt
$2.1M
end of FY2022, reported
Village staff, 2022
1
full-time · 22 part-time · March payroll $16,627 · Census estimate
Typical tax bill
$2,167
1.85% of home value · IL 2.01%

What stands out about how Thomson is run

Read from the village’s budget and official records.

Compared with similar places

$662 per resident in 2022: more than 69% of them

Thomson’s day-to-day spending in 2022 ($662 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 $501, and the middle half spent $342–$713. Thomson spent more than 69% of them.

Middle half of the group, $342–$713Median $501Thomson

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; Thomson itself left out).

Your share of the 2022 budget

About $662 per resident a year, or $1.81 a day

Day-to-day services only. The biggest line: administration & buildings, at 60%.

Where the money comes from
Utility sales 34%Interest, fines & other 23%From the state 22%From other local governments 11%Fees & charges 5%Property taxes 4%Other taxes & licenses <1%
Not in the receipt.Building projects $469,000; interest on debt $77,000. With these and the enterprises, the whole budget was $1.3 million.
Over the years

No trend yet

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

Property tax

The typical homeowner pays $2,167 a year

Every local property tax on the home: town, schools and county. About 1.85% of the home’s value, vs 2.01% across Illinois.

What homes cost →

Typical yearly bill next door and statewide

Illinois$5,298
Thomson$2,167
$2,167
typical bill a year
1.85%
effective rate
$117,000
typical home value (Census)
Your own bill

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

Who runs it

Who’s in charge in Thomson

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

See thomsonil.com for Thomson’s current officialsWe name an official only when a public source lists a current term. None does for Thomson yet.thomsonil.com ↗
Agendas

Thomson’s meeting calendar isn’t in our feed yet. The village posts agendas and minutes on thomsonil.com ↗.

Who works for Thomson

One full-time village employee for every 548 residents

On the payroll in March 2022, from the Census Bureau’s Annual Survey of Public Employment & Payroll (a Census estimate). Residents: the Census population in the 2022 finance file (548).

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

Administration & buildings0 + 13 pt
Police1 + 5 pt
Roads & transportation0 + 2 pt
Water & other utilities0 + 2 pt
1
full-time
22
part-time
$16,627
payroll for March 2022
$199,524
a year, estimated (March × 12)
$63,500
average full-time pay, before benefits (March × 12)
1
sworn police officers
Estimates.Thomson didn’t report its staff figures; these are the Census Bureau’s estimates, so they aren’t compared with other towns.

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

West Carroll Community Unit School District 314

Thomson’s K–12 school district, shared with Mount Carroll, Mount Carroll Township, Savanna, Savanna Township, Washington Township and more. It’s its own government, with a budget separate from the town’s.

Schools in Thomson →
$16,799
per pupil · IL $21,567
869
students
$4 million
long-term debt

Of the $16,799 per pupil, $9,044 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 51%State 39%Federal 11%

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

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

Elections · 2024 general election

Thomson’s votes are counted by county

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

President · Carroll County’s results7,862 votes · results as certified
Donald J TrumpDonald J TrumpRepublican64.6%5,082 votes
Kamala D HarrisKamala D HarrisDemocrat33.1%2,600 votes

Others: 2.3% (180 votes).

Most votes in Carroll County: Donald J Trump

Illinois: Harris 54.4%, Trump 43.5%

The county’s page

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

Carroll 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 Thomson

From town hall to Washington

Every level of government that speaks for Thomson.

2024 results ↑
  1. 1
    Your cityMayor & council
  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 Thomson’s government

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

The Handbook →

Questions about Thomson’s government

How much does Thomson spend per resident?

About $662 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 $662 was more than 69% of 637 Illinois cities of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools.

What is the property tax rate in Thomson?

Homeowners report a typical bill of $2,167 a year (Census ACS, 2020–24), about 1.85% of the typical home’s value, vs 2.01% across Illinois. For the official rate per $1,000 of assessed value, see thomsonil.com.

Who runs Thomson’s government?

See thomsonil.com for current officials. We name an official only when a public source lists a current term, and none does for Thomson yet.

How did Thomson vote in 2024?

Illinois counts votes by county and precinct, not by village, so there are no official results for Thomson alone. Carroll County, where 100% of Thomson lies, voted Trump 64.6%, Harris 33.1% for president; its page has every race.

How many people work for Thomson?

1 full-time and 22 part-time employees in March 2022, with a March payroll of $16,627 (about $199,524 a year if every month were the same); Census Bureau estimates.

Who represents Thomson in the state legislature?

State Senate District 45 (Andrew Chesney) and State House District 89 (Tony McCombie). The House district also covers 115 other towns. Listed by Open States; districts from the Census Bureau.

Ask neighbors about Thomson’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 →