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Mishawaka-downtown-southPhoto: Tysto · Public domain
Town Hall · Mishawaka

How is Mishawaka run?

Mishawaka’s city government spent $60.7 million on day-to-day services in the year to December 31, 2024, about $1,191 per resident. Water and other utilities ($59.3 million) are counted separately.

Town website
Day-to-day spending, 2024
$60.7M
year to December 31, 2024
Per resident, 2024
$1,191
In 2022: $1,356, more than 62% of 34 similar cities
Long-term debt
$333.6M
end of 2024, reported
City staff, 2025
502
full-time · 70 part-time · March payroll $3.4M
Typical tax bill
$1,405
0.90% of home value · IN 0.74%

What stands out about how Mishawaka is run

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

Runs its own water & sewer63% of day-to-day spending goes to water, sewer and trash (2024).Agendas posted onlineMeetings, agendas and minutes from the city’s own portal.A shared school districtShares Penn-Harris-Madison School Corporation with 4 other towns.Split between districts5 State House districts cover Mishawaka; your street decides yours.
★ What stands out · Your share of the 2024 budget

About $1,191 per resident a year, or $3.26 a day

Day-to-day services only. The biggest line: sewer & trash, at 27%.

Where the money comes from
Utility sales 33%Property taxes 32%Fees & charges 10%From other local governments 9%Interest, fines & other 8%From the state 3%Income taxes 3%Other taxes & licenses <1%From the federal government <1%
Not in the receipt.Building projects $51 million; interest on debt $9.6 million. With these and the enterprises, the whole budget was $180.6 million.
Compared with similar places

$1,356 per resident in 2022, close to the middle of similar cities

Mishawaka’s day-to-day spending in 2022 ($1,356 per resident, hospital and utilities left out) against 34 Indiana cities of 50,000–99,999 that don’t run their own schools: the median was $1,208, and the middle half spent $989–$1,490. Mishawaka spent more than 62% of them.

Middle half of the group, $989–$1,490Median $1,208Mishawaka

Includes sewer and trash ($17.6 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
34

Indiana cities of 50,000–99,999 that don’t run their own schools, 2022 Census of Governments (every government counted that year; Mishawaka itself left out).

Over the years

Day-to-day spending is down 11% since 2022

Day-to-day services, in dollars, in the years Mishawaka reported to the Census Bureau. Prices rose too: about 4% a year in 2022–2024.

Day-to-day spending by fiscal year

2022$68.2 million
2023$62 million
2024$60.7 million

Per resident: 2022: $1,356 · 2023: $1,215 · 2024: $1,191.

City staff
502

full-time in March 2025, up from 494 in 2022.

Building projects, interest and enterprises (hospital, utilities) are left out, so a big construction year doesn’t read as growth.

Property tax

The typical homeowner pays $1,405 a year

Every local property tax on the home: town, schools and county. About 0.90% of the home’s value, vs 0.74% across Indiana.

What homes cost →

Typical yearly bill next door and statewide

Granger$2,747
Indiana$1,614
Penn Township$1,506
Mishawaka$1,405
South Bend$1,332
Portage Township$1,165
$1,405
typical bill a year
0.90%
effective rate
$155,500
typical home value (Census)
Your own bill

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

Meetings

Recent meetings

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

No upcoming meetings are posted yet.

Recent meetings

Go in person

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

Agenda portal ↗
Who runs it

Who’s in charge in Mishawaka

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

See mishawaka.in.gov for Mishawaka’s current officialsWe name an official only when a public source lists a current term. None does for Mishawaka yet.mishawaka.in.gov ↗
Who works for Mishawaka

One full-time city employee for every 101 residents

On the payroll in March 2025, from the Census Bureau’s Annual Survey of Public Employment & Payroll. Residents: the Census population in the 2024 finance file (50,913).

By department full-time, plus part-time, March 2025

Fire118
Police109 + 17 pt
Water & other utilities79
Parks & libraries47 + 40 pt
Sewer & trash52
Administration & buildings33 + 11 pt
Roads & transportation37
Housing & development12
Courts, inspections & corrections2 + 1 pt
Other13 + 1 pt
502
full-time
70
part-time
$3.4M
payroll for March 2025
$41.0M
a year, estimated (March × 12)
$80,200
average full-time pay, before benefits (March × 12)
98
sworn police officers
117
full-time firefighters
Compared, 2022.Mishawaka had 9.8 full-time staff per 1,000 residents in March 2022. The median for the 19 of the 34 Indiana cities of 50,000–99,999 that don’t run their own schools that reported 2022 staff was 7.7: Mishawaka had more than 84% 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

Penn-Harris-Madison School Corporation

Mishawaka’s K–12 school district, shared with Harris Township, Madison Township, Osceola, Penn Township. It’s its own government, with a budget separate from the town’s.

Schools in Mishawaka →
$11,327
per pupil · IN $13,688
11,538
students
$59.6 million
long-term debt

Of the $11,327 per pupil, $6,548 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 29%State 64%Federal 7%

Indiana districts overall: 33% local, 56% state, 11% federal.

Also serving Mishawaka

Mishawaka School City · $13,432 per pupil

South Bend Community School Corporation · $17,729 per pupil

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

Elections · 2024 general election

How Mishawaka voted in 2024

Official results for Mishawaka’s own voters, as certified after the November 5, 2024 general election, with the county and the state beside them.

President19,305 votes · results as certified
Donald J TrumpDonald J TrumpRepublican49.8%9,620 votes
Kamala D HarrisKamala D HarrisDemocrat48.6%9,374 votes

Others: 1.6% (311 votes).

Most votes in Mishawaka: Donald J Trump

Indiana: Trump 58.6%, Harris 39.6%

Turnout
50%

of Mishawaka’s 38,676 adult citizens voted for president in 2024. Across Indiana: 58%.

Votes ÷ citizens of voting age (Census CVAP, 2020–24 ACS).

U.S. Senate19,122 votes
Jim BanksRepublican50.8%
Valerie McCrayDemocrat47.1%
Others2.1%

Most votes in Mishawaka: Jim Banks

Indiana: Banks 58.6%, McCray 38.8%

Governor19,232 votes
Jennifer G McCormickDemocrat48.8%
Mike BraunRepublican47.8%
Others3.4%

Most votes in Mishawaka: Jennifer G McCormick

President, 2024: Mishawaka, its county and the state

TrumpHarrisOthersVotes
Mishawaka49.8%48.6%1.6%19,305
Indiana58.6%39.6%1.8%2,936,677
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 Mishawaka

From town hall to Washington

Mishawaka sends 5 representatives to the Indiana House alone.

2024 results ↑
  1. 1
    Your cityMayor & council
    Officials: mishawaka.in.gov ↗
  2. 2
    Indiana HouseMishawaka is split between 5 districts
    Dale DeVonJake TeshkaRyan DvorakMaureen BauerTim Wesco
  3. 3
    Indiana SenateState senator
    Ryan MishlerLinda Rogers
  4. 4
    GovernorStatewide
    Mike Braun
  5. 5
    U.S. HouseYour representative in Congress
    Rudy Yakym III
  6. 6
    U.S. SenateBoth represent all of Indiana
    Todd YoungJim Banks
Find your state legislators by address ↗

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

Next door

How Mishawaka compares with the towns next door

Mishawaka spent $1,356 per resident in 2022. Most of its neighbors are townships, a different kind of government, so the like-for-like comparison is with similar cities, above. Tap a town to see its page.

Granger: unincorporated, no town budgetSouth Bend: $2,233 per resident (2022)Penn Township: $113 per resident (2022)Portage Township: $3 per resident (2022)GrangerSouth BendPenn TownshipPortage TownshipMishawaka
Spends the leastSpends the mostEstimate or no figures
TownDay-to-day, per resident (2022)Tax bill
Portage Township$3$1,165
Penn Township$113$1,506
South Bend$2,233$1,332
Mishawaka$1,356$1,405

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 Mishawaka’s government

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

The Handbook →
Official websitemishawaka.in.gov ↗

Questions about Mishawaka’s government

How much does Mishawaka spend per resident?

About $1,191 per resident on day-to-day services in the year to December 31, 2024, as reported to the Census Bureau. In 2022, the last full count, its $1,356 was more than 62% of 34 Indiana cities of 50,000–99,999 that don’t run their own schools.

What is the property tax rate in Mishawaka?

Homeowners report a typical bill of $1,405 a year (Census ACS, 2020–24), about 0.90% of the typical home’s value, vs 0.74% across Indiana. For the official rate per $1,000 of assessed value, see mishawaka.in.gov.

Who runs Mishawaka’s government?

See mishawaka.in.gov for current officials. We name an official only when a public source lists a current term, and none does for Mishawaka yet.

How did Mishawaka vote in 2024?

For president, Donald J Trump 49.8%, Kamala D Harris 48.6% (19,305 votes, official results). . Indiana: Trump 58.6%, Harris 39.6%.

How many people work for Mishawaka?

502 full-time and 70 part-time employees in March 2025, with a March payroll of $3.4M (about $41.0M a year if every month were the same), as reported to the Census Bureau.

Who represents Mishawaka in the state legislature?

Mishawaka is split among 5 State House districts and 2 State Senate districts, so your address decides. The Indiana Legislature’s lookup finds yours. Listed by Open States; districts from the Census Bureau.

Ask neighbors about Mishawaka’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 →