How is Gem run?
Who represents Gem, what homeowners pay in property tax, and how Gem voted.
What stands out about how Gem is run
Read from the city’s official records.
Colby Public Schools Unified School District 315
Gem’s K–12 school district, shared with Colby, Rovohl Township, Morgan Township, Lacey Township, North Randall Township and more. It’s its own government, with a budget separate from the town’s.
Of the $14,841 per pupil, $8,679 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.
Kansas districts overall: 28% local, 61% state, 11% federal.
School year 2023–24. Census Bureau school finance survey.
The typical homeowner pays $907 a year
Every local property tax on the home: town, schools and county. About 1.61% of the home’s value, vs 1.29% across Kansas.
Typical yearly bill next door and statewide
The Housing page’s calculator splits a monthly payment into loan, tax and insurance at Gem’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 Gem’s Cost of living grade. Cost of living in Gem →
Who’s in charge in Gem
Names change after every election, so we link to the source that keeps them current.
Gem’s votes are counted by county
Kansas reports official results by county and precinct, not by city, so there are no official results for Gem alone, and we don’t estimate them. These are Thomas County’s results.
Donald J TrumpRepublican82.1%3,007 votes
Kamala D HarrisDemocrat16.3%597 votesOthers: 1.6% (60 votes).
Most votes in Thomas County: Donald J Trump
Kansas: Trump 57.2%, Harris 41.0%
100% of Gem lies in Thomas County. Every 2024 race in Thomas County is on the county’s page.
Thomas County’s 2024 results →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 Gem.
- 1Your cityMayor & councilLocal officials aren’t on record yet.
- 2Kansas HouseState representatives
- 3Kansas SenateState senator
- 4GovernorStatewide
- 5U.S. HouseYour representative in Congress
- 6U.S. SenateBoth represent all of Kansas
Democrat · Republican · other or independent. Tap a name for their official page.
Reach Gem’s government
Neighbors add phone numbers and hours to the Handbook.
Questions about Gem’s government
What is the property tax rate in Gem?
Homeowners report a typical bill of $907 a year (Census ACS, 2020–24), about 1.61% of the typical home’s value, vs 1.29% across Kansas. For the official rate per $1,000 of assessed value, see the city’s assessor.
Who runs Gem’s government?
We name an official only when a public source lists a current term, and none does for Gem yet.
How did Gem vote in 2024?
Kansas counts votes by county and precinct, not by city, so there are no official results for Gem alone. Thomas County, where 100% of Gem lies, voted Trump 82.1%, Harris 16.3% for president; its page has every race.
Who represents Gem in the state legislature?
State Senate District 40 (Rick Billinger) and State House District 120 (Adam Smith). The House district also covers 86 other towns. Listed by Open States; districts from the Census Bureau.
Ask neighbors about Gem’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 →