Harper Township spent more per resident in 2022 than 72% of similar towns
Harper Township’s town government spent $55,000 on day-to-day services in the year to December 31, 2022, about $414 per resident.
What stands out about how Harper Township is run
Read from the town’s budget and official records.
$414 per resident in 2022: more than 72% of them
Harper Township’s day-to-day spending in 2022 ($414 per resident, hospital and utilities left out) against 394 Kansas towns and townships of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools: the median was $183, and the middle half spent $65–$457. Harper Township spent more than 72% of them.
Later years come from a Census sample, so the comparison stays on 2022. How Town Hall compares budgets →
Kansas towns and townships of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools, 2022 Census of Governments (every government counted that year; Harper Township itself left out).
About $414 per resident a year, or $1.13 a day
Day-to-day services only. The biggest line: roads & transportation, at 96%.
Thank you for being a neighbor
Revenue is well above spending. That usually means Harper Township collects property taxes for the school district and county and passes them on, so only its own spending is counted.
No trend yet
Harper Township reported only 2022 to the Census Bureau, so there is no trend yet.
The typical homeowner pays $2,767 a year
Every local property tax on the home: town, schools and county. About 1.17% 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 Harper 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 Harper Township’s Cost of living grade. Cost of living in Harper Township →
Who’s in charge in Harper Township
Names change after every election, so we link to the source that keeps them current.
Smoky Valley Unified School District 400
Harper Township’s K–12 school district, shared with Gypsum Creek Township, Lindsborg, Marquette, Marquette Township, Smolan and more. It’s its own government, with a budget separate from the town’s.
Of the $10,808 per pupil, $6,393 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.
McPherson Unified School District 418 · $19,856 per pupil
School year 2023–24. Census Bureau school finance survey.
How Harper Township voted in 2024
Official results for Harper Township’s own voters, as certified after the November 5, 2024 general election, with the county and the state beside them.
Donald J TrumpRepublican83.9%73 votes
Kamala D HarrisDemocrat16.1%14 votesMost votes in Harper Township: Donald J Trump
McPherson County: Trump 69.6%, Harris 28.5% · Kansas: Trump 57.2%, Harris 41.0%
Most votes in the district: Tracey Mann
Whole-district result
President, 2024: Harper Township, its county and the state
| Trump | Harris | Others | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harper Township | 83.9% | 16.1% | 0.0% | 87 |
| McPherson County | 69.6% | 28.5% | 1.9% | 14,104 |
| Kansas | 57.2% | 41.0% | 1.8% | 1,327,591 |
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 Harper Township.
- 1Your townTown governmentLocal 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.
How Harper Township compares with the towns next door
Harper Township spent $414 per resident in 2022; the 3 neighbors that reported 2022 spent $291 to $1,230. Towns that run more services spend more. Tap a town to see its page.
| Town | Day-to-day, per resident (2022) | Tax bill |
|---|---|---|
| New Gottland Township | $291 | $3,601 |
| Union Township | $380 | $2,517 |
| Jackson Township | $1,230 | $3,438 |
| South Sharps Creek Township | estimate | $3,394 |
| Harper Township | $414 | $2,767 |
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 Harper Township’s government
Neighbors add phone numbers and hours to the Handbook.
Questions about Harper Township’s government
How much does Harper Township spend per resident?
About $414 per resident on day-to-day services in the year to December 31, 2022, as reported to the Census Bureau. In 2022, the last full count, its $414 was more than 72% of 394 Kansas towns and townships of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools.
What is the property tax rate in Harper Township?
Homeowners report a typical bill of $2,767 a year (Census ACS, 2020–24), about 1.17% of the typical home’s value, vs 1.29% across Kansas. For the official rate per $1,000 of assessed value, see the town’s assessor.
Who runs Harper Township’s government?
We name an official only when a public source lists a current term, and none does for Harper Township yet.
How did Harper Township vote in 2024?
For president, Donald J Trump 83.9%, Kamala D Harris 16.1% (87 votes, official results). McPherson County: Trump 69.6%, Harris 28.5%. Kansas: Trump 57.2%, Harris 41.0%.
How many people work for Harper Township?
0 full-time and 2 part-time employees in March 2022, with a March payroll of $3,379 (about $40,548 a year if every month were the same); Census Bureau estimates.
Who represents Harper Township in the state legislature?
State Senate District 14 (Mike Fagg) and State House District 73 (Rick Wilborn). The House district also covers 20 other towns. Listed by Open States; districts from the Census Bureau.
Ask neighbors about Harper 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 →