How is West Plains Township run?
West Plains Township’s town government spent $189,000 on day-to-day services in the year to December 31, 2022, about $161 per resident.
What stands out about how West Plains Township is run
Read from the town’s budget and official records.
Kismet-Plains Unified School District 483
West Plains Township’s K–12 school district, shared with Kismet, Plains, Fargo Township, Cimarron Township, Seward Township and more. It’s its own government, with a budget separate from the town’s.
Of the $17,990 per pupil, $10,590 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.
Meade Unified School District 226 · $16,226 per pupil
School year 2023–24. Census Bureau school finance survey.
About $161 per resident a year, or $0.44 a day
Day-to-day services only. The biggest line: roads & transportation, at 100%.
Thank you for being a neighbor
Revenue is well above spending. That usually means West Plains Township collects property taxes for the school district and county and passes them on, so only its own spending is counted.
$161 per resident in 2022, close to the middle of similar towns
West Plains Township’s day-to-day spending in 2022 ($161 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 $184, and the middle half spent $65–$457. West Plains Township spent less than 54% 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; West Plains Township itself left out).
No trend yet
West Plains Township reported only 2022 to the Census Bureau, so there is no trend yet.
The typical homeowner pays $1,687 a year
Every local property tax on the home: town, schools and county. About 1.11% 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 West Plains 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 West Plains Township’s Cost of living grade. Cost of living in West Plains Township →
Who’s in charge in West Plains Township
Names change after every election, so we link to the source that keeps them current.
West Plains Township’s meeting calendar isn’t in our feed yet. The town posts agendas and minutes on Plains.org ↗.
How West Plains Township voted in 2024
Official results for West Plains Township’s own voters, as certified after the November 5, 2024 general election, with the county and the state beside them.
Donald J TrumpRepublican79.7%302 votes
Kamala D HarrisDemocrat19.0%72 votesOthers: 1.3% (5 votes).
Most votes in West Plains Township: Donald J Trump
Meade County: Trump 84.2%, Harris 14.6% · Kansas: Trump 57.2%, Harris 41.0%
of West Plains Township’s 670 adult citizens voted for president in 2024. Across Kansas: 62%.
Votes ÷ citizens of voting age (Census CVAP, 2020–24 ACS).
Most votes in the district: Tracey Mann
Whole-district result
President, 2024: West Plains Township, its county and the state
| Trump | Harris | Others | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Plains Township | 79.7% | 19.0% | 1.3% | 379 |
| Meade County | 84.2% | 14.6% | 1.2% | 1,695 |
| 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 West Plains Township.
- 1Your townTown governmentOfficials: Plains.org ↗
- 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 West Plains Township compares with the towns next door
West Plains Township spent $161 per resident in 2022; the 2 neighbors that reported 2022 spent $35 to $1,345. Towns that run more services spend more. Tap a town to see its page.
| Town | Day-to-day, per resident (2022) | Tax bill |
|---|---|---|
| Meade Center Township | $35 | $2,109 |
| Mertilla Township | $1,345 | $2,588 |
| Cimarron Township | estimate | — |
| West Plains Township | $161 | $1,687 |
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 West Plains Township’s government
The official site has phone numbers, hours and forms. Neighbors add the rest to the Handbook.
Questions about West Plains Township’s government
How much does West Plains Township spend per resident?
About $161 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 $161 was less than 54% of 394 Kansas towns and townships of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools.
What is the property tax rate in West Plains Township?
Homeowners report a typical bill of $1,687 a year (Census ACS, 2020–24), about 1.11% of the typical home’s value, vs 1.29% across Kansas. For the official rate per $1,000 of assessed value, see Plains.org.
Who runs West Plains Township’s government?
See Plains.org for current officials. We name an official only when a public source lists a current term, and none does for West Plains Township yet.
How did West Plains Township vote in 2024?
For president, Donald J Trump 79.7%, Kamala D Harris 19.0% (379 votes, official results). Meade County: Trump 84.2%, Harris 14.6%. Kansas: Trump 57.2%, Harris 41.0%.
How many people work for West Plains Township?
0 full-time and 6 part-time employees in March 2022, with a March payroll of $13,348 (about $160,176 a year if every month were the same); Census Bureau estimates.
Who represents West Plains Township in the state legislature?
State Senate District 38 (Ron Ryckman) and State House District 125 (Shannon Francis). The House district also covers seven other towns. Listed by Open States; districts from the Census Bureau.
Ask neighbors about West Plains 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 →