Backus Township spent more per resident in 2022 than 79% of similar towns
Backus Township’s town government spent $159,000 on day-to-day services in the year to March 31, 2022, about $479 per resident.
What stands out about how Backus Township is run
Read from the town’s budget and official records.
$479 per resident in 2022: more than 79% of them
Backus Township’s day-to-day spending in 2022 ($479 per resident, hospital and utilities left out) against 686 Michigan towns and townships of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools: the median was $275, and the middle half spent $193–$426. Backus Township spent more than 79% of them.
Includes sewer and trash ($43,000), as the Census Bureau counts them. Later years come from a Census sample, so the comparison stays on 2022. How Town Hall compares budgets →
Michigan towns and townships of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools, 2022 Census of Governments (every government counted that year; Backus Township itself left out).
About $479 per resident a year, or $1.31 a day
Day-to-day services only. The biggest line: administration & buildings, at 43%.
Thank you for being a neighbor
No trend yet
Backus Township reported only 2022 to the Census Bureau, so there is no trend yet.
The typical homeowner pays $1,513 a year
Every local property tax on the home: town, schools and county. About 0.90% of the home’s value, vs 1.25% across Michigan.
Typical yearly bill next door and statewide
The Housing page’s calculator splits a monthly payment into loan, tax and insurance at Backus 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 Backus Township’s Cost of living grade. Cost of living in Backus Township →
Who’s in charge in Backus Township
Names change after every election, so we link to the source that keeps them current.
Houghton Lake Community School District
Backus Township’s K–12 school district, shared with Denton Township, Lake Township, Markey Township, Nester Township, Roscommon Township and more. It’s its own government, with a budget separate from the town’s.
Of the $14,267 per pupil, $7,336 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.
Michigan districts overall: 34% local, 57% state, 9% federal.
School year 2023–24. Census Bureau school finance survey.
How Backus Township voted in 2024
Official results for Backus Township’s own voters, as certified after the November 5, 2024 general election, with the county and the state beside them.
Donald J TrumpRepublican70.8%150 votes
Kamala D HarrisDemocrat28.8%61 votesOthers: 0.5% (1 votes).
Most votes in Backus Township: Donald J Trump
Roscommon County: Trump 65.9%, Harris 32.9% · Michigan: Trump 49.7%, Harris 48.3%
Mike RogersRepublican67.6%
Elissa SlotkinDemocrat31.4%Most votes in Backus Township: Mike Rogers
Roscommon County: Rogers 63.9%, Slotkin 33.2% · Michigan: Slotkin 48.6%, Rogers 48.3%
Most votes in the district: Jack Bergman
Whole-district result
President, 2024: Backus Township, its county and the state
| Trump | Harris | Others | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Backus Township | 70.8% | 28.8% | 0.5% | 212 |
| Roscommon County | 65.9% | 32.9% | 1.2% | 16,068 |
| Michigan | 49.7% | 48.3% | 2.0% | 5,664,186 |
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; Elissa Slotkin: U.S. House portrait (congress-legislators project); Mike Rogers: U.S. House portrait (congress-legislators project). 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 Backus Township.
- 1Your townTown governmentLocal officials aren’t on record yet.
- 2Michigan HouseState representatives
- 3Michigan SenateState senator
- 4GovernorStatewide
- 5U.S. HouseYour representative in Congress
- 6U.S. SenateBoth represent all of Michigan
Democrat · Republican · other or independent. Tap a name for their official page.
How Backus Township compares with the towns next door
Backus Township spent $479 per resident in 2022; the 4 neighbors that reported 2022 spent $428 to $648. Towns that run more services spend more. Tap a town to see its page.
| Town | Day-to-day, per resident (2022) | Tax bill |
|---|---|---|
| Higgins Township | $428 | $1,442 |
| Nester Township | $559 | $1,461 |
| Denton Township | $596 | $1,668 |
| Richfield Township | $648 | $1,215 |
| Backus Township | $479 | $1,513 |
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 Backus Township’s government
Neighbors add phone numbers and hours to the Handbook.
Questions about Backus Township’s government
How much does Backus Township spend per resident?
About $479 per resident on day-to-day services in the year to March 31, 2022, as reported to the Census Bureau. In 2022, the last full count, its $479 was more than 79% of 686 Michigan towns and townships of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools.
What is the property tax rate in Backus Township?
Homeowners report a typical bill of $1,513 a year (Census ACS, 2020–24), about 0.90% of the typical home’s value, vs 1.25% across Michigan. For the official rate per $1,000 of assessed value, see the town’s assessor.
Who runs Backus Township’s government?
We name an official only when a public source lists a current term, and none does for Backus Township yet.
How did Backus Township vote in 2024?
For president, Donald J Trump 70.8%, Kamala D Harris 28.8% (212 votes, official results). Roscommon County: Trump 65.9%, Harris 32.9%. Michigan: Trump 49.7%, Harris 48.3%.
How many people work for Backus Township?
0 full-time and 5 part-time employees in March 2022, with a March payroll of $5,796 (about $69,552 a year if every month were the same), as reported to the Census Bureau.
Who represents Backus Township in the state legislature?
State Senate District 36 (Michele Hoitenga) and State House District 105 (Ken Borton). The House district also covers 56 other towns. Listed by Open States; districts from the Census Bureau.
Ask neighbors about Backus 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 →