Chicagon Mine Road-Chicagon Creek Bridge · Photo: rossograph · CC BY-SA 4.0Bates Township spent more per resident in 2022 than 92% of similar towns
Bates Township’s town government spent $726,000 on day-to-day services in the year to March 31, 2022, about $836 per resident.
What stands out about how Bates Township is run
Read from the town’s budget and official records.
$836 per resident in 2022: more than 92% of them
Bates Township’s day-to-day spending in 2022 ($836 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. Bates Township spent more than 92% of them.
Includes sewer and trash ($158,000), 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; Bates Township itself left out).
About $836 per resident a year, or $2.29 a day
Day-to-day services only. The biggest line: administration & buildings, at 31%.
Thank you for being a neighbor
No trend yet
Bates Township reported only 2022 to the Census Bureau, so there is no trend yet.
The typical homeowner pays $1,786 a year
Every local property tax on the home: town, schools and county. About 1.09% 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 Bates 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 Bates Township’s Cost of living grade. Cost of living in Bates Township →
Who’s in charge in Bates Township
Names change after every election, so we link to the source that keeps them current.
West Iron County Public Schools
Bates Township’s K–12 school district, shared with Caspian, Gaastra, Iron River, Iron River Township, Stambaugh Township. It’s its own government, with a budget separate from the town’s.
Of the $14,946 per pupil, $9,295 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 Bates Township voted in 2024
Official results for Bates Township’s own voters, as certified after the November 5, 2024 general election, with the county and the state beside them.
Donald J TrumpRepublican67.9%466 votes
Kamala D HarrisDemocrat30.9%212 votesOthers: 1.2% (8 votes).
Most votes in Bates Township: Donald J Trump
Iron County: Trump 64.1%, Harris 34.7% · Michigan: Trump 49.7%, Harris 48.3%
of Bates Township’s 787 adult citizens voted for president in 2024. Across Michigan: 74%.
Votes ÷ citizens of voting age (Census CVAP, 2020–24 ACS).
Mike RogersRepublican66.6%
Elissa SlotkinDemocrat31.8%Most votes in Bates Township: Mike Rogers
Iron County: Rogers 62.7%, Slotkin 34.8% · Michigan: Slotkin 48.6%, Rogers 48.3%
Most votes in the district: Jack Bergman
Whole-district result
President, 2024: Bates Township, its county and the state
| Trump | Harris | Others | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bates Township | 67.9% | 30.9% | 1.2% | 686 |
| Iron County | 64.1% | 34.7% | 1.2% | 7,027 |
| 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 Bates 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 Bates Township compares with the towns next door
Bates Township spent $836 per resident in 2022; the 5 neighbors that reported 2022 spent $465 to $1,467. Towns that run more services spend more. Tap a town to see its page.
| Town | Day-to-day, per resident (2022) | Tax bill |
|---|---|---|
| Duncan Township | $465 | $1,287 |
| Stambaugh Township | $595 | $1,789 |
| Iron River Township | $746 | $1,455 |
| Crystal Falls Township | $826 | $1,809 |
| Iron River | $1,467 | $1,280 |
| Hematite Township | estimate | $953 |
| Bates Township | $836 | $1,786 |
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 Bates Township’s government
Neighbors add phone numbers and hours to the Handbook.
Questions about Bates Township’s government
How much does Bates Township spend per resident?
About $836 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 $836 was more than 92% of 686 Michigan towns and townships of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools.
What is the property tax rate in Bates Township?
Homeowners report a typical bill of $1,786 a year (Census ACS, 2020–24), about 1.09% 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 Bates Township’s government?
We name an official only when a public source lists a current term, and none does for Bates Township yet.
How did Bates Township vote in 2024?
For president, Donald J Trump 67.9%, Kamala D Harris 30.9% (686 votes, official results). Iron County: Trump 64.1%, Harris 34.7%. Michigan: Trump 49.7%, Harris 48.3%.
How many people work for Bates Township?
0 full-time and 18 part-time employees in March 2022, with a March payroll of $22,374 (about $268,488 a year if every month were the same); Census Bureau estimates.
Who represents Bates Township in the state legislature?
State Senate District 38 (Ed McBroom) and State House District 110 (Greg Markkanen). The House district also covers 63 other towns. Listed by Open States; districts from the Census Bureau.
Ask neighbors about Bates 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 →