Bear Lake Township spent more per resident in 2022 than 75% of similar towns
Bear Lake Township’s town government spent $297,000 on day-to-day services in the year to March 31, 2022, about $427 per resident.
What stands out about how Bear Lake Township is run
Read from the town’s budget and official records.
$427 per resident in 2022: more than 75% of them
Bear Lake Township’s day-to-day spending in 2022 ($427 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–$427. Bear Lake Township spent more than 75% of 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; Bear Lake Township itself left out).
About $427 per resident a year, or $1.17 a day
Day-to-day services only. The biggest line: administration & buildings, at 57%.
Thank you for being a neighbor
No trend yet
Bear Lake Township reported only 2022 to the Census Bureau, so there is no trend yet.
The typical homeowner pays $1,478 a year
Every local property tax on the home: town, schools and county. About 0.78% 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 Bear Lake 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 Bear Lake Township’s Cost of living grade. Cost of living in Bear Lake Township →
Who’s in charge in Bear Lake Township
Names change after every election, so we link to the source that keeps them current.
Kalkaska Public Schools
Bear Lake Township’s K–12 school district, shared with Blue Lake Township, Kalkaska Township, Kalkaska, Oliver Township, Clearwater Township and more. It’s its own government, with a budget separate from the town’s.
Of the $15,796 per pupil, $9,953 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.
Crawford AuSable Schools · $13,577 per pupil
School year 2023–24. Census Bureau school finance survey.
How Bear Lake Township voted in 2024
Official results for Bear Lake Township’s own voters, as certified after the November 5, 2024 general election, with the county and the state beside them.
Donald J TrumpRepublican67.6%367 votes
Kamala D HarrisDemocrat30.0%163 votesOthers: 2.4% (13 votes).
Most votes in Bear Lake Township: Donald J Trump
Kalkaska County: Trump 70.7%, Harris 27.8% · Michigan: Trump 49.7%, Harris 48.3%
Mike RogersRepublican66.5%
Elissa SlotkinDemocrat30.7%Most votes in Bear Lake Township: Mike Rogers
Kalkaska County: Rogers 68.6%, Slotkin 27.8% · Michigan: Slotkin 48.6%, Rogers 48.3%
Most votes in the district: Jack Bergman
Whole-district result
President, 2024: Bear Lake Township, its county and the state
| Trump | Harris | Others | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bear Lake Township | 67.6% | 30.0% | 2.4% | 543 |
| Kalkaska County | 70.7% | 27.8% | 1.5% | 11,529 |
| 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 Bear Lake 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 Bear Lake Township compares with the towns next door
Bear Lake Township spent $427 per resident in 2022; the 5 neighbors that reported 2022 spent $199 to $2,072. Towns that run more services spend more. Tap a town to see its page.
| Town | Day-to-day, per resident (2022) | Tax bill |
|---|---|---|
| Grayling Township | $199 | $1,746 |
| Oliver Township | $320 | $1,347 |
| Garfield Township | $355 | $1,826 |
| Frederic Township | $1,964 | $1,718 |
| Blue Lake Township | $2,072 | $3,696 |
| Excelsior Township | estimate | $1,509 |
| Bear Lake Township | $427 | $1,478 |
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 Bear Lake Township’s government
Neighbors add phone numbers and hours to the Handbook.
Questions about Bear Lake Township’s government
How much does Bear Lake Township spend per resident?
About $427 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 $427 was more than 75% of 686 Michigan towns and townships of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools.
What is the property tax rate in Bear Lake Township?
Homeowners report a typical bill of $1,478 a year (Census ACS, 2020–24), about 0.78% 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 Bear Lake Township’s government?
We name an official only when a public source lists a current term, and none does for Bear Lake Township yet.
How did Bear Lake Township vote in 2024?
For president, Donald J Trump 67.6%, Kamala D Harris 30.0% (543 votes, official results). Kalkaska County: Trump 70.7%, Harris 27.8%. Michigan: Trump 49.7%, Harris 48.3%.
How many people work for Bear Lake Township?
0 full-time and 11 part-time employees in March 2022, with a March payroll of $6,904 (about $82,848 a year if every month were the same), as reported to the Census Bureau.
Who represents Bear Lake 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 Bear Lake 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 →