Bethel Township spent less per resident in 2022 than 92% of similar towns
Bethel Township’s town government spent $200,000 on day-to-day services in the year to March 31, 2022, about $141 per resident.
What stands out about how Bethel Township is run
Read from the town’s budget and official records.
$141 per resident in 2022: less than 92% of them
Bethel Township’s day-to-day spending in 2022 ($141 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 $194–$428. Bethel Township spent less than 92% 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; Bethel Township itself left out).
About $141 per resident a year, or $0.39 a day
Day-to-day services only. The biggest line: roads & transportation, at 35%.
Thank you for being a neighbor
No trend yet
Bethel Township reported only 2022 to the Census Bureau, so there is no trend yet.
The typical homeowner pays $1,500 a year
Every local property tax on the home: town, schools and county. About 1.20% 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 Bethel 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 Bethel Township’s Cost of living grade. Cost of living in Bethel Township →
Who’s in charge in Bethel Township
Names change after every election, so we link to the source that keeps them current.
Bronson Community School District
Bethel Township’s K–12 school district, shared with Bronson, Bronson Township, Gilead Township, Noble Township, Batavia Township and more. It’s its own government, with a budget separate from the town’s.
Of the $15,039 per pupil, $9,385 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.
Coldwater Community Schools · $13,312 per pupil
School year 2023–24. Census Bureau school finance survey.
How Bethel Township voted in 2024
Official results for Bethel Township’s own voters, as certified after the November 5, 2024 general election, with the county and the state beside them.
Donald J TrumpRepublican78.1%522 votes
Kamala D HarrisDemocrat20.7%138 votesOthers: 1.2% (8 votes).
Most votes in Bethel Township: Donald J Trump
Branch County: Trump 70.4%, Harris 28.0% · Michigan: Trump 49.7%, Harris 48.3%
of Bethel Township’s 985 adult citizens voted for president in 2024. Across Michigan: 74%.
Votes ÷ citizens of voting age (Census CVAP, 2020–24 ACS).
Mike RogersRepublican75.0%
Elissa SlotkinDemocrat22.0%Most votes in Bethel Township: Mike Rogers
Branch County: Rogers 68.2%, Slotkin 28.5% · Michigan: Slotkin 48.6%, Rogers 48.3%
Most votes in the district: Tim Walberg
Whole-district result
President, 2024: Bethel Township, its county and the state
| Trump | Harris | Others | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bethel Township | 78.1% | 20.7% | 1.2% | 668 |
| Branch County | 70.4% | 28.0% | 1.6% | 21,089 |
| 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 Bethel 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 Bethel Township compares with the towns next door
Bethel Township spent $141 per resident in 2022; the 4 neighbors that reported 2022 spent $129 to $199. Towns that run more services spend more. Tap a town to see its page.
| Town | Day-to-day, per resident (2022) | Tax bill |
|---|---|---|
| Batavia Township | $129 | $1,741 |
| Bronson Township | $135 | $1,837 |
| Gilead Township | $147 | $1,818 |
| Ovid Township | $199 | $2,570 |
| Bethel Township | $141 | $1,500 |
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 Bethel Township’s government
Neighbors add phone numbers and hours to the Handbook.
Questions about Bethel Township’s government
How much does Bethel Township spend per resident?
About $141 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 $141 was less 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 Bethel Township?
Homeowners report a typical bill of $1,500 a year (Census ACS, 2020–24), about 1.20% 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 Bethel Township’s government?
We name an official only when a public source lists a current term, and none does for Bethel Township yet.
How did Bethel Township vote in 2024?
For president, Donald J Trump 78.1%, Kamala D Harris 20.7% (668 votes, official results). Branch County: Trump 70.4%, Harris 28.0%. Michigan: Trump 49.7%, Harris 48.3%.
How many people work for Bethel Township?
0 full-time and 10 part-time employees in March 2022, with a March payroll of $5,438 (about $65,256 a year if every month were the same), as reported to the Census Bureau.
Who represents Bethel Township in the state legislature?
State Senate District 17 (Jonathan Lindsey) and State House District 35 (Jennifer Wortz). The House district also covers 48 other towns. Listed by Open States; districts from the Census Bureau.
Ask neighbors about Bethel 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 →