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Caledonia (1)Photo: Gpwitteveen · CC BY-SA 3.0
Town Hall · Caledonia

Caledonia spent less per resident in 2022 than 98% of similar cities

Caledonia’s village government spent $486,000 on day-to-day services in the year to June 30, 2022, about $258 per resident.

Election Day

Today

General election in Michigan.

Register or check: vote.gov ↗
Day-to-day spending, 2022
$486,000
year to June 30, 2022
Per resident, 2022
$258
In 2022: $258, less than 98% of 291 similar cities
Long-term debt
$200,000
end of FY2022, reported
Village staff, 2022
4
full-time · 15 part-time · March payroll $22,071
Typical tax bill
$4,411
1.30% of home value · MI 1.25%

What stands out about how Caledonia is run

Read from the village’s budget and official records.

Compared with similar places

$258 per resident in 2022: less than 98% of them

Caledonia’s day-to-day spending in 2022 ($258 per resident, hospital and utilities left out) against 291 Michigan cities of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools: the median was $1,081, and the middle half spent $751–$1,663. Caledonia spent less than 98% of them.

Middle half of the group, $751–$1,663Median $1,081Caledonia

Includes sewer and trash ($1,000), as the Census Bureau counts them. Later years come from a Census sample, so the comparison stays on 2022. How Town Hall compares budgets →

The group
291

Michigan cities of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools, 2022 Census of Governments (every government counted that year; Caledonia itself left out).

Your share of the 2022 budget

About $258 per resident a year, or $0.71 a day

Day-to-day services only. The biggest line: roads & transportation, at 53%.

Where the money comes from
Property taxes 53%From the state 37%Interest, fines & other 7%Other taxes & licenses 2%From other local governments 1%Fees & charges <1%

Revenue is well above spending. That usually means Caledonia collects property taxes for the school district and county and passes them on, so only its own spending is counted.

Not in the receipt.Building projects $178,000; interest on debt $12,000. With these and the enterprises, the whole budget was $677,000.
Over the years

No trend yet

Caledonia reported only 2022 to the Census Bureau, so there is no trend yet.

Property tax

The typical homeowner pays $4,411 a year

Every local property tax on the home: town, schools and county. About 1.30% of the home’s value, vs 1.25% across Michigan.

What homes cost →

Typical yearly bill next door and statewide

Caledonia$4,411
Michigan$2,904
$4,411
typical bill a year
1.30%
effective rate
$339,000
typical home value (Census)
Your own bill

The Housing page’s calculator splits a monthly payment into loan, tax and insurance at Caledonia’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 Caledonia’s Cost of living grade. Cost of living in Caledonia →

Who runs it

Who’s in charge in Caledonia

Names change after every election, so we link to the source that keeps them current.

Check Caledonia’s own website for current officialsWe name an official only when a public source lists a current term. None does for Caledonia yet.
Who works for Caledonia

One full-time village employee for every 471 residents

On the payroll in March 2022, from the Census Bureau’s Annual Survey of Public Employment & Payroll. Residents: the Census population in the 2022 finance file (1,885).

By department full-time, plus part-time, March 2022

Administration & buildings2 + 14 pt
Roads & transportation2 + 1 pt
4
full-time
15
part-time
$22,071
payroll for March 2022
$264,852
a year, estimated (March × 12)
$53,200
average full-time pay, before benefits (March × 12)
Compared, 2022.Caledonia had 2.1 full-time staff per 1,000 residents in March 2022. The median for the 233 of the 291 Michigan cities of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools that reported 2022 staff was 4.4: Caledonia had fewer than 71% of them. Same group and year as the budget comparison.

The Census reports one month’s payroll (March); yearly figures are that month × 12, an estimate. Part-timers count half in the bar lengths.

The school district

Caledonia Community Schools

Caledonia’s K–12 school district, shared with Caledonia Township, Gaines Township, Bowne Township, Cascade Township. It’s its own government, with a budget separate from the town’s.

Schools in Caledonia →
$15,092
per pupil · MI $16,528
4,628
students
$160.4 million
long-term debt

Of the $15,092 per pupil, $9,106 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.

The district: schools, scores and graduation →

Where the district’s money comes from
Local 45%State 51%Federal 4%

Michigan districts overall: 34% local, 57% state, 9% federal.

School year 2023–24. Census Bureau school finance survey.

Elections · 2024 general election

Caledonia’s votes are counted by county

Michigan reports official results by county and precinct, not by village, so there are no official results for Caledonia alone, and we don’t estimate them. These are Kent County’s results.

President · Kent County’s results371,947 votes · results as certified
Kamala D HarrisKamala D HarrisDemocrat51.8%192,668 votes
Donald J TrumpDonald J TrumpRepublican46.4%172,720 votes

Others: 1.8% (6,559 votes).

Most votes in Kent County: Kamala D Harris

Michigan: Trump 49.7%, Harris 48.3%

The county’s page

100% of Caledonia lies in Kent County. Every 2024 race in Kent County is on the county’s page.

Kent County’s 2024 results →
DemocratRepublicanLibertarianIndependent / other

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.

Who represents Caledonia

From town hall to Washington

Every level of government that speaks for Caledonia.

2024 results ↑
  1. 1
    Your cityMayor & council
    Local officials aren’t on record yet.
  2. 2
    Michigan HouseState representatives
  3. 3
    Michigan SenateState senator
  4. 4
    GovernorStatewide
  5. 5
    U.S. HouseYour representative in Congress
  6. 6
    U.S. SenateBoth represent all of Michigan

Democrat · Republican · other or independent. Tap a name for their official page.

Reach Caledonia’s government

Neighbors add phone numbers and hours to the Handbook.

The Handbook →

Questions about Caledonia’s government

How much does Caledonia spend per resident?

About $258 per resident on day-to-day services in the year to June 30, 2022, as reported to the Census Bureau. In 2022, the last full count, its $258 was less than 98% of 291 Michigan cities of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools.

What is the property tax rate in Caledonia?

Homeowners report a typical bill of $4,411 a year (Census ACS, 2020–24), about 1.30% of the typical home’s value, vs 1.25% across Michigan. For the official rate per $1,000 of assessed value, see the village’s assessor.

Who runs Caledonia’s government?

We name an official only when a public source lists a current term, and none does for Caledonia yet.

How did Caledonia vote in 2024?

Michigan counts votes by county and precinct, not by village, so there are no official results for Caledonia alone. Kent County, where 100% of Caledonia lies, voted Harris 51.8%, Trump 46.4% for president; its page has every race.

How many people work for Caledonia?

4 full-time and 15 part-time employees in March 2022, with a March payroll of $22,071 (about $264,852 a year if every month were the same), as reported to the Census Bureau.

Who represents Caledonia in the state legislature?

State Senate District 18 (Thomas Albert) and State House District 79 (Angela Rigas). The House district also covers nine other towns. Listed by Open States; districts from the Census Bureau.

Ask neighbors about Caledonia’s government

Neighbors who’ve been to the meetings can help.

Town Square →
Ask neighbors

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 →