Chester Township spent less per resident in 2022 than 85% of similar towns
Chester Township’s town government spent $210,000 on day-to-day services in the year to March 31, 2022, about $159 per resident.
What stands out about how Chester Township is run
Read from the town’s budget and official records.
$159 per resident in 2022: less than 85% of them
Chester Township’s day-to-day spending in 2022 ($159 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. Chester Township spent less than 85% of them.
Includes sewer and trash ($3,000), 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; Chester Township itself left out).
About $159 per resident a year, or $0.44 a day
Day-to-day services only. The biggest line: administration & buildings, at 75%.
Thank you for being a neighbor
No trend yet
Chester Township reported only 2022 to the Census Bureau, so there is no trend yet.
The typical homeowner pays $1,398 a year
Every local property tax on the home: town, schools and county. About 0.65% 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 Chester 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 Chester Township’s Cost of living grade. Cost of living in Chester Township →
Who’s in charge in Chester Township
Names change after every election, so we link to the source that keeps them current.
Gaylord Community Schools
Chester Township’s K–12 school district, shared with Bagley Township, Elmira Township, Gaylord, Hayes Township, Livingston Township and more. It’s its own government, with a budget separate from the town’s.
Of the $14,951 per pupil, $9,663 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.
Johannesburg-Lewiston Area School District · $14,953 per pupil
School year 2023–24. Census Bureau school finance survey.
How Chester Township voted in 2024
Official results for Chester Township’s own voters, as certified after the November 5, 2024 general election, with the county and the state beside them.
Donald J TrumpRepublican71.1%646 votes
Kamala D HarrisDemocrat27.3%248 votesOthers: 1.7% (15 votes).
Most votes in Chester Township: Donald J Trump
Otsego County: Trump 67.0%, Harris 31.6% · Michigan: Trump 49.7%, Harris 48.3%
of Chester Township’s 956 adult citizens voted for president in 2024. Across Michigan: 74%.
Votes ÷ citizens of voting age (Census CVAP, 2020–24 ACS).
Mike RogersRepublican70.3%
Elissa SlotkinDemocrat27.5%Most votes in Chester Township: Mike Rogers
Otsego County: Rogers 65.6%, Slotkin 31.6% · Michigan: Slotkin 48.6%, Rogers 48.3%
Most votes in the district: Jack Bergman
Whole-district result
President, 2024: Chester Township, its county and the state
| Trump | Harris | Others | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chester Township | 71.1% | 27.3% | 1.7% | 909 |
| Otsego County | 67.0% | 31.6% | 1.4% | 15,971 |
| 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 Chester 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 Chester Township compares with the towns next door
Chester Township spent $159 per resident in 2022; the 5 neighbors that reported 2022 spent $153 to $586. Towns that run more services spend more. Tap a town to see its page.
| Town | Day-to-day, per resident (2022) | Tax bill |
|---|---|---|
| Bagley Township | $153 | $1,572 |
| Dover Township | $175 | $1,931 |
| Charlton Township | $276 | $1,795 |
| Otsego Lake Township | $280 | $1,886 |
| Lovells Township | $586 | $1,953 |
| Chester Township | $159 | $1,398 |
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 Chester Township’s government
Neighbors add phone numbers and hours to the Handbook.
Questions about Chester Township’s government
How much does Chester Township spend per resident?
About $159 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 $159 was less than 85% of 686 Michigan towns and townships of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools.
What is the property tax rate in Chester Township?
Homeowners report a typical bill of $1,398 a year (Census ACS, 2020–24), about 0.65% 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 Chester Township’s government?
We name an official only when a public source lists a current term, and none does for Chester Township yet.
How did Chester Township vote in 2024?
For president, Donald J Trump 71.1%, Kamala D Harris 27.3% (909 votes, official results). Otsego County: Trump 67.0%, Harris 31.6%. Michigan: Trump 49.7%, Harris 48.3%.
How many people work for Chester Township?
0 full-time and 10 part-time employees in March 2022, with a March payroll of $19,344 (about $232,128 a year if every month were the same), as reported to the Census Bureau.
Who represents Chester 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 Chester 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 →