Photo: Rachel Kramer · CC BY 2.0Empire Township spent more per resident in 2022 than 96% of similar towns
Empire Township’s town government spent $1.4 million on day-to-day services in the year to March 31, 2022, about $1,152 per resident.
What stands out about how Empire Township is run
Read from the town’s budget and official records.
$1,152 per resident in 2022: more than 96% of them
Empire Township’s day-to-day spending in 2022 ($1,152 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. Empire Township spent more than 96% 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; Empire Township itself left out).
About $1,152 per resident a year, or $3.16 a day
Day-to-day services only. The biggest line: fire, at 79%.
Thank you for being a neighbor
No trend yet
Empire Township reported only 2022 to the Census Bureau, so there is no trend yet.
The typical homeowner pays $3,150 a year
Every local property tax on the home: town, schools and county. About 0.70% 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 Empire 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 Empire Township’s Cost of living grade. Cost of living in Empire Township →
Who’s in charge in Empire Township
Names change after every election, so we link to the source that keeps them current.
Glen Lake Community Schools
Empire Township’s K–12 school district, shared with Empire, Glen Arbor Township, Kasson Township, Cleveland Township, Centerville Township and more. It’s its own government, with a budget separate from the town’s.
Of the $22,898 per pupil, $13,914 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.
Empire Township’s votes are counted by county
Michigan reports official results by county and precinct, not by town, so there are no official results for Empire Township alone, and we don’t estimate them. These are Leelanau County’s results.
Kamala D HarrisDemocrat53.2%9,406 votes
Donald J TrumpRepublican45.4%8,035 votesOthers: 1.4% (244 votes).
Most votes in Leelanau County: Kamala D Harris
Michigan: Trump 49.7%, Harris 48.3%
100% of Empire Township lies in Leelanau County. Every 2024 race in Leelanau County is on the county’s page.
Leelanau County’s 2024 results →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.
From town hall to Washington
Every level of government that speaks for Empire 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 Empire Township compares with the towns next door
Empire Township spent $1,152 per resident in 2022; the 3 neighbors that reported 2022 spent $290 to $3,230. Towns that run more services spend more. Tap a town to see its page.
| Town | Day-to-day, per resident (2022) | Tax bill |
|---|---|---|
| Kasson Township | $290 | $2,462 |
| Platte Township | $348 | $2,389 |
| Glen Arbor Township | $3,230 | $5,744 |
| Empire Township | $1,152 | $3,150 |
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 Empire Township’s government
Neighbors add phone numbers and hours to the Handbook.
Questions about Empire Township’s government
How much does Empire Township spend per resident?
About $1,152 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 $1,152 was more than 96% of 686 Michigan towns and townships of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools.
What is the property tax rate in Empire Township?
Homeowners report a typical bill of $3,150 a year (Census ACS, 2020–24), about 0.70% 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 Empire Township’s government?
We name an official only when a public source lists a current term, and none does for Empire Township yet.
How did Empire Township vote in 2024?
Michigan counts votes by county and precinct, not by town, so there are no official results for Empire Township alone. Leelanau County, where 100% of Empire Township lies, voted Harris 53.2%, Trump 45.4% for president; its page has every race.
How many people work for Empire Township?
0 full-time and 16 part-time employees in March 2022, with a March payroll of $6,203 (about $74,436 a year if every month were the same), as reported to the Census Bureau.
Who represents Empire Township in the state legislature?
State Senate District 37 (John Damoose) and State House District 103 (Betsy Coffia). The House district also covers 22 other towns. Listed by Open States; districts from the Census Bureau.
Ask neighbors about Empire 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 →