Photo: Clerk8751 · CC BY 4.0Helena Township spent more per resident in 2022 than 80% of similar towns
Helena Township’s town government spent $488,000 on day-to-day services in the year to June 30, 2022, about $492 per resident.
What stands out about how Helena Township is run
Read from the town’s budget and official records.
$492 per resident in 2022: more than 80% of them
Helena Township’s day-to-day spending in 2022 ($492 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. Helena Township spent more than 80% 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; Helena Township itself left out).
About $492 per resident a year, or $1.35 a day
Day-to-day services only. The biggest line: administration & buildings, at 60%.
Thank you for being a neighbor
No trend yet
Helena Township reported only 2022 to the Census Bureau, so there is no trend yet.
The typical homeowner pays $3,507 a year
Every local property tax on the home: town, schools and county. About 0.92% 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 Helena 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 Helena Township’s Cost of living grade. Cost of living in Helena Township →
Who’s in charge in Helena Township
Names change after every election, so we link to the source that keeps them current.
Mancelona Public Schools
Helena Township’s K–12 school district, shared with Mancelona Township, Mancelona, Custer Township, Coldsprings Township. It’s its own government, with a budget separate from the town’s.
Of the $16,861 per pupil, $8,794 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.
How Helena Township voted in 2024
Official results for Helena Township’s own voters, as certified after the November 5, 2024 general election, with the county and the state beside them.
Donald J TrumpRepublican58.1%449 votes
Kamala D HarrisDemocrat41.1%318 votesOthers: 0.8% (6 votes).
Most votes in Helena Township: Donald J Trump
Antrim County: Trump 61.3%, Harris 37.5% · Michigan: Trump 49.7%, Harris 48.3%
of Helena Township’s 974 adult citizens voted for president in 2024. Across Michigan: 74%.
Votes ÷ citizens of voting age (Census CVAP, 2020–24 ACS).
Mike RogersRepublican58.7%
Elissa SlotkinDemocrat39.7%Most votes in Helena Township: Mike Rogers
Antrim County: Rogers 60.6%, Slotkin 36.9% · Michigan: Slotkin 48.6%, Rogers 48.3%
Most votes in the district: Jack Bergman
Whole-district result
President, 2024: Helena Township, its county and the state
| Trump | Harris | Others | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Helena Township | 58.1% | 41.1% | 0.8% | 773 |
| Antrim County | 61.3% | 37.5% | 1.3% | 16,883 |
| 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 Helena 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 Helena Township compares with the towns next door
Helena Township spent $492 per resident in 2022; the 3 neighbors that reported 2022 spent $456 to $632. Towns that run more services spend more. Tap a town to see its page.
| Town | Day-to-day, per resident (2022) | Tax bill |
|---|---|---|
| Custer Township | $456 | $1,932 |
| Forest Home Township | $491 | $2,797 |
| Milton Township | $632 | $3,710 |
| Clearwater Township | estimate | $2,203 |
| Helena Township | $492 | $3,507 |
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 Helena Township’s government
Neighbors add phone numbers and hours to the Handbook.
Questions about Helena Township’s government
How much does Helena Township spend per resident?
About $492 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 $492 was more than 80% of 686 Michigan towns and townships of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools.
What is the property tax rate in Helena Township?
Homeowners report a typical bill of $3,507 a year (Census ACS, 2020–24), about 0.92% 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 Helena Township’s government?
We name an official only when a public source lists a current term, and none does for Helena Township yet.
How did Helena Township vote in 2024?
For president, Donald J Trump 58.1%, Kamala D Harris 41.1% (773 votes, official results). Antrim County: Trump 61.3%, Harris 37.5%. Michigan: Trump 49.7%, Harris 48.3%.
How many people work for Helena Township?
0 full-time and 8 part-time employees in March 2022, with a March payroll of $12,221 (about $146,652 a year if every month were the same), as reported to the Census Bureau.
Who represents Helena Township in the state legislature?
State Senate District 37 (John Damoose) and State House District 104 (J.R. Roth). The House district also covers 69 other towns. Listed by Open States; districts from the Census Bureau.
Ask neighbors about Helena 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 →