Merrill Township spent more per resident in 2022 than 88% of similar towns
Merrill Township’s town government spent $456,000 on day-to-day services in the year to March 31, 2022, about $670 per resident.
What stands out about how Merrill Township is run
Read from the town’s budget and official records.
$670 per resident in 2022: more than 88% of them
Merrill Township’s day-to-day spending in 2022 ($670 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. Merrill Township spent more than 88% of them.
Includes sewer and trash ($106,000), 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; Merrill Township itself left out).
About $670 per resident a year, or $1.84 a day
Day-to-day services only. The biggest line: roads & transportation, at 45%.
Thank you for being a neighbor
No trend yet
Merrill Township reported only 2022 to the Census Bureau, so there is no trend yet.
The typical homeowner pays $1,213 a year
Every local property tax on the home: town, schools and county. About 1.11% 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 Merrill 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 Merrill Township’s Cost of living grade. Cost of living in Merrill Township →
Who’s in charge in Merrill Township
Names change after every election, so we link to the source that keeps them current.
White Cloud Public Schools
Merrill Township’s K–12 school district, shared with White Cloud, Wilcox Township, Everett Township, Goodwell Township, Lincoln Township and more. It’s its own government, with a budget separate from the town’s.
Of the $13,748 per pupil, $8,110 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.
Baldwin Community Schools · $28,957 per pupil
Walkerville Rural Community School District · $18,607 per pupil
School year 2023–24. Census Bureau school finance survey.
How Merrill Township voted in 2024
Official results for Merrill Township’s own voters, as certified after the November 5, 2024 general election, with the county and the state beside them.
Donald J TrumpRepublican68.2%319 votes
Kamala D HarrisDemocrat31.4%147 votesOthers: 0.4% (2 votes).
Most votes in Merrill Township: Donald J Trump
Newaygo County: Trump 70.6%, Harris 27.8% · Michigan: Trump 49.7%, Harris 48.3%
Mike RogersRepublican65.9%
Elissa SlotkinDemocrat30.7%Most votes in Merrill Township: Mike Rogers
Newaygo County: Rogers 69.1%, Slotkin 28.0% · Michigan: Slotkin 48.6%, Rogers 48.3%
Most votes in the district: John R Moolenaar
Whole-district result
President, 2024: Merrill Township, its county and the state
| Trump | Harris | Others | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Merrill Township | 68.2% | 31.4% | 0.4% | 468 |
| Newaygo County | 70.6% | 27.8% | 1.5% | 29,201 |
| 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 Merrill 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 Merrill Township compares with the towns next door
Merrill Township spent $670 per resident in 2022; the 3 neighbors that reported 2022 spent $184 to $564. Towns that run more services spend more. Tap a town to see its page.
| Town | Day-to-day, per resident (2022) | Tax bill |
|---|---|---|
| Beaver Township | $184 | $1,486 |
| Lincoln Township | $302 | $2,107 |
| Lilley Township | $564 | $1,340 |
| Monroe Township | estimate | $1,566 |
| Merrill Township | $670 | $1,213 |
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 Merrill Township’s government
Neighbors add phone numbers and hours to the Handbook.
Questions about Merrill Township’s government
How much does Merrill Township spend per resident?
About $670 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 $670 was more than 88% of 686 Michigan towns and townships of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools.
What is the property tax rate in Merrill Township?
Homeowners report a typical bill of $1,213 a year (Census ACS, 2020–24), about 1.11% 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 Merrill Township’s government?
We name an official only when a public source lists a current term, and none does for Merrill Township yet.
How did Merrill Township vote in 2024?
For president, Donald J Trump 68.2%, Kamala D Harris 31.4% (468 votes, official results). Newaygo County: Trump 70.6%, Harris 27.8%. Michigan: Trump 49.7%, Harris 48.3%.
How many people work for Merrill Township?
0 full-time and 12 part-time employees in March 2022, with a March payroll of $12,974 (about $155,688 a year if every month were the same); Census Bureau estimates.
Who represents Merrill Township in the state legislature?
State Senate District 33 (Rick Outman) and State House District 101 (Joseph Fox). The House district also covers 64 other towns. Listed by Open States; districts from the Census Bureau.
Ask neighbors about Merrill 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 →