Photo: ShadZ01 · CC BY-SA 4.0St. Joseph Township spent more per resident in 2022 than 94% of similar towns
St. Joseph Township’s town government spent $6.5 million on day-to-day services in the year to December 31, 2022, about $675 per resident.
What stands out about how St. Joseph Township is run
Read from the town’s budget and official records.
$675 per resident in 2022: more than 94% of them
St. Joseph Township’s day-to-day spending in 2022 ($675 per resident, hospital and utilities left out) against 364 Michigan towns and townships of 2,500–9,999 that don’t run their own schools: the median was $252, and the middle half spent $173–$385. St. Joseph Township spent more than 94% of them.
Includes sewer and trash ($2.1 million), 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 2,500–9,999 that don’t run their own schools, 2022 Census of Governments (every government counted that year; St. Joseph Township itself left out).
About $675 per resident a year, or $1.85 a day
Day-to-day services only. The biggest line: sewer & trash, at 33%.
Thank you for being a neighbor
No trend yet
St. Joseph Township reported only 2022 to the Census Bureau, so there is no trend yet.
The typical homeowner pays $3,060 a year
Every local property tax on the home: town, schools and county. About 1.23% 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 St. Joseph 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.
Tax bills are one input to St. Joseph Township’s Cost of living grade. Cost of living in St. Joseph Township →
Who’s in charge in St. Joseph Township
Names change after every election, so we link to the source that keeps them current.
St. Joseph Township’s meeting calendar isn’t in our feed yet. The town posts agendas and minutes on sjcity.com ↗.
One full-time town employee for every 386 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 (9,639).
By department full-time, plus part-time, March 2022
The Census reports one month’s payroll (March); yearly figures are that month × 12, an estimate. Part-timers count half in the bar lengths.
St. Joseph Public Schools
St. Joseph Township’s K–12 school district, shared with St. Joseph, Shoreham, Royalton Township. It’s its own government, with a budget separate from the town’s.
Of the $13,601 per pupil, $8,105 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.
Benton Harbor Area Schools · $25,288 per pupil
Lakeshore School District · $14,746 per pupil
School year 2023–24. Census Bureau school finance survey.
How St. Joseph Township voted in 2024
Official results for St. Joseph Township’s own voters, as certified after the November 5, 2024 general election, with the county and the state beside them.
Kamala D HarrisDemocrat49.8%3,364 votes
Donald J TrumpRepublican48.9%3,298 votesOthers: 1.3% (88 votes).
Most votes in St. Joseph Township: Kamala D Harris
Berrien County: Trump 53.2%, Harris 45.4% · Michigan: Trump 49.7%, Harris 48.3%
of St. Joseph Township’s 7,565 adult citizens voted for president in 2024. Across Michigan: 74%.
Votes ÷ citizens of voting age (Census CVAP, 2020–24 ACS).
Mike RogersRepublican50.3%
Elissa SlotkinDemocrat47.7%Most votes in St. Joseph Township: Mike Rogers
Berrien County: Rogers 53.9%, Slotkin 43.3% · Michigan: Slotkin 48.6%, Rogers 48.3%
Most votes in the district: Bill Huizenga
Whole-district result
President, 2024: St. Joseph Township, its county and the state
| Harris | Trump | Others | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Joseph Township | 49.8% | 48.9% | 1.3% | 6,750 |
| Berrien County | 45.4% | 53.2% | 1.4% | 84,488 |
| Michigan | 48.3% | 49.7% | 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 St. Joseph Township.
- 1Your townTown governmentOfficials: sjcity.com ↗
- 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 St. Joseph Township compares with the towns next door
St. Joseph Township spent $675 per resident in 2022. Most of its neighbors are cities, a different kind of government, so the like-for-like comparison is with similar towns, above. Tap a town to see its page.
| Town | Day-to-day, per resident (2022) | Tax bill |
|---|---|---|
| Shoreham | $179 | $3,537 |
| Royalton Township | $551 | $3,581 |
| Lincoln Township | $588 | $3,218 |
| Benton Harbor | $2,351 | $911 |
| St. Joseph | $2,842 | $4,582 |
| St. Joseph Township | $675 | $3,060 |
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 St. Joseph Township’s government
The official site has phone numbers, hours and forms. Neighbors add the rest to the Handbook.
Questions about St. Joseph Township’s government
How much does St. Joseph Township spend per resident?
About $675 per resident on day-to-day services in the year to December 31, 2022, as reported to the Census Bureau. In 2022, the last full count, its $675 was more than 94% of 364 Michigan towns and townships of 2,500–9,999 that don’t run their own schools.
What is the property tax rate in St. Joseph Township?
Homeowners report a typical bill of $3,060 a year (Census ACS, 2020–24), about 1.23% of the typical home’s value, vs 1.25% across Michigan. For the official rate per $1,000 of assessed value, see sjcity.com.
Who runs St. Joseph Township’s government?
See sjcity.com for current officials. We name an official only when a public source lists a current term, and none does for St. Joseph Township yet.
How did St. Joseph Township vote in 2024?
For president, Kamala D Harris 49.8%, Donald J Trump 48.9% (6,750 votes, official results). Berrien County: Trump 53.2%, Harris 45.4%. Michigan: Trump 49.7%, Harris 48.3%.
How many people work for St. Joseph Township?
25 full-time and 44 part-time employees in March 2022, with a March payroll of $155,351 (about $1.9M a year if every month were the same), as reported to the Census Bureau.
Who represents St. Joseph Township in the state legislature?
State Senate District 20 (Aric Nesbitt) and State House District 38 (Joey Andrews). The House district also covers 22 other towns. Listed by Open States; districts from the Census Bureau.
Ask neighbors about St. Joseph 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 →