Johann Schimmelpfennig Farmstead · Photo: Bobak Ha'Eri · CC BY 3.0How is Benton Township run?
Benton Township’s town government spent $307,000 on day-to-day services in the year to December 31, 2022, about $373 per resident.
What stands out about how Benton Township is run
Read from the town’s budget and official records.
Central Public School District
Benton Township’s K–12 school district, shared with Cologne, Hamburg, Norwood Young America, Young America Township, Hancock Township and more. It’s its own government, with a budget separate from the town’s.
Of the $14,390 per pupil, $9,003 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.
Minnesota districts overall: 30% local, 62% state, 8% federal.
Waconia Public School District · $12,464 per pupil
School year 2023–24. Census Bureau school finance survey.
About $373 per resident a year, or $1.02 a day
Day-to-day services only. The biggest line: roads & transportation, at 51%.
Thank you for being a neighbor
$373 per resident in 2022, close to the middle of similar towns
Benton Township’s day-to-day spending in 2022 ($373 per resident, hospital and utilities left out) against 1586 Minnesota towns and townships of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools: the median was $366, and the middle half spent $247–$565. Benton Township spent more than 51% of them.
Includes sewer and trash ($13,000), as the Census Bureau counts them. Later years come from a Census sample, so the comparison stays on 2022. How Town Hall compares budgets →
Minnesota towns and townships of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools, 2022 Census of Governments (every government counted that year; Benton Township itself left out).
No trend yet
Benton Township reported only 2022 to the Census Bureau, so there is no trend yet.
The typical homeowner pays $3,009 a year
Every local property tax on the home: town, schools and county. About 0.71% of the home’s value, vs 1.02% across Minnesota.
Typical yearly bill next door and statewide
The Housing page’s calculator splits a monthly payment into loan, tax and insurance at Benton 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 Benton Township’s Cost of living grade. Cost of living in Benton Township →
Who’s in charge in Benton Township
Names change after every election, so we link to the source that keeps them current.
Benton Township’s meeting calendar isn’t in our feed yet. The town posts agendas and minutes on ci.cologne.mn.us ↗.
Benton Township’s votes are counted by county
Minnesota reports official results by county and precinct, not by town, so there are no official results for Benton Township alone, and we don’t estimate them. These are Carver County’s results.
Donald J TrumpRepublican51.5%35,586 votes
Kamala D HarrisDemocrat46.1%31,869 votesOthers: 2.5% (1,705 votes).
Most votes in Carver County: Donald J Trump
Minnesota: Harris 50.9%, Trump 46.7%
100% of Benton Township lies in Carver County. Every 2024 race in Carver County is on the county’s page.
Carver 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 Benton Township.
- 1Your townTown governmentOfficials: ci.cologne.mn.us ↗
- 2Minnesota HouseState representatives
- 3Minnesota SenateState senator
- 4GovernorStatewide
- 5U.S. HouseYour representative in Congress
- 6U.S. SenateBoth represent all of Minnesota
Democrat · Republican · other or independent. Tap a name for their official page.
How Benton Township compares with the towns next door
Benton Township spent $373 per resident in 2022; the 4 neighbors that reported 2022 spent $362 to $488. Towns that run more services spend more. Tap a town to see its page.
| Town | Day-to-day, per resident (2022) | Tax bill |
|---|---|---|
| Hancock Township | $362 | $3,575 |
| Waconia Township | $363 | $4,741 |
| Young America Township | $473 | $3,621 |
| Dahlgren Township | $488 | $4,463 |
| Benton Township | $373 | $3,009 |
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 Benton Township’s government
The official site has phone numbers, hours and forms. Neighbors add the rest to the Handbook.
Questions about Benton Township’s government
How much does Benton Township spend per resident?
About $373 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 $373 was more than 51% of 1586 Minnesota towns and townships of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools.
What is the property tax rate in Benton Township?
Homeowners report a typical bill of $3,009 a year (Census ACS, 2020–24), about 0.71% of the typical home’s value, vs 1.02% across Minnesota. For the official rate per $1,000 of assessed value, see ci.cologne.mn.us.
Who runs Benton Township’s government?
See ci.cologne.mn.us for current officials. We name an official only when a public source lists a current term, and none does for Benton Township yet.
How did Benton Township vote in 2024?
Minnesota counts votes by county and precinct, not by town, so there are no official results for Benton Township alone. Carver County, where 100% of Benton Township lies, voted Trump 51.5%, Harris 46.1% for president; its page has every race.
How many people work for Benton Township?
0 full-time and 5 part-time employees in March 2022, with a March payroll of $2,498 (about $29,976 a year if every month were the same), as reported to the Census Bureau.
Who represents Benton Township in the state legislature?
State Senate District 48 (Julia Coleman) and State House District 48A (Jim Nash). The House district also covers seven other towns. Listed by Open States; districts from the Census Bureau.
Ask neighbors about Benton 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 →