Chester Township spent more per resident in 2022 than 87% of similar towns
Chester Township’s town government spent $56,000 on day-to-day services in the year to December 31, 2022, about $747 per resident.
What stands out about how Chester Township is run
Read from the town’s budget and official records.
$747 per resident in 2022: more than 87% of them
Chester Township’s day-to-day spending in 2022 ($747 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. Chester Township spent more than 87% of them.
Includes sewer and trash ($2,000), 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; Chester Township itself left out).
About $747 per resident a year, or $2.05 a day
Day-to-day services only. The biggest line: roads & transportation, at 62%.
Thank you for being a neighbor
No trend yet
Chester Township reported only 2022 to the Census Bureau, so there is no trend yet.
The typical homeowner pays $1,188 a year
Every local property tax on the home: town, schools and county. About 0.67% 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 Chester 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 Chester Township’s Cost of living grade. Cost of living in Chester Township →
Who’s in charge in Chester Township
Names change after every election, so we link to the source that keeps them current.
Red Lake County Central Public Schools
Chester Township’s K–12 school district, shared with Brooks, Emardville Township, Equality Township, Garnes Township, Lambert Township and more. It’s its own government, with a budget separate from the town’s.
Of the $18,749 per pupil, $10,950 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.
Clearbrook-Gonvick School District · $17,365 per pupil
School year 2023–24. Census Bureau school finance survey.
Chester 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 Chester Township alone, and we don’t estimate them. These are Polk County’s results.
Donald J TrumpRepublican65.9%10,162 votes
Kamala D HarrisDemocrat32.2%4,967 votesOthers: 1.9% (290 votes).
Most votes in Polk County: Donald J Trump
Minnesota: Harris 50.9%, Trump 46.7%
100% of Chester Township lies in Polk County. Every 2024 race in Polk County is on the county’s page.
Polk 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 Chester Township.
- 1Your townTown governmentLocal officials aren’t on record yet.
- 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 Chester Township compares with the towns next door
Chester Township spent $747 per resident in 2022; the 5 neighbors that reported 2022 spent $349 to $630. Towns that run more services spend more. Tap a town to see its page.
| Town | Day-to-day, per resident (2022) | Tax bill |
|---|---|---|
| Lambert Township | $349 | $981 |
| Hill River Township | $463 | $1,833 |
| Gully Township | $544 | $1,583 |
| Equality Township | $554 | $1,583 |
| Trail | $630 | $375 |
| Chester Township | $747 | $1,188 |
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 Chester Township’s government
Neighbors add phone numbers and hours to the Handbook.
Questions about Chester Township’s government
How much does Chester Township spend per resident?
About $747 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 $747 was more than 87% of 1586 Minnesota towns and townships of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools.
What is the property tax rate in Chester Township?
Homeowners report a typical bill of $1,188 a year (Census ACS, 2020–24), about 0.67% of the typical home’s value, vs 1.02% across Minnesota. For the official rate per $1,000 of assessed value, see the town’s assessor.
Who runs Chester Township’s government?
We name an official only when a public source lists a current term, and none does for Chester Township yet.
How did Chester Township vote in 2024?
Minnesota counts votes by county and precinct, not by town, so there are no official results for Chester Township alone. Polk County, where 100% of Chester Township lies, voted Trump 65.9%, Harris 32.2% for president; its page has every race.
How many people work for Chester Township?
0 full-time and 6 part-time employees in March 2022, with a March payroll of $773 (about $9,276 a year if every month were the same), as reported to the Census Bureau.
Who represents Chester Township in the state legislature?
State Senate District 1 (Mark Johnson) and State House District 1B (Steve Gander). The House district also covers 126 other towns. Listed by Open States; districts from the Census Bureau.
Ask neighbors about Chester 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 →