How is Gem Lake run?
Gem Lake’s city government spent $552,000 on day-to-day services in the year to December 31, 2022, about $1,030 per resident. Water and other utilities ($37,000) are counted separately.
What stands out about how Gem Lake is run
Read from the city’s budget and official records.
White Bear Lake School District
Gem Lake’s K–12 school district, shared with Birchwood Village, White Bear Lake, White Bear Township, Vadnais Heights, North Oaks and more. It’s its own government, with a budget separate from the town’s.
Of the $16,146 per pupil, $10,373 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.
School year 2023–24. Census Bureau school finance survey.
About $1,030 per resident a year, or $2.82 a day
Day-to-day services only. The biggest line: housing & development, at 26%.
Thank you for being a neighbor
$1,030 per resident in 2022, close to the middle of similar cities
Gem Lake’s day-to-day spending in 2022 ($1,030 per resident, hospital and utilities left out) against 619 Minnesota cities of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools: the median was $1,112, and the middle half spent $740–$1,505. Gem Lake spent less than 57% of them.
Includes sewer and trash ($56,000), 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 cities of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools, 2022 Census of Governments (every government counted that year; Gem Lake itself left out).
No trend yet
Gem Lake reported only 2022 to the Census Bureau, so there is no trend yet.
The typical homeowner pays $6,520 a year
Every local property tax on the home: town, schools and county. About 1.15% 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 Gem Lake’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 Gem Lake’s Cost of living grade. Cost of living in Gem Lake →
Who’s in charge in Gem Lake
Names change after every election, so we link to the source that keeps them current.
Gem Lake’s meeting calendar isn’t in our feed yet. The city posts agendas and minutes on gemlakemn.org ↗.
Gem Lake’s votes are counted by county
Minnesota reports official results by county and precinct, not by city, so there are no official results for Gem Lake alone, and we don’t estimate them. These are Ramsey County’s results.
Kamala D HarrisDemocrat70.2%195,168 votes
Donald J TrumpRepublican27.1%75,284 votesOthers: 2.7% (7,573 votes).
Most votes in Ramsey County: Kamala D Harris
Minnesota: Harris 50.9%, Trump 46.7%
100% of Gem Lake lies in Ramsey County. Every 2024 race in Ramsey County is on the county’s page.
Ramsey 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 Gem Lake.
- 1Your cityMayor & councilOfficials: gemlakemn.org ↗
- 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 Gem Lake compares with the towns next door
Gem Lake spent $1,030 per resident in 2022; the 3 neighbors that reported 2022 spent $614 to $848. Towns that run more services spend more. Tap a town to see its page.
| Town | Day-to-day, per resident (2022) | Tax bill |
|---|---|---|
| White Bear Township | $614 | $4,429 |
| Vadnais Heights | $653 | $4,039 |
| White Bear Lake | $848 | $3,576 |
| Gem Lake | $1,030 | $6,520 |
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 Gem Lake’s government
The official site has phone numbers, hours and forms. Neighbors add the rest to the Handbook.
Questions about Gem Lake’s government
How much does Gem Lake spend per resident?
About $1,030 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 $1,030 was less than 57% of 619 Minnesota cities of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools.
What is the property tax rate in Gem Lake?
Homeowners report a typical bill of $6,520 a year (Census ACS, 2020–24), about 1.15% of the typical home’s value, vs 1.02% across Minnesota. For the official rate per $1,000 of assessed value, see gemlakemn.org.
Who runs Gem Lake’s government?
See gemlakemn.org for current officials. We name an official only when a public source lists a current term, and none does for Gem Lake yet.
How did Gem Lake vote in 2024?
Minnesota counts votes by county and precinct, not by city, so there are no official results for Gem Lake alone. Ramsey County, where 100% of Gem Lake lies, voted Harris 70.2%, Trump 27.1% for president; its page has every race.
How many people work for Gem Lake?
0 full-time and 8 part-time employees in March 2022, with a March payroll of $2,967 (about $35,604 a year if every month were the same), as reported to the Census Bureau.
Who represents Gem Lake in the state legislature?
State Senate District 36 (Heather Gustafson) and State House District 36B (Brion Curran). The House district also covers four other towns. Listed by Open States; districts from the Census Bureau.
Ask neighbors about Gem Lake’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 →