Photo: Jared Winkler · CC BY-SA 4.0Heron Lake Township spent more per resident in 2022 than 78% of similar towns
Heron Lake Township’s town government spent $181,000 on day-to-day services in the year to December 31, 2022, about $601 per resident.
What stands out about how Heron Lake Township is run
Read from the town’s budget and official records.
$601 per resident in 2022: more than 78% of them
Heron Lake Township’s day-to-day spending in 2022 ($601 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. Heron Lake Township spent more than 78% of 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; Heron Lake Township itself left out).
About $601 per resident a year, or $1.65 a day
Day-to-day services only. The biggest line: roads & transportation, at 87%.
Thank you for being a neighbor
No trend yet
Heron Lake Township reported only 2022 to the Census Bureau, so there is no trend yet.
The typical homeowner pays $1,946 a year
Every local property tax on the home: town, schools and county. About 0.93% 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 Heron Lake 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 Heron Lake Township’s Cost of living grade. Cost of living in Heron Lake Township →
Who’s in charge in Heron Lake Township
Names change after every election, so we link to the source that keeps them current.
Heron Lake Township’s meeting calendar isn’t in our feed yet. The town posts agendas and minutes on heronlakecity.org ↗.
Jackson County Central School District
Heron Lake Township’s K–12 school district, shared with Alpha, Belmont Township, Des Moines Township, Enterprise Township, Hunter Township and more. It’s its own government, with a budget separate from the town’s.
Of the $14,183 per pupil, $8,841 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.
Heron Lake 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 Heron Lake Township alone, and we don’t estimate them. These are Jackson County’s results.
Donald J TrumpRepublican70.0%3,949 votes
Kamala D HarrisDemocrat28.0%1,581 votesOthers: 2.0% (114 votes).
Most votes in Jackson County: Donald J Trump
Minnesota: Harris 50.9%, Trump 46.7%
100% of Heron Lake Township lies in Jackson County. Every 2024 race in Jackson County is on the county’s page.
Jackson 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 Heron Lake Township.
- 1Your townTown governmentOfficials: heronlakecity.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 Heron Lake Township compares with the towns next door
Heron Lake Township spent $601 per resident in 2022; the 5 neighbors that reported 2022 spent $512 to $1,170. Towns that run more services spend more. Tap a town to see its page.
| Town | Day-to-day, per resident (2022) | Tax bill |
|---|---|---|
| Delafield Township | $512 | $1,618 |
| Belmont Township | $610 | $1,583 |
| Hunter Township | $642 | $1,731 |
| West Heron Lake Township | $673 | $1,417 |
| Lakefield | $1,170 | $1,396 |
| Weimer Township | estimate | $2,556 |
| Heron Lake Township | $601 | $1,946 |
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 Heron Lake Township’s government
The official site has phone numbers, hours and forms. Neighbors add the rest to the Handbook.
Questions about Heron Lake Township’s government
How much does Heron Lake Township spend per resident?
About $601 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 $601 was more than 78% of 1586 Minnesota towns and townships of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools.
What is the property tax rate in Heron Lake Township?
Homeowners report a typical bill of $1,946 a year (Census ACS, 2020–24), about 0.93% of the typical home’s value, vs 1.02% across Minnesota. For the official rate per $1,000 of assessed value, see heronlakecity.org.
Who runs Heron Lake Township’s government?
See heronlakecity.org for current officials. We name an official only when a public source lists a current term, and none does for Heron Lake Township yet.
How did Heron Lake Township vote in 2024?
Minnesota counts votes by county and precinct, not by town, so there are no official results for Heron Lake Township alone. Jackson County, where 100% of Heron Lake Township lies, voted Trump 70.0%, Harris 28.0% for president; its page has every race.
How many people work for Heron Lake Township?
0 full-time and 5 part-time employees in March 2022, with a March payroll of $476 (about $5,712 a year if every month were the same), as reported to the Census Bureau.
Who represents Heron Lake Township in the state legislature?
State Senate District 21 (Bill Weber) and State House District 21B (Marj Fogelman). The House district also covers 67 other towns. Listed by Open States; districts from the Census Bureau.
Ask neighbors about Heron Lake 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 →