Merton Township spent less per resident in 2022 than 70% of similar towns
Merton Township’s town government spent $95,000 on day-to-day services in the year to December 31, 2022, about $271 per resident.
What stands out about how Merton Township is run
Read from the town’s budget and official records.
$271 per resident in 2022: less than 70% of them
Merton Township’s day-to-day spending in 2022 ($271 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. Merton Township spent less than 70% 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; Merton Township itself left out).
About $271 per resident a year, or $0.74 a day
Day-to-day services only. The biggest line: roads & transportation, at 60%.
Thank you for being a neighbor
No trend yet
Merton Township reported only 2022 to the Census Bureau, so there is no trend yet.
The typical homeowner pays $3,375 a year
Every local property tax on the home: town, schools and county. About 0.95% 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 Merton 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 Merton Township’s Cost of living grade. Cost of living in Merton Township →
Who’s in charge in Merton Township
Names change after every election, so we link to the source that keeps them current.
Owatonna Public School District
Merton Township’s K–12 school district, shared with Meriden Township, Owatonna Township, Owatonna, Havana Township, Somerset Township and more. It’s its own government, with a budget separate from the town’s.
Of the $15,325 per pupil, $10,049 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.
Medford Public School District · $13,128 per pupil
Kenyon-Wanamingo School District · $15,668 per pupil
School year 2023–24. Census Bureau school finance survey.
Merton 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 Merton Township alone, and we don’t estimate them. These are Steele County’s results.
Donald J TrumpRepublican61.0%12,742 votes
Kamala D HarrisDemocrat36.7%7,650 votesOthers: 2.3% (480 votes).
Most votes in Steele County: Donald J Trump
Minnesota: Harris 50.9%, Trump 46.7%
100% of Merton Township lies in Steele County. Every 2024 race in Steele County is on the county’s page.
Steele 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 Merton 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 Merton Township compares with the towns next door
Merton Township spent $271 per resident in 2022; the 3 neighbors that reported 2022 spent $166 to $632. Towns that run more services spend more. Tap a town to see its page.
| Town | Day-to-day, per resident (2022) | Tax bill |
|---|---|---|
| Havana Township | $166 | $3,600 |
| Clinton Falls Township | $311 | $3,966 |
| Ellington Township | $632 | $3,077 |
| Merton Township | $271 | $3,375 |
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 Merton Township’s government
Neighbors add phone numbers and hours to the Handbook.
Questions about Merton Township’s government
How much does Merton Township spend per resident?
About $271 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 $271 was less than 70% of 1586 Minnesota towns and townships of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools.
What is the property tax rate in Merton Township?
Homeowners report a typical bill of $3,375 a year (Census ACS, 2020–24), about 0.95% 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 Merton Township’s government?
We name an official only when a public source lists a current term, and none does for Merton Township yet.
How did Merton Township vote in 2024?
Minnesota counts votes by county and precinct, not by town, so there are no official results for Merton Township alone. Steele County, where 100% of Merton Township lies, voted Trump 61.0%, Harris 36.7% for president; its page has every race.
How many people work for Merton Township?
0 full-time and 7 part-time employees in March 2022, with a March payroll of $12,171 (about $146,052 a year if every month were the same); Census Bureau estimates.
Who represents Merton Township in the state legislature?
State Senate District 19 (John Jasinski) and State House District 19B (Tom Sexton). The House district also covers 11 other towns. Listed by Open States; districts from the Census Bureau.
Ask neighbors about Merton 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 →