Porter spent less per resident in 2022 than 72% of similar cities
Porter’s city government spent $130,000 on day-to-day services in the year to December 31, 2022, about $793 per resident. Water and other utilities ($49,000) are counted separately.
What stands out about how Porter is run
Read from the city’s budget and official records.
$793 per resident in 2022: less than 72% of them
Porter’s day-to-day spending in 2022 ($793 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. Porter spent less than 72% of them.
Includes sewer and trash ($4,000), 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; Porter itself left out).
About $793 per resident a year, or $2.17 a day
Day-to-day services only. The biggest line: fire, at 32%.
Thank you for being a neighbor
No trend yet
Porter reported only 2022 to the Census Bureau, so there is no trend yet.
The typical homeowner pays $1,000 a year
Every local property tax on the home: town, schools and county. About 0.92% 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 Porter’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 Porter’s Cost of living grade. Cost of living in Porter →
Who’s in charge in Porter
Names change after every election, so we link to the source that keeps them current.
Porter’s meeting calendar isn’t in our feed yet. The city posts agendas and minutes on portermn.org ↗.
Canby Public School District
Porter’s K–12 school district, shared with Canby, Florida Township, Hammer Township, Norman Township, St. Leo and more. It’s its own government, with a budget separate from the town’s.
Of the $13,453 per pupil, $7,951 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.
Porter’s votes are counted by county
Minnesota reports official results by county and precinct, not by city, so there are no official results for Porter alone, and we don’t estimate them. These are Yellow Medicine County’s results.
Donald J TrumpRepublican69.1%3,738 votes
Kamala D HarrisDemocrat28.6%1,548 votesOthers: 2.3% (124 votes).
Most votes in Yellow Medicine County: Donald J Trump
Minnesota: Harris 50.9%, Trump 46.7%
100% of Porter lies in Yellow Medicine County. Every 2024 race in Yellow Medicine County is on the county’s page.
Yellow Medicine 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 Porter.
- 1Your cityMayor & councilOfficials: portermn.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 Porter compares with the towns next door
Porter spent $793 per resident in 2022; the neighbor that reported 2022 spent $486. Towns that run more services spend more. Tap a town to see its page.
| Town | Day-to-day, per resident (2022) | Tax bill |
|---|---|---|
| Wergeland Township | $486 | $1,717 |
| Alta Vista Township | estimate | $1,467 |
| Porter | $793 | $1,000 |
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 Porter’s government
The official site has phone numbers, hours and forms. Neighbors add the rest to the Handbook.
Questions about Porter’s government
How much does Porter spend per resident?
About $793 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 $793 was less than 72% of 619 Minnesota cities of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools.
What is the property tax rate in Porter?
Homeowners report a typical bill of $1,000 a year (Census ACS, 2020–24), about 0.92% of the typical home’s value, vs 1.02% across Minnesota. For the official rate per $1,000 of assessed value, see portermn.org.
Who runs Porter’s government?
See portermn.org for current officials. We name an official only when a public source lists a current term, and none does for Porter yet.
How did Porter vote in 2024?
Minnesota counts votes by county and precinct, not by city, so there are no official results for Porter alone. Yellow Medicine County, where 100% of Porter lies, voted Trump 69.1%, Harris 28.6% for president; its page has every race.
How many people work for Porter?
0 full-time and 30 part-time employees in March 2022, with a March payroll of $14,603 (about $175,236 a year if every month were the same), as reported to the Census Bureau.
Who represents Porter in the state legislature?
State Senate District 15 (Gary Dahms) and State House District 15A (Chris Swedzinski). The House district also covers 90 other towns. Listed by Open States; districts from the Census Bureau.
Ask neighbors about Porter’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 →