Photo: Jatakuck · CC BY-SA 3.0St. James Township spent less per resident in 2022 than 68% of similar towns
St. James Township’s town government spent $73,000 on day-to-day services in the year to December 31, 2022, about $279 per resident.
What stands out about how St. James Township is run
Read from the town’s budget and official records.
$279 per resident in 2022: less than 68% of them
St. James Township’s day-to-day spending in 2022 ($279 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. St. James Township spent less than 68% 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; St. James Township itself left out).
About $279 per resident a year, or $0.76 a day
Day-to-day services only. The biggest line: roads & transportation, at 66%.
Thank you for being a neighbor
Revenue is well above spending. That usually means St. James Township collects property taxes for the school district and county and passes them on, so only its own spending is counted.
No trend yet
St. James Township reported only 2022 to the Census Bureau, so there is no trend yet.
The typical homeowner pays $1,469 a year
Every local property tax on the home: town, schools and county. About 0.62% 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 St. James 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 St. James Township’s Cost of living grade. Cost of living in St. James Township →
Who’s in charge in St. James Township
Names change after every election, so we link to the source that keeps them current.
St. James Township’s meeting calendar isn’t in our feed yet. The town posts agendas and minutes on ci.stjames.mn.us ↗.
St. James Public School District
St. James Township’s K–12 school district, shared with La Salle, Nelson Township, Ormsby, St. James, Long Lake Township and more. It’s its own government, with a budget separate from the town’s.
Of the $13,582 per pupil, $7,936 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.
St. James 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 St. James Township alone, and we don’t estimate them. These are Watonwan County’s results.
Donald J TrumpRepublican62.6%3,087 votes
Kamala D HarrisDemocrat34.9%1,723 votesOthers: 2.5% (123 votes).
Most votes in Watonwan County: Donald J Trump
Minnesota: Harris 50.9%, Trump 46.7%
100% of St. James Township lies in Watonwan County. Every 2024 race in Watonwan County is on the county’s page.
Watonwan 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 St. James Township.
- 1Your townTown governmentOfficials: ci.stjames.mn.us ↗
- 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 St. James Township compares with the towns next door
St. James Township spent $279 per resident in 2022; the 5 neighbors that reported 2022 spent $261 to $1,327. Towns that run more services spend more. Tap a town to see its page.
| Town | Day-to-day, per resident (2022) | Tax bill |
|---|---|---|
| Long Lake Township | $261 | $2,591 |
| Rosendale Township | $264 | $1,430 |
| Nelson Township | $408 | $1,725 |
| Butterfield Township | $790 | $2,563 |
| St. James | $1,327 | $1,960 |
| St. James Township | $279 | $1,469 |
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 St. James Township’s government
The official site has phone numbers, hours and forms. Neighbors add the rest to the Handbook.
Questions about St. James Township’s government
How much does St. James Township spend per resident?
About $279 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 $279 was less than 68% of 1586 Minnesota towns and townships of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools.
What is the property tax rate in St. James Township?
Homeowners report a typical bill of $1,469 a year (Census ACS, 2020–24), about 0.62% of the typical home’s value, vs 1.02% across Minnesota. For the official rate per $1,000 of assessed value, see ci.stjames.mn.us.
Who runs St. James Township’s government?
See ci.stjames.mn.us for current officials. We name an official only when a public source lists a current term, and none does for St. James Township yet.
How did St. James Township vote in 2024?
Minnesota counts votes by county and precinct, not by town, so there are no official results for St. James Township alone. Watonwan County, where 100% of St. James Township lies, voted Trump 62.6%, Harris 34.9% for president; its page has every race.
How many people work for St. James Township?
0 full-time and 1 part-time employees in March 2022, with a March payroll of $111 (about $1,332 a year if every month were the same), as reported to the Census Bureau.
Who represents St. James 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 St. James 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 →