Turtle River spent less per resident in 2022 than 96% of similar cities
Turtle River’s city government spent $26,000 on day-to-day services in the year to December 31, 2022, about $325 per resident.
What stands out about how Turtle River is run
Read from the city’s budget and official records.
$325 per resident in 2022: less than 96% of them
Turtle River’s day-to-day spending in 2022 ($325 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 $743–$1,505. Turtle River spent less than 96% of 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; Turtle River itself left out).
About $325 per resident a year, or $0.89 a day
Day-to-day services only. The biggest line: roads & transportation, at 23%.
Thank you for being a neighbor
No trend yet
Turtle River reported only 2022 to the Census Bureau, so there is no trend yet.
The typical homeowner pays $1,278 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 Turtle River’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 Turtle River’s Cost of living grade. Cost of living in Turtle River →
Who’s in charge in Turtle River
Names change after every election, so we link to the source that keeps them current.
Bemidji Public School District
Turtle River’s K–12 school district, shared with Alaska Township, Bemidji, Bemidji Township, Buzzle Township, Durand Township and more. It’s its own government, with a budget separate from the town’s.
Of the $15,715 per pupil, $9,993 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.
Turtle River’s votes are counted by county
Minnesota reports official results by county and precinct, not by city, so there are no official results for Turtle River alone, and we don’t estimate them. These are Beltrami County’s results.
Donald J TrumpRepublican51.9%12,898 votes
Kamala D HarrisDemocrat46.2%11,493 votesOthers: 1.9% (483 votes).
Most votes in Beltrami County: Donald J Trump
Minnesota: Harris 50.9%, Trump 46.7%
100% of Turtle River lies in Beltrami County. Every 2024 race in Beltrami County is on the county’s page.
Beltrami 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 Turtle River.
- 1Your cityMayor & councilLocal 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 Turtle River compares with the towns next door
Turtle River spent $325 per resident in 2022. Most of its neighbors are townships, a different kind of government, so the like-for-like comparison is with similar cities, above. Tap a town to see its page.
| Town | Day-to-day, per resident (2022) | Tax bill |
|---|---|---|
| Port Hope Township | $198 | $2,670 |
| Turtle River Township | $213 | $2,879 |
| Turtle River | $325 | $1,278 |
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 Turtle River’s government
Neighbors add phone numbers and hours to the Handbook.
Questions about Turtle River’s government
How much does Turtle River spend per resident?
About $325 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 $325 was less than 96% of 619 Minnesota cities of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools.
What is the property tax rate in Turtle River?
Homeowners report a typical bill of $1,278 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 the city’s assessor.
Who runs Turtle River’s government?
We name an official only when a public source lists a current term, and none does for Turtle River yet.
How did Turtle River vote in 2024?
Minnesota counts votes by county and precinct, not by city, so there are no official results for Turtle River alone. Beltrami County, where 100% of Turtle River lies, voted Trump 51.9%, Harris 46.2% for president; its page has every race.
How many people work for Turtle River?
0 full-time and 6 part-time employees in March 2022, with a March payroll of $1,453 (about $17,436 a year if every month were the same), as reported to the Census Bureau.
Who represents Turtle River in the state legislature?
State Senate District 2 (Steve Green) and State House District 2B (Matt Bliss). The House district also covers 111 other towns. Listed by Open States; districts from the Census Bureau.
Ask neighbors about Turtle River’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 →