How is Central Township run?
Central Township’s town government spent $75,000 on day-to-day services in the year to December 31, 2022, about $144 per resident.
What stands out about how Central Township is run
Read from the town’s budget and official records.
Liberal R-II School District
Central Township’s K–12 school district, shared with Barton City Township, Leroy Township, Liberal, Mindenmines, Ozark Township and more. It’s its own government, with a budget separate from the town’s.
Of the $16,123 per pupil, $7,972 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.
Missouri districts overall: 54% local, 35% state, 11% federal.
Lamar R-I School District · $13,256 per pupil
School year 2023–24. Census Bureau school finance survey.
About $144 per resident a year, or $0.39 a day
Day-to-day services only. The biggest line: roads & transportation, at 51%.
Thank you for being a neighbor
$144 per resident in 2022, close to the middle of similar towns
Central Township’s day-to-day spending in 2022 ($144 per resident, hospital and utilities left out) against 100 Missouri towns and townships of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools: the median was $168, and the middle half spent $82–$292. Central Township spent less than 54% of them.
Later years come from a Census sample, so the comparison stays on 2022. How Town Hall compares budgets →
Missouri towns and townships of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools, 2022 Census of Governments (every government counted that year; Central Township itself left out).
No trend yet
Central Township reported only 2022 to the Census Bureau, so there is no trend yet.
The typical homeowner pays $876 a year
Every local property tax on the home: town, schools and county. About 0.55% of the home’s value, vs 0.85% across Missouri.
Typical yearly bill next door and statewide
The Housing page’s calculator splits a monthly payment into loan, tax and insurance at Central 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 Central Township’s Cost of living grade. Cost of living in Central Township →
Who’s in charge in Central Township
Names change after every election, so we link to the source that keeps them current.
Central Township’s votes are counted by county
Missouri reports official results by county and precinct, not by town, so there are no official results for Central Township alone, and we don’t estimate them. These are Barton County’s results.
Donald J TrumpRepublican85.8%5,159 votes
Kamala D HarrisDemocrat13.6%820 votesOthers: 0.6% (36 votes).
Most votes in Barton County: Donald J Trump
Missouri: Trump 58.5%, Harris 40.1%
100% of Central Township lies in Barton County. Every 2024 race in Barton County is on the county’s page.
Barton 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 Central Township.
- 1Your townTown governmentLocal officials aren’t on record yet.
- 2Missouri HouseState representatives
- 3Missouri SenateState senator
- 4GovernorStatewide
- 5U.S. HouseYour representative in Congress
- 6U.S. SenateBoth represent all of Missouri
Democrat · Republican · other or independent. Tap a name for their official page.
How Central Township compares with the towns next door
Central Township spent $144 per resident in 2022. Towns that run more services spend more. Tap a town to see its page.
| Town | Day-to-day, per resident (2022) | Tax bill |
|---|---|---|
| Ozark Township | estimate | $609 |
| Lamar Township | estimate | $1,082 |
| Nashville Township | estimate | $1,303 |
| Barton City Township | estimate | $1,307 |
| Union Township | estimate | $1,621 |
| Northfork Township | estimate | — |
| Central Township | $144 | $876 |
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 Central Township’s government
Neighbors add phone numbers and hours to the Handbook.
Questions about Central Township’s government
How much does Central Township spend per resident?
About $144 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 $144 was less than 54% of 100 Missouri towns and townships of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools.
What is the property tax rate in Central Township?
Homeowners report a typical bill of $876 a year (Census ACS, 2020–24), about 0.55% of the typical home’s value, vs 0.85% across Missouri. For the official rate per $1,000 of assessed value, see the town’s assessor.
Who runs Central Township’s government?
We name an official only when a public source lists a current term, and none does for Central Township yet.
How did Central Township vote in 2024?
Missouri counts votes by county and precinct, not by town, so there are no official results for Central Township alone. Barton County, where 100% of Central Township lies, voted Trump 85.8%, Harris 13.6% for president; its page has every race.
How many people work for Central Township?
0 full-time and 1 part-time employees in March 2022, with a March payroll of $4,331 (about $51,972 a year if every month were the same); Census Bureau estimates.
Who represents Central Township in the state legislature?
State Senate District 20 (Curtis Trent) and State House District 127 (Ann Kelley). The House district also covers 38 other towns. Listed by Open States; districts from the Census Bureau.
Ask neighbors about Central 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 →