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Festus Main StreetPhoto: Paul Sableman · CC BY 2.0
Town Hall · Festus

How is Festus run?

Festus’ city government spent $12.3 million on day-to-day services in the year to September 30, 2024, about $932 per resident. Water and other utilities ($3.1 million) are counted separately.

Town website
Next public meeting

Tourism Commission

3:00 pm · City Hall, 711 West Main Street

All meetings →
Day-to-day spending, 2024
$12.3M
year to September 30, 2024
Per resident, 2024
$932
In 2022: $921, more than 50% of 26 similar cities
Long-term debt
$2.5M
end of FY2024, reported
City staff, 2025
103
full-time · 29 part-time · March payroll $586,697
Typical tax bill
$1,520
0.68% of home value · MO 0.85%

What stands out about how Festus is run

Read from the city’s budget, meetings and official records.

Agendas posted online6 upcoming meetings posted, with agendas.Runs its own water & sewer34% of day-to-day spending goes to water, sewer and trash (2024).Its own police and fire30 sworn officers and 11 full-time firefighters on the payroll.Lower tax billsThe typical bill is $1,520 a year: 0.68% of the home’s value, vs 0.85% across Missouri.
★ What stands out · Meetings

6 upcoming meetings at town hall

From Festus’ own agenda portal, checked daily. Agendas can change up to the meeting, so check before you go.

Recent meetings

  • Oct26
    City CouncilMonday · 6:00 pm · City Hall, 711 West Main StreetCity Council MeetingAgenda ↗Meeting page ↗
  • Oct26
    City CouncilMonday · 5:30 pm · City Hall, 711 West Main StreetCity Council Work SessionAgenda ↗Meeting page ↗
  • Oct15
    Planning & Zoning CommissionThursday · 6:30 pm · City Hall, 711 West MainPlanning & Zoning Commission - CANCELLEDMeeting page ↗
  • Oct15
    Parks & Recreation BoardThursday · 6:00 pm · Hueby E Moore Band Building (behind City Hall), 711 W Main StAgenda ↗Meeting page ↗
  • Oct15
    Jefferson County Water AuthorityThursday · 10:00 am · Festus City Hall, Council Chambers, 711 West Main StreetAgenda ↗Meeting page ↗
Go in person

Most meetings are open to the public, and many have a public comment period at the start.

Agenda portal ↗
Your share of the 2024 budget

About $932 per resident a year, or $2.55 a day

Day-to-day services only. The biggest line: police, at 30%.

Where the money comes from
Sales taxes 46%Utility sales 15%Interest, fines & other 15%Fees & charges 11%Property taxes 5%From other local governments 4%From the state 4%Other taxes & licenses 1%
Not in the receipt.Building projects $6.8 million; interest on debt $68,000. With these and the enterprises, the whole budget was $22.3 million.
Compared with similar places

$921 per resident in 2022, close to the middle of similar cities

Festus’ day-to-day spending in 2022 ($921 per resident, hospital and utilities left out) against 26 Missouri cities of 10,000–24,999 that don’t run their own schools: the median was $898, and the middle half spent $696–$1,248. Festus spent more than 50% of them.

Middle half of the group, $696–$1,248Median $898Festus

Includes sewer and trash ($1.7 million), as the Census Bureau counts them. Later years come from a Census sample, so the comparison stays on 2022. How Town Hall compares budgets →

The group
26

Missouri cities of 10,000–24,999 that don’t run their own schools, 2022 Census of Governments (every government counted that year; Festus itself left out).

Over the years

Day-to-day spending is up 10% since 2022

Day-to-day services, in dollars, in the years Festus reported to the Census Bureau. Prices rose too: about 4% a year in 2022–2024.

Day-to-day spending by fiscal year

2022$11.2 million
2024$12.3 million

Per resident: 2022: $921 · 2024: $932. Per resident it went from $921 to $932 (up 1%), partly because the Census population behind it changed from 12,114 to 13,193.

City staff
103

full-time in March 2025, up from 95 in 2022.

Building projects, interest and enterprises (hospital, utilities) are left out, so a big construction year doesn’t read as growth.

Property tax

The typical homeowner pays $1,520 a year

Every local property tax on the home: town, schools and county. About 0.68% of the home’s value, vs 0.85% across Missouri.

What homes cost →

Typical yearly bill next door and statewide

Herculaneum$2,122
Missouri$1,948
Festus$1,520
Crystal City$1,323
$1,520
typical bill a year
0.68%
effective rate
$223,600
typical home value (Census)
Your own bill

The Housing page’s calculator splits a monthly payment into loan, tax and insurance at Festus’ 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.

Tax bills are one input to Festus’ Cost of living grade. Cost of living in Festus →

Who runs it

Who’s in charge in Festus

Names change after every election, so we link to the source that keeps them current.

See cityoffestus.org for Festus’ current officialsWe name an official only when a public source lists a current term. None does for Festus yet.cityoffestus.org ↗
Who works for Festus

One full-time city employee for every 128 residents

On the payroll in March 2025, from the Census Bureau’s Annual Survey of Public Employment & Payroll. Residents: the Census population in the 2024 finance file (13,193).

By department full-time, plus part-time, March 2025

Police41
Administration & buildings17 + 10 pt
Fire11 + 11 pt
Water & other utilities12
Roads & transportation10 + 1 pt
Parks & libraries7 + 7 pt
Health & welfare1
Sewer & trash1
Other3
103
full-time
29
part-time
$586,697
payroll for March 2025
$7.0M
a year, estimated (March × 12)
$65,200
average full-time pay, before benefits (March × 12)
30
sworn police officers
11
full-time firefighters
Compared, 2022.Festus had 7.8 full-time staff per 1,000 residents in March 2022. The median for the 23 of the 26 Missouri cities of 10,000–24,999 that don’t run their own schools that reported 2022 staff was 7.9: Festus had fewer than 52% of them. Same group and year as the budget comparison.

The Census reports one month’s payroll (March); yearly figures are that month × 12, an estimate. Part-timers count half in the bar lengths.

The school district

Festus R-VI School District

Festus’ K–12 school district. It’s its own government, with a budget separate from the town’s.

Schools in Festus →
$10,685
per pupil · MO $14,569
3,476
students
None
long-term debt

Of the $10,685 per pupil, $6,688 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.

The district: schools, scores and graduation →

Where the district’s money comes from
Local 43%State 48%Federal 9%

Missouri districts overall: 54% local, 35% state, 11% federal.

Also serving Festus

Jefferson County R-VII School District · $12,978 per pupil

School year 2023–24. Census Bureau school finance survey.

Elections · 2024 general election

Festus’ votes are counted by county

Missouri reports official results by county and precinct, not by city, so there are no official results for Festus alone, and we don’t estimate them. These are Jefferson County’s results.

President · Jefferson County’s results119,314 votes · results as certified
Donald J TrumpDonald J TrumpRepublican67.7%80,796 votes
Kamala D HarrisKamala D HarrisDemocrat31.0%36,965 votes

Others: 1.3% (1,553 votes).

Most votes in Jefferson County: Donald J Trump

Missouri: Trump 58.5%, Harris 40.1%

The county’s page

100% of Festus lies in Jefferson County. Every 2024 race in Jefferson County is on the county’s page.

Jefferson County’s 2024 results →
DemocratRepublicanLibertarianIndependent / other

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.

Who represents Festus

From town hall to Washington

Every level of government that speaks for Festus.

2024 results ↑
  1. 1
    Your cityMayor & council
    Officials: cityoffestus.org ↗
  2. 2
    Missouri HouseState representatives
    District 114
  3. 3
    Missouri SenateState senator
    Mary Elizabeth Coleman
  4. 4
    GovernorStatewide
    Mike Kehoe
  5. 5
    U.S. HouseYour representative in Congress
    Jason Smith
  6. 6
    U.S. SenateBoth represent all of Missouri
    Josh HawleyEric Schmitt

Democrat · Republican · other or independent. Tap a name for their official page.

Next door

How Festus compares with the towns next door

Festus spent $921 per resident in 2022; the neighbor that reported 2022 spent $946. Towns that run more services spend more. Tap a town to see its page.

Crystal City: no reported 2022 figuresHerculaneum: $946 per resident (2022)Crystal CityHerculaneumFestus
Spends the leastSpends the mostEstimate or no figures
TownDay-to-day, per resident (2022)Tax bill
Herculaneum$946$2,122
Crystal Cityestimate$1,323
Festus$921$1,520

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 Festus’ government

The official site has phone numbers, hours and forms. Neighbors add the rest to the Handbook.

The Handbook →
Official websitecityoffestus.org ↗

Questions about Festus’ government

How much does Festus spend per resident?

About $932 per resident on day-to-day services in the year to September 30, 2024, as reported to the Census Bureau. In 2022, the last full count, its $921 was more than 50% of 26 Missouri cities of 10,000–24,999 that don’t run their own schools.

What is the property tax rate in Festus?

Homeowners report a typical bill of $1,520 a year (Census ACS, 2020–24), about 0.68% of the typical home’s value, vs 0.85% across Missouri. For the official rate per $1,000 of assessed value, see cityoffestus.org.

Who runs Festus’ government?

See cityoffestus.org for current officials. We name an official only when a public source lists a current term, and none does for Festus yet.

How did Festus vote in 2024?

Missouri counts votes by county and precinct, not by city, so there are no official results for Festus alone. Jefferson County, where 100% of Festus lies, voted Trump 67.7%, Harris 31.0% for president; its page has every race.

How many people work for Festus?

103 full-time and 29 part-time employees in March 2025, with a March payroll of $586,697 (about $7.0M a year if every month were the same), as reported to the Census Bureau.

Who represents Festus in the state legislature?

State Senate District 22 (Mary Elizabeth Coleman) and State House District 114. The House district also covers three neighboring towns. Listed by Open States; districts from the Census Bureau.

When is the next public meeting in Festus?

The next posted meeting is Tourism Commission on Monday, November 2, at 3:00 pm in City Hall, 711 West Main Street, from the city’s own agenda portal.

Ask neighbors about Festus’ government

Neighbors who’ve been to the meetings can help.

Town Square →
Ask neighbors

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 →