Dodson spent less per resident in 2022 than 74% of similar cities
Dodson’s town government spent $56,000 on day-to-day services in the year to June 30, 2022, about $483 per resident. Water and other utilities ($36,000) are counted separately.
What stands out about how Dodson is run
Read from the town’s budget and official records.
$483 per resident in 2022: less than 74% of them
Dodson’s day-to-day spending in 2022 ($483 per resident, hospital and utilities left out) against 51 Montana cities of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools: the median was $810, and the middle half spent $445–$1,030. Dodson spent less than 74% of them.
Includes sewer and trash ($1,000), as the Census Bureau counts them. Later years come from a Census sample, so the comparison stays on 2022. How Town Hall compares budgets →
Montana cities of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools, 2022 Census of Governments (every government counted that year; Dodson itself left out).
About $483 per resident a year, or $1.32 a day
Day-to-day services only. The biggest line: administration & buildings, at 98%.
Thank you for being a neighbor
No trend yet
Dodson reported only 2022 to the Census Bureau, so there is no trend yet.
The typical homeowner pays $693 a year
Every local property tax on the home: town, schools and county. About 1.53% of the home’s value, vs 0.72% across Montana.
Typical yearly bill next door and statewide
The Housing page’s calculator splits a monthly payment into loan, tax and insurance at Dodson’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 Dodson’s Cost of living grade. Cost of living in Dodson →
Who’s in charge in Dodson
Names change after every election, so we link to the source that keeps them current.
Dodson K-12
Dodson’s K–12 school district. It’s its own government, with a budget separate from the town’s.
Of the $29,284 per pupil, $18,053 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.
Montana districts overall: 44% local, 39% state, 17% federal.
School year 2023–24. Census Bureau school finance survey.
Dodson’s votes are counted by county
Montana reports official results by county and precinct, not by town, so there are no official results for Dodson alone, and we don’t estimate them. These are Phillips County’s results.
Donald J TrumpRepublican80.1%1,753 votes
Kamala D HarrisDemocrat17.6%385 votesOthers: 2.3% (51 votes).
Most votes in Phillips County: Donald J Trump
Montana: Trump 58.4%, Harris 38.5%
100% of Dodson lies in Phillips County. Every 2024 race in Phillips County is on the county’s page.
Phillips 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 Dodson.
- 1Your townTown governmentLocal officials aren’t on record yet.
- 2Montana HouseState representatives
- 3Montana SenateState senator
- 4GovernorStatewide
- 5U.S. HouseYour representative in Congress
- 6U.S. SenateBoth represent all of Montana
Democrat · Republican · other or independent. Tap a name for their official page.
Reach Dodson’s government
Neighbors add phone numbers and hours to the Handbook.
Questions about Dodson’s government
How much does Dodson spend per resident?
About $483 per resident on day-to-day services in the year to June 30, 2022, as reported to the Census Bureau. In 2022, the last full count, its $483 was less than 74% of 51 Montana cities of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools.
What is the property tax rate in Dodson?
Homeowners report a typical bill of $693 a year (Census ACS, 2020–24), about 1.53% of the typical home’s value, vs 0.72% across Montana. For the official rate per $1,000 of assessed value, see the town’s assessor.
Who runs Dodson’s government?
We name an official only when a public source lists a current term, and none does for Dodson yet.
How did Dodson vote in 2024?
Montana counts votes by county and precinct, not by town, so there are no official results for Dodson alone. Phillips County, where 100% of Dodson lies, voted Trump 80.1%, Harris 17.6% for president; its page has every race.
How many people work for Dodson?
0 full-time and 7 part-time employees in March 2022, with a March payroll of $3,098 (about $37,176 a year if every month were the same), as reported to the Census Bureau.
Who represents Dodson in the state legislature?
State Senate District 14 (Russel Tempel) and State House District 28 (Eric Albus). The House district also covers six other towns. Listed by Open States; districts from the Census Bureau.
Ask neighbors about Dodson’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 →