Carson-Young House · Photo: rossograph · CC BY-SA 4.0How is Marion run?
Marion’s city government spent $8.2 million on day-to-day services in the year to June 30, 2022, about $1,038 per resident. Water and other utilities ($5.4 million) are counted separately.
What stands out about how Marion is run
Read from the city’s budget and official records.
About $1,038 per resident a year, or $2.84 a day
Day-to-day services only. The biggest line: police, at 32%.
Thank you for being a neighbor
$1,038 per resident in 2022, close to the middle of similar cities
Marion’s day-to-day spending in 2022 ($1,038 per resident, hospital and utilities left out) against 119 North Carolina cities of 2,500–9,999 that don’t run their own schools: the median was $967, and the middle half spent $462–$1,448. Marion spent more than 55% of them.
Includes sewer and trash ($2.1 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 →
North Carolina cities of 2,500–9,999 that don’t run their own schools, 2022 Census of Governments (every government counted that year; Marion itself left out).
No trend yet
Marion reported only 2022 to the Census Bureau, so there is no trend yet.
The typical homeowner pays $922 a year
Every local property tax on the home: town, schools and county. About 0.56% of the home’s value, vs 0.66% across North Carolina.
Typical yearly bill next door and statewide
The Housing page’s calculator splits a monthly payment into loan, tax and insurance at Marion’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.
Tax bills are one input to Marion’s Cost of living grade. Cost of living in Marion →
Who’s in charge in Marion
Names change after every election, so we link to the source that keeps them current.
Marion’s meeting calendar isn’t in our feed yet. The city posts agendas and minutes on marionnc.org ↗.
One full-time city employee for every 81 residents
On the payroll in March 2022, from the Census Bureau’s Annual Survey of Public Employment & Payroll. Residents: the Census population in the 2022 finance file (7,937).
By department full-time, plus part-time, March 2022
The Census reports one month’s payroll (March); yearly figures are that month × 12, an estimate. Part-timers count half in the bar lengths.
McDowell County Schools
Marion’s K–12 school district, shared with Old Fort. It’s its own government, with a budget separate from the town’s.
Of the $13,412 per pupil, $8,465 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.
North Carolina districts overall: 26% local, 57% state, 17% federal.
School year 2023–24. Census Bureau school finance survey.
Marion’s votes are counted by county
North Carolina reports official results by county and precinct, not by city, so there are no official results for Marion alone, and we don’t estimate them. These are McDowell County’s results.
Donald J TrumpRepublican74.1%17,520 votes
Kamala D HarrisDemocrat25.0%5,911 votesOthers: 0.9% (224 votes).
Most votes in McDowell County: Donald J Trump
North Carolina: Trump 50.9%, Harris 47.6%
100% of Marion lies in McDowell County. Every 2024 race in McDowell County is on the county’s page.
McDowell 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 Marion.
- 1Your cityMayor & councilOfficials: marionnc.org ↗
- 2North Carolina HouseMarion is split between 2 districts
- 3North Carolina SenateState senator
- 4GovernorStatewide
- 5U.S. HouseYour representative in Congress
- 6U.S. SenateBoth represent all of North Carolina
Democrat · Republican · other or independent. Tap a name for their official page.
How Marion compares with the towns next door
Marion spent $1,038 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Marion | $1,038 | $922 |
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 Marion’s government
The official site has phone numbers, hours and forms. Neighbors add the rest to the Handbook.
Questions about Marion’s government
How much does Marion spend per resident?
About $1,038 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 $1,038 was more than 55% of 119 North Carolina cities of 2,500–9,999 that don’t run their own schools.
What is the property tax rate in Marion?
Homeowners report a typical bill of $922 a year (Census ACS, 2020–24), about 0.56% of the typical home’s value, vs 0.66% across North Carolina. For the official rate per $1,000 of assessed value, see marionnc.org.
Who runs Marion’s government?
See marionnc.org for current officials. We name an official only when a public source lists a current term, and none does for Marion yet.
How did Marion vote in 2024?
North Carolina counts votes by county and precinct, not by city, so there are no official results for Marion alone. McDowell County, where 100% of Marion lies, voted Trump 74.1%, Harris 25.0% for president; its page has every race.
How many people work for Marion?
98 full-time and 21 part-time employees in March 2022, with a March payroll of $373,398 (about $4.5M a year if every month were the same), as reported to the Census Bureau.
Who represents Marion in the state legislature?
Marion is split among 2 State House districts, so your address decides. The North Carolina Legislature’s lookup finds yours. Its State Senate district is District 46 (Warren Daniel). Listed by Open States; districts from the Census Bureau.
Ask neighbors about Marion’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 →