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Union County Courthouse, Monroe, NC September 2017, side viewPhoto: Beckycafferylepage · CC BY-SA 4.0
Town Hall · Monroe

Monroe spent more per resident in 2022 than 100% of similar cities

Monroe’s city government spent $52.2 million on day-to-day services in the year to June 30, 2024, about $1,451 per resident. Water and other utilities ($70.5 million) are counted separately.

Town website
Next public meeting

Citizens Appointment Committee

10:00 am

All meetings →
Day-to-day spending, 2024
$52.2M
year to June 30, 2024
Per resident, 2024
$1,451
In 2022: $1,813, more than 100% of 19 similar cities
Long-term debt
$81.7M
end of FY2024, reported
City staff, 2025
565
full-time · 71 part-time · March payroll $3.9M
Typical tax bill
$1,994
0.65% of home value · NC 0.66%

What stands out about how Monroe is run

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

Agendas posted online6 upcoming meetings posted, with agendas.Spends more than most similar citiesIn 2022: $1,813 per resident, more than 100% of 19 similar cities.Runs its own water & sewer58% of day-to-day spending goes to water, sewer and trash (2024).A shared school districtShares Union County Public Schools with 6+ other towns.
★ What stands out · Meetings

6 upcoming meetings at town hall

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

Recent meetings

  • Oct22
    Board of AdjustmentThursday · 6:00 pm · City Council Chambers, 300 W. Crowell StreetAgenda ↗Meeting page ↗
  • Oct21
    Downtown Advisory BoardWednesday · 9:00 am · Downtown Office, 120 N. Main StreetAgenda ↗Meeting page ↗
  • Oct20
    Animal Welfare CommitteeTuesday · 6:00 pm · City Hall Council Chambers, 300 W. Crowell StreetAnimal Welfare Committee Meeting of October 20, 2026Agenda ↗Meeting page ↗
  • Oct20
    Parks and Recreation Advisory CommissionTuesday · 6:00 pm · Phil Bazemore Active Adult Center, 500 S. Jefferson StreetAgenda ↗Meeting page ↗
  • Oct13
    City CouncilTuesday · 6:00 pm · City Hall Council Chambers, 300 W. Crowell StreetCity Council Regular MeetingAgenda ↗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 $1,451 per resident a year, or $3.98 a day

Day-to-day services only. The biggest line: police, at 28%.

Where the money comes from
Utility sales 55%Property taxes 15%Fees & charges 11%Interest, fines & other 7%Sales taxes 7%From the state 3%Other taxes & licenses 1%From other local governments <1%From the federal government <1%
Not in the receipt.Building projects $45.9 million; interest on debt $3.5 million; payments to other governments $36,000. With these and the enterprises, the whole budget was $172.2 million.
Compared with similar places

$1,813 per resident in 2022: more than 100% of them

Monroe’s day-to-day spending in 2022 ($1,813 per resident, hospital and utilities left out) against 19 North Carolina cities of 25,000–49,999 that don’t run their own schools: the median was $1,204, and the middle half spent $966–$1,452. Monroe spent more than 100% of them.

Middle half of the group, $966–$1,452Median $1,204Monroe

Includes sewer and trash ($4.3 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
19

North Carolina cities of 25,000–49,999 that don’t run their own schools, 2022 Census of Governments (every government counted that year; Monroe itself left out).

Over the years

Day-to-day spending is down 19% since 2022

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

Day-to-day spending by fiscal year

2022$64.7 million
2023$58.4 million
2024$52.2 million

Per resident: 2022: $1,813 · 2023: $1,673 · 2024: $1,451.

City staff
565

full-time in March 2025, up from 476 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 $1,994 a year

Every local property tax on the home: town, schools and county. About 0.65% of the home’s value, vs 0.66% across North Carolina.

What homes cost →

Typical yearly bill next door and statewide

Wesley Chapel$2,643
Indian Trail$2,258
Monroe$1,994
North Carolina$1,896
Unionville$1,820
$1,994
typical bill a year
0.65%
effective rate
$309,100
typical home value (Census)
Your own bill

The Housing page’s calculator splits a monthly payment into loan, tax and insurance at Monroe’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 Monroe’s Cost of living grade. Cost of living in Monroe →

Who runs it

Who’s in charge in Monroe

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

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

One full-time city employee for every 64 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 (36,018).

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

Water & other utilities127 + 3 pt
Police109 + 9 pt
Fire94
Administration & buildings80 + 4 pt
Parks & libraries39 + 47 pt
Roads & transportation49 + 1 pt
Sewer & trash18
Courts, inspections & corrections3
Housing & development1
Other45 + 7 pt
565
full-time
71
part-time
$3.9M
payroll for March 2025
$46.3M
a year, estimated (March × 12)
$79,500
average full-time pay, before benefits (March × 12)
102
sworn police officers
93
full-time firefighters
Compared, 2022.Monroe had 13.3 full-time staff per 1,000 residents in March 2022. The median for the 17 of the 19 North Carolina cities of 25,000–49,999 that don’t run their own schools that reported 2022 staff was 9.7: Monroe had more than 71% 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

Union County Public Schools

Monroe’s K–12 school district, shared with Fairview, Hemby Bridge, Indian Trail, Lake Park, Marshville and more. It’s its own government, with a budget separate from the town’s.

Schools in Monroe →
$11,338
per pupil · NC $13,045
41,687
students
$305.5 million
long-term debt

Of the $11,338 per pupil, $7,115 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 32%State 58%Federal 10%

North Carolina districts overall: 26% local, 57% state, 17% federal.

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

Elections · 2024 general election

Monroe’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 Monroe alone, and we don’t estimate them. These are Union County’s results.

President · Union County’s results139,355 votes · results as certified
Donald J TrumpDonald J TrumpRepublican61.9%86,271 votes
Kamala D HarrisKamala D HarrisDemocrat36.7%51,168 votes

Others: 1.4% (1,916 votes).

Most votes in Union County: Donald J Trump

North Carolina: Trump 50.9%, Harris 47.6%

The county’s page

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

Union 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 Monroe

From town hall to Washington

Every level of government that speaks for Monroe.

2024 results ↑
  1. 1
    Your cityMayor & council
    Officials: monroenc.org ↗
  2. 2
    North Carolina HouseMonroe is split between 3 districts
    Mark BrodyDean ArpDavid Willis
  3. 3
    North Carolina SenateState senator
    Todd JohnsonDave Craven
  4. 4
    GovernorStatewide
    Josh Stein
  5. 5
    U.S. HouseYour representative in Congress
    Mark Harris
  6. 6
    U.S. SenateBoth represent all of North Carolina
    Thom TillisTed Budd
Find your state legislators by address ↗

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

Next door

How Monroe compares with the towns next door

Monroe spent $1,813 per resident in 2022; the 3 neighbors that reported 2022 spent $43 to $317. Towns that run more services spend more. Tap a town to see its page.

Unionville: $43 per resident (2022)Indian Trail: $317 per resident (2022)Wesley Chapel: $67 per resident (2022)UnionvilleIndian TrailWesley ChapelMonroe
Spends the leastSpends the mostEstimate or no figures
TownDay-to-day, per resident (2022)Tax bill
Unionville$43$1,820
Wesley Chapel$67$2,643
Indian Trail$317$2,258
Monroe$1,813$1,994

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 Monroe’s government

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

The Handbook →
Official websitemonroenc.org ↗

Questions about Monroe’s government

How much does Monroe spend per resident?

About $1,451 per resident on day-to-day services in the year to June 30, 2024, as reported to the Census Bureau. In 2022, the last full count, its $1,813 was more than 100% of 19 North Carolina cities of 25,000–49,999 that don’t run their own schools.

What is the property tax rate in Monroe?

Homeowners report a typical bill of $1,994 a year (Census ACS, 2020–24), about 0.65% of the typical home’s value, vs 0.66% across North Carolina. For the official rate per $1,000 of assessed value, see monroenc.org.

Who runs Monroe’s government?

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

How did Monroe vote in 2024?

North Carolina counts votes by county and precinct, not by city, so there are no official results for Monroe alone. Union County, where 100% of Monroe lies, voted Trump 61.9%, Harris 36.7% for president; its page has every race.

How many people work for Monroe?

565 full-time and 71 part-time employees in March 2025, with a March payroll of $3.9M (about $46.3M a year if every month were the same), as reported to the Census Bureau.

Who represents Monroe in the state legislature?

Monroe is split among 3 State House districts and 2 State Senate districts, so your address decides. The North Carolina Legislature’s lookup finds yours. Listed by Open States; districts from the Census Bureau.

When is the next public meeting in Monroe?

The next posted meeting is Citizens Appointment Committee on Monday, November 2, at 10:00 am, from the city’s own agenda portal.

Ask neighbors about Monroe’s 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 →