Photo: Brian Stansberry (photographer) · CC BY 4.0Ruth spent less per resident in 2022 than 76% of similar cities
Ruth’s town government spent $170,000 on day-to-day services in the year to June 30, 2022, about $425 per resident.
What stands out about how Ruth is run
Read from the town’s budget and official records.
$425 per resident in 2022: less than 76% of them
Ruth’s day-to-day spending in 2022 ($425 per resident, hospital and utilities left out) against 221 North Carolina cities of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools: the median was $803, and the middle half spent $435–$1,365. Ruth spent less than 76% of them.
Includes sewer and trash ($24,000), as the Census Bureau counts them. Later years come from a Census sample, so the comparison stays on 2022. How Town Hall compares budgets →
North Carolina cities of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools, 2022 Census of Governments (every government counted that year; Ruth itself left out).
About $425 per resident a year, or $1.16 a day
Day-to-day services only. The biggest line: administration & buildings, at 52%.
Thank you for being a neighbor
No trend yet
Ruth reported only 2022 to the Census Bureau, so there is no trend yet.
The typical homeowner pays $1,174 a year
Every local property tax on the home: town, schools and county. About 0.85% 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 Ruth’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 Ruth’s Cost of living grade. Cost of living in Ruth →
Who’s in charge in Ruth
Names change after every election, so we link to the source that keeps them current.
Rutherford County Schools
Ruth’s K–12 school district, shared with Bostic, Chimney Rock Village, Ellenboro, Forest City, Lake Lure and more. It’s its own government, with a budget separate from the town’s.
Of the $13,859 per pupil, $8,039 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.
Ruth’s votes are counted by county
North Carolina reports official results by county and precinct, not by town, so there are no official results for Ruth alone, and we don’t estimate them. These are Rutherford County’s results.
Donald J TrumpRepublican73.4%25,456 votes
Kamala D HarrisDemocrat25.7%8,914 votesOthers: 0.9% (300 votes).
Most votes in Rutherford County: Donald J Trump
North Carolina: Trump 50.9%, Harris 47.6%
100% of Ruth lies in Rutherford County. Every 2024 race in Rutherford County is on the county’s page.
Rutherford 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 Ruth.
- 1Your townTown governmentLocal officials aren’t on record yet.
- 2North Carolina HouseState representatives
- 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 Ruth compares with the towns next door
Ruth spent $425 per resident in 2022; the neighbor that reported 2022 spent $1,061. Towns that run more services spend more. Tap a town to see its page.
| Town | Day-to-day, per resident (2022) | Tax bill |
|---|---|---|
| Rutherfordton | $1,061 | $2,247 |
| Ruth | $425 | $1,174 |
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 Ruth’s government
Neighbors add phone numbers and hours to the Handbook.
Questions about Ruth’s government
How much does Ruth spend per resident?
About $425 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 $425 was less than 76% of 221 North Carolina cities of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools.
What is the property tax rate in Ruth?
Homeowners report a typical bill of $1,174 a year (Census ACS, 2020–24), about 0.85% of the typical home’s value, vs 0.66% across North Carolina. For the official rate per $1,000 of assessed value, see the town’s assessor.
Who runs Ruth’s government?
We name an official only when a public source lists a current term, and none does for Ruth yet.
How did Ruth vote in 2024?
North Carolina counts votes by county and precinct, not by town, so there are no official results for Ruth alone. Rutherford County, where 100% of Ruth lies, voted Trump 73.4%, Harris 25.7% for president; its page has every race.
How many people work for Ruth?
0 full-time and 4 part-time employees in March 2022, with a March payroll of $2,139 (about $25,668 a year if every month were the same), as reported to the Census Bureau.
Who represents Ruth in the state legislature?
State Senate District 48 (Tim Moffitt) and State House District 113 (Jake Johnson). The House district also covers 11 other towns. Listed by Open States; districts from the Census Bureau.
Ask neighbors about Ruth’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 →