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Elisha Calor Hedden HouseElisha Calor Hedden House · Photo: Warren LeMay from Cincinnati, OH, United States · CC0
Town Hall · Webster

Webster spent less per resident in 2022 than 90% of similar cities

Webster’s town government spent $88,000 on day-to-day services in the year to June 30, 2022, about $228 per resident. Water and other utilities ($12,000) are counted separately.

Town website
Election Day

Today

General election in North Carolina.

Register or check: vote.gov ↗
Day-to-day spending, 2022
$88,000
year to June 30, 2022
Per resident, 2022
$228
In 2022: $228, less than 90% of 221 similar cities
Long-term debt
Not reported
end of FY2022, reported
Town staff, 2022
0
full-time · 7 part-time · March payroll $5,063
Typical tax bill
$1,410
0.38% of home value · NC 0.66%

What stands out about how Webster is run

Read from the town’s budget and official records.

Compared with similar places

$228 per resident in 2022: less than 90% of them

Webster’s day-to-day spending in 2022 ($228 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. Webster spent less than 90% of them.

Middle half of the group, $435–$1,365Median $803Webster

Later years come from a Census sample, so the comparison stays on 2022. How Town Hall compares budgets →

The group
221

North Carolina cities of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools, 2022 Census of Governments (every government counted that year; Webster itself left out).

Your share of the 2022 budget

About $228 per resident a year, or $0.62 a day

Day-to-day services only. The biggest line: administration & buildings, at 61%.

Where the money comes from
Property taxes 47%Sales taxes 27%From the state 18%Interest, fines & other 5%From other local governments 3%
Not in the receipt.With the enterprises, the whole budget was $100,000.
Over the years

No trend yet

Webster reported only 2022 to the Census Bureau, so there is no trend yet.

Property tax

The typical homeowner pays $1,410 a year

Every local property tax on the home: town, schools and county. About 0.38% of the home’s value, vs 0.66% across North Carolina.

What homes cost →

Typical yearly bill next door and statewide

North Carolina$1,896
Webster$1,410
$1,410
typical bill a year
0.38%
effective rate
$375,000
typical home value (Census)
Your own bill

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

Who runs it

Who’s in charge in Webster

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

See townofwebster.org for Webster’s current officialsWe name an official only when a public source lists a current term. None does for Webster yet.townofwebster.org ↗
Agendas

Webster’s meeting calendar isn’t in our feed yet. The town posts agendas and minutes on townofwebster.org ↗.

The school district

Jackson County Schools

Webster’s K–12 school district, shared with Dillsboro, Forest Hills, Sylva. It’s its own government, with a budget separate from the town’s.

Schools in Webster →
$14,411
per pupil · NC $13,045
3,546
students
$7.1 million
long-term debt

Of the $14,411 per pupil, $8,487 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 27%State 56%Federal 17%

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

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

Elections · 2024 general election

Webster’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 Webster alone, and we don’t estimate them. These are Jackson County’s results.

President · Jackson County’s results21,942 votes · results as certified
Donald J TrumpDonald J TrumpRepublican53.8%11,796 votes
Kamala D HarrisKamala D HarrisDemocrat44.4%9,746 votes

Others: 1.8% (400 votes).

Most votes in Jackson County: Donald J Trump

North Carolina: Trump 50.9%, Harris 47.6%

The county’s page

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

Jackson 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 Webster

From town hall to Washington

Every level of government that speaks for Webster.

2024 results ↑
  1. 1
    Your townTown government
  2. 2
    North Carolina HouseState representatives
  3. 3
    North Carolina SenateState senator
  4. 4
    GovernorStatewide
  5. 5
    U.S. HouseYour representative in Congress
  6. 6
    U.S. SenateBoth represent all of North Carolina

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

Reach Webster’s government

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

The Handbook →

Questions about Webster’s government

How much does Webster spend per resident?

About $228 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 $228 was less than 90% of 221 North Carolina cities of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools.

What is the property tax rate in Webster?

Homeowners report a typical bill of $1,410 a year (Census ACS, 2020–24), about 0.38% of the typical home’s value, vs 0.66% across North Carolina. For the official rate per $1,000 of assessed value, see townofwebster.org.

Who runs Webster’s government?

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

How did Webster vote in 2024?

North Carolina counts votes by county and precinct, not by town, so there are no official results for Webster alone. Jackson County, where 100% of Webster lies, voted Trump 53.8%, Harris 44.4% for president; its page has every race.

How many people work for Webster?

0 full-time and 7 part-time employees in March 2022, with a March payroll of $5,063 (about $60,756 a year if every month were the same), as reported to the Census Bureau.

Who represents Webster in the state legislature?

State Senate District 50 (Kevin Corbin) and State House District 119 (Anna Ferguson). The House district also covers seven other towns. Listed by Open States; districts from the Census Bureau.

Ask neighbors about Webster’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 →