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Carson, North Dakota 6-12-2009Photo: Andrew Filer from Seattle (ex-Minneapolis) · CC BY-SA 2.0
Town Hall · Carson

Carson spent more per resident in 2022 than 83% of similar cities

Carson’s city government spent $301,000 on day-to-day services in the year to December 31, 2022, about $1,158 per resident. Water and other utilities ($86,000) are counted separately.

Election Day

Today

General election in North Dakota.

Register or check: vote.gov ↗
Day-to-day spending, 2022
$301,000
year to December 31, 2022
Per resident, 2022
$1,158
In 2022: $1,158, more than 83% of 157 similar cities
Long-term debt
Not reported
end of 2022, reported
City staff, 2022
1
full-time · 4 part-time · March payroll $10,090
Typical tax bill
$850
1.02% of home value · ND 0.99%

What stands out about how Carson is run

Read from the city’s budget and official records.

Spends more than most similar citiesIn 2022: $1,158 per resident, more than 83% of 157 similar cities.Runs its own water & sewer42% of day-to-day spending goes to water, sewer and trash (2022).A shared school districtShares Roosevelt Public School District 18 with 2 other towns.Low bills, a higher rateThe typical bill is $850 a year: 1.02% of the home’s value, vs 0.99% across North Dakota.
Compared with similar places

$1,158 per resident in 2022: more than 83% of them

Carson’s day-to-day spending in 2022 ($1,158 per resident, hospital and utilities left out) against 157 North Dakota cities of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools: the median was $730, and the middle half spent $500–$1,006. Carson spent more than 83% of them.

Middle half of the group, $500–$1,006Median $730Carson

Includes sewer and trash ($76,000), as the Census Bureau counts them. Later years come from a Census sample, so the comparison stays on 2022. How Town Hall compares budgets →

The group
157

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

Your share of the 2022 budget

About $1,158 per resident a year, or $3.17 a day

Day-to-day services only. The biggest line: roads & transportation, at 42%.

Where the money comes from
Fees & charges 27%Utility sales 24%From the state 24%Property taxes 18%Sales taxes 6%Interest, fines & other 2%Other taxes & licenses <1%
Not in the receipt.Building projects $102,000. With these and the enterprises, the whole budget was $489,000.
Over the years

No trend yet

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

Property tax

The typical homeowner pays $850 a year

Every local property tax on the home: town, schools and county. About 1.02% of the home’s value, vs 0.99% across North Dakota.

What homes cost →

Typical yearly bill next door and statewide

North Dakota$2,468
Carson$850
$850
typical bill a year
1.02%
effective rate
$83,100
typical home value (Census)
Your own bill

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

Who runs it

Who’s in charge in Carson

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

Check Carson’s own website for current officialsWe name an official only when a public source lists a current term. None does for Carson yet.
Who works for Carson

One full-time city employee for every 260 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 (260).

By department full-time, plus part-time, March 2022

Administration & buildings0 + 3 pt
Roads & transportation1 + 1 pt
1
full-time
4
part-time
$10,090
payroll for March 2022
$121,080
a year, estimated (March × 12)
$16,500
average full-time pay, before benefits (March × 12)
Compared, 2022.Carson had 3.8 full-time staff per 1,000 residents in March 2022. The median for the 106 of the 157 North Dakota cities of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools that reported 2022 staff was 0.0: Carson 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

Roosevelt Public School District 18

Carson’s elementary school district, shared with Leith, Winona Township. It’s its own government, with a budget separate from the town’s.

Schools in Carson →
$25,193
per pupil · ND $16,642
57
students
None
long-term debt

Of the $25,193 per pupil, $9,246 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 37%State 52%Federal 11%

North Dakota districts overall: 40% local, 46% state, 14% federal.

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

Elections · 2024 general election

Carson’s votes are counted by county

North Dakota reports official results by county and precinct, not by city, so there are no official results for Carson alone, and we don’t estimate them. These are Grant County’s results.

President · Grant County’s results1,306 votes · results as certified
Donald J TrumpDonald J TrumpRepublican82.4%1,076 votes
Kamala D HarrisKamala D HarrisDemocrat15.7%205 votes

Others: 1.9% (25 votes).

Most votes in Grant County: Donald J Trump

North Dakota: Trump 67.0%, Harris 30.5%

The county’s page

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

Grant 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 Carson

From town hall to Washington

Every level of government that speaks for Carson.

2024 results ↑
  1. 1
    Your cityMayor & council
    Local officials aren’t on record yet.
  2. 2
    North Dakota HouseState representatives
    Dawson HolleKaren Rohr
  3. 3
    North Dakota SenateState senator
    Don Schaible
  4. 4
    GovernorStatewide
    Kelly Armstrong
  5. 5
    U.S. HouseYour representative in Congress
    Julie Fedorchak
  6. 6
    U.S. SenateBoth represent all of North Dakota
    John HoevenKevin Cramer

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

Reach Carson’s government

Neighbors add phone numbers and hours to the Handbook.

The Handbook →

Questions about Carson’s government

How much does Carson spend per resident?

About $1,158 per resident on day-to-day services in the year to December 31, 2022, as reported to the Census Bureau. In 2022, the last full count, its $1,158 was more than 83% of 157 North Dakota cities of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools.

What is the property tax rate in Carson?

Homeowners report a typical bill of $850 a year (Census ACS, 2020–24), about 1.02% of the typical home’s value, vs 0.99% across North Dakota. For the official rate per $1,000 of assessed value, see the city’s assessor.

Who runs Carson’s government?

We name an official only when a public source lists a current term, and none does for Carson yet.

How did Carson vote in 2024?

North Dakota counts votes by county and precinct, not by city, so there are no official results for Carson alone. Grant County, where 100% of Carson lies, voted Trump 82.4%, Harris 15.7% for president; its page has every race.

How many people work for Carson?

1 full-time and 4 part-time employees in March 2022, with a March payroll of $10,090 (about $121,080 a year if every month were the same), as reported to the Census Bureau.

Who represents Carson in the state legislature?

State Senate District 31 (Don Schaible) and State House District 31 (Dawson Holle and Karen Rohr). The House district also covers 37 other towns. Listed by Open States; districts from the Census Bureau.

Ask neighbors about Carson’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 →