Photo: Andrew Filer from Seattle (ex-Minneapolis) · CC BY-SA 2.0Dawson spent more per resident in 2022 than 89% of similar cities
Dawson’s city government spent $85,000 on day-to-day services in the year to December 31, 2022, about $1,349 per resident.
What stands out about how Dawson is run
Read from the city’s budget and official records.
$1,349 per resident in 2022: more than 89% of them
Dawson’s day-to-day spending in 2022 ($1,349 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. Dawson spent more than 89% of them.
Includes sewer and trash ($47,000), 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 Dakota cities of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools, 2022 Census of Governments (every government counted that year; Dawson itself left out).
About $1,349 per resident a year, or $3.70 a day
Day-to-day services only. The biggest line: sewer & trash, at 55%.
Thank you for being a neighbor
No trend yet
Dawson reported only 2022 to the Census Bureau, so there is no trend yet.
The typical homeowner pays $1,190 a year
Every local property tax on the home: town, schools and county. About 0.73% of the home’s value, vs 0.99% across North Dakota.
Typical yearly bill next door and statewide
The Housing page’s calculator splits a monthly payment into loan, tax and insurance at Dawson’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 Dawson’s Cost of living grade. Cost of living in Dawson →
Who’s in charge in Dawson
Names change after every election, so we link to the source that keeps them current.
Kidder County School District 1
Dawson’s K–12 school district, shared with Allen Township, Atwood Township, Buckeye Township, Chestina Township, Clear Lake Township and more. It’s its own government, with a budget separate from the town’s.
Of the $15,580 per pupil, $8,804 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 Dakota districts overall: 40% local, 46% state, 14% federal.
School year 2023–24. Census Bureau school finance survey.
Dawson’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 Dawson alone, and we don’t estimate them. These are Kidder County’s results.
Donald J TrumpRepublican81.3%1,137 votes
Kamala D HarrisDemocrat17.0%238 votesOthers: 1.6% (23 votes).
Most votes in Kidder County: Donald J Trump
North Dakota: Trump 67.0%, Harris 30.5%
100% of Dawson lies in Kidder County. Every 2024 race in Kidder County is on the county’s page.
Kidder 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 Dawson.
- 1Your cityMayor & councilLocal officials aren’t on record yet.
- 2North Dakota HouseState representatives
- 3North Dakota SenateState senator
- 4GovernorStatewide
- 5U.S. HouseYour representative in Congress
- 6U.S. SenateBoth represent all of North Dakota
Democrat · Republican · other or independent. Tap a name for their official page.
Reach Dawson’s government
Neighbors add phone numbers and hours to the Handbook.
Questions about Dawson’s government
How much does Dawson spend per resident?
About $1,349 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 $1,349 was more than 89% of 157 North Dakota cities of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools.
What is the property tax rate in Dawson?
Homeowners report a typical bill of $1,190 a year (Census ACS, 2020–24), about 0.73% 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 Dawson’s government?
We name an official only when a public source lists a current term, and none does for Dawson yet.
How did Dawson vote in 2024?
North Dakota counts votes by county and precinct, not by city, so there are no official results for Dawson alone. Kidder County, where 100% of Dawson lies, voted Trump 81.3%, Harris 17.0% for president; its page has every race.
How many people work for Dawson?
0 full-time and 7 part-time employees in March 2022, with a March payroll of $865 (about $10,380 a year if every month were the same), as reported to the Census Bureau.
Who represents Dawson in the state legislature?
State Senate District 14 (Jerry Klein) and State House District 14 (Jon Nelson and Robin Weisz). The House district also covers 181 other towns. Listed by Open States; districts from the Census Bureau.
Ask neighbors about Dawson’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 →