Kelso Township spent more per resident in 2022 than 70% of similar towns
Kelso Township’s town government spent $68,000 on day-to-day services in the year to December 31, 2022, about $872 per resident.
What stands out about how Kelso Township is run
Read from the town’s budget and official records.
$872 per resident in 2022: more than 70% of them
Kelso Township’s day-to-day spending in 2022 ($872 per resident, hospital and utilities left out) against 806 North Dakota towns and townships of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools: the median was $536, and the middle half spent $303–$1,000. Kelso Township spent more than 70% of them.
Later years come from a Census sample, so the comparison stays on 2022. How Town Hall compares budgets →
North Dakota towns and townships of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools, 2022 Census of Governments (every government counted that year; Kelso Township itself left out).
About $872 per resident a year, or $2.39 a day
Day-to-day services only. The biggest line: roads & transportation, at 96%.
Thank you for being a neighbor
No trend yet
Kelso Township reported only 2022 to the Census Bureau, so there is no trend yet.
The typical homeowner pays $2,421 a year
Every local property tax on the home: town, schools and county. About 1.01% 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 Kelso Township’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 Kelso Township’s Cost of living grade. Cost of living in Kelso Township →
Who’s in charge in Kelso Township
Names change after every election, so we link to the source that keeps them current.
Northern Cass Public School District 97
Kelso Township’s K–12 school district, shared with Argusville, Arthur, Arthur Township, Bell Township, Gardner and more. It’s its own government, with a budget separate from the town’s.
Of the $13,838 per pupil, $7,477 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.
Hillsboro Public School District 9 · $15,120 per pupil
School year 2023–24. Census Bureau school finance survey.
Kelso Township’s votes are counted by county
North Dakota reports official results by county and precinct, not by town, so there are no official results for Kelso Township alone, and we don’t estimate them. These are Traill County’s results.
Donald J TrumpRepublican64.4%2,650 votes
Kamala D HarrisDemocrat33.0%1,359 votesOthers: 2.6% (106 votes).
Most votes in Traill County: Donald J Trump
North Dakota: Trump 67.0%, Harris 30.5%
100% of Kelso Township lies in Traill County. Every 2024 race in Traill County is on the county’s page.
Traill 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 Kelso Township.
- 1Your townTown governmentLocal 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.
How Kelso Township compares with the towns next door
Kelso Township spent $872 per resident in 2022; the 3 neighbors that reported 2022 spent $452 to $1,323. Towns that run more services spend more. Tap a town to see its page.
| Town | Day-to-day, per resident (2022) | Tax bill |
|---|---|---|
| Hillsboro Township | $452 | $2,700 |
| Bohnsack Township | $520 | — |
| Elm River Township | $1,323 | — |
| Grandin | estimate | $1,292 |
| Kinyon Township | estimate | $1,844 |
| Kelso Township | $872 | $2,421 |
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 Kelso Township’s government
Neighbors add phone numbers and hours to the Handbook.
Questions about Kelso Township’s government
How much does Kelso Township spend per resident?
About $872 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 $872 was more than 70% of 806 North Dakota towns and townships of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools.
What is the property tax rate in Kelso Township?
Homeowners report a typical bill of $2,421 a year (Census ACS, 2020–24), about 1.01% of the typical home’s value, vs 0.99% across North Dakota. For the official rate per $1,000 of assessed value, see the town’s assessor.
Who runs Kelso Township’s government?
We name an official only when a public source lists a current term, and none does for Kelso Township yet.
How did Kelso Township vote in 2024?
North Dakota counts votes by county and precinct, not by town, so there are no official results for Kelso Township alone. Traill County, where 100% of Kelso Township lies, voted Trump 64.4%, Harris 33.0% for president; its page has every race.
How many people work for Kelso Township?
0 full-time and 5 part-time employees in March 2022, with a March payroll of $1,100 (about $13,200 a year if every month were the same), as reported to the Census Bureau.
Who represents Kelso Township in the state legislature?
State Senate District 20 (Randy Lemm) and State House District 20 (Dave Rustebakke and Mike Beltz). The House district also covers 84 other towns. Listed by Open States; districts from the Census Bureau.
Ask neighbors about Kelso Township’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 →