Photo: Andrew Filer from Seattle (ex-Minneapolis) · CC BY-SA 2.0Portal Township spent more per resident in 2022 than 97% of similar towns
Portal Township’s town government spent $88,000 on day-to-day services in the year to December 31, 2022, about $3,667 per resident.
What stands out about how Portal Township is run
Read from the town’s budget and official records.
$3,667 per resident in 2022: more than 97% of them
Portal Township’s day-to-day spending in 2022 ($3,667 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. Portal Township spent more than 97% 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; Portal Township itself left out).
About $3,667 per resident a year, or $10.05 a day
Day-to-day services only. The biggest line: roads & transportation, at 97%.
Thank you for being a neighbor
No trend yet
Portal Township reported only 2022 to the Census Bureau, so there is no trend yet.
The typical homeowner pays $1,281 a year
Every local property tax on the home: town, schools and county. About 0.47% 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 Portal 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 Portal Township’s Cost of living grade. Cost of living in Portal Township →
Who’s in charge in Portal Township
Names change after every election, so we link to the source that keeps them current.
Portal Township’s meeting calendar isn’t in our feed yet. The town posts agendas and minutes on portalnorthdakota.com ↗.
Burke Central Public School District 36
Portal Township’s K–12 school district, shared with Columbus, Dale Township, Fay Township, Flaxton, Foothills Township and more. It’s its own government, with a budget separate from the town’s.
Of the $27,112 per pupil, $16,416 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.
Portal 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 Portal Township alone, and we don’t estimate them. These are Burke County’s results.
Donald J TrumpRepublican86.1%909 votes
Kamala D HarrisDemocrat12.3%130 votesOthers: 1.6% (17 votes).
Most votes in Burke County: Donald J Trump
North Dakota: Trump 67.0%, Harris 30.5%
100% of Portal Township lies in Burke County. Every 2024 race in Burke County is on the county’s page.
Burke 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 Portal Township.
- 1Your townTown governmentOfficials: portalnorthdakota.com ↗
- 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 Portal Township compares with the towns next door
Portal Township spent $3,667 per resident in 2022; the 4 neighbors that reported 2022 spent $1,021 to $1,240. Towns that run more services spend more. Tap a town to see its page.
| Town | Day-to-day, per resident (2022) | Tax bill |
|---|---|---|
| Portal | $1,021 | $564 |
| Short Creek Township | $1,053 | $643 |
| Vale Township | $1,214 | — |
| Soo Township | $1,240 | — |
| Portal Township | $3,667 | $1,281 |
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 Portal Township’s government
The official site has phone numbers, hours and forms. Neighbors add the rest to the Handbook.
Questions about Portal Township’s government
How much does Portal Township spend per resident?
About $3,667 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 $3,667 was more than 97% 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 Portal Township?
Homeowners report a typical bill of $1,281 a year (Census ACS, 2020–24), about 0.47% of the typical home’s value, vs 0.99% across North Dakota. For the official rate per $1,000 of assessed value, see portalnorthdakota.com.
Who runs Portal Township’s government?
See portalnorthdakota.com for current officials. We name an official only when a public source lists a current term, and none does for Portal Township yet.
How did Portal Township vote in 2024?
North Dakota counts votes by county and precinct, not by town, so there are no official results for Portal Township alone. Burke County, where 100% of Portal Township lies, voted Trump 86.1%, Harris 12.3% for president; its page has every race.
How many people work for Portal Township?
0 full-time and 3 part-time employees in March 2022, with a March payroll of $132 (about $1,584 a year if every month were the same); Census Bureau estimates.
Who represents Portal Township in the state legislature?
State Senate District 2 (Mark Enget) and State House District 2 (Bert Anderson and Donald Longmuir). The House district also covers 139 other towns. Listed by Open States; districts from the Census Bureau.
Ask neighbors about Portal 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 →