Cowles spent more per resident in 2022 than 82% of similar cities
Cowles’ village government spent $45,000 on day-to-day services in the year to September 30, 2022, about $1,667 per resident.
What stands out about how Cowles is run
Read from the village’s budget and official records.
$1,667 per resident in 2022: more than 82% of them
Cowles’ day-to-day spending in 2022 ($1,667 per resident, hospital and utilities left out) against 472 Nebraska cities of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools: the median was $1,038, and the middle half spent $774–$1,450. Cowles spent more than 82% of them.
Later years come from a Census sample, so the comparison stays on 2022. How Town Hall compares budgets →
Nebraska cities of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools, 2022 Census of Governments (every government counted that year; Cowles itself left out).
About $1,667 per resident a year, or $4.57 a day
Day-to-day services only. The biggest line: roads & transportation, at 56%.
Thank you for being a neighbor
No trend yet
Cowles reported only 2022 to the Census Bureau, so there is no trend yet.
Who’s in charge in Cowles
Names change after every election, so we link to the source that keeps them current.
Blue Hill Public Schools
Cowles’ K–12 school district, shared with Blue Hill. It’s its own government, with a budget separate from the town’s.
Of the $19,554 per pupil, $12,698 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.
Nebraska districts overall: 56% local, 34% state, 10% federal.
Red Cloud Community Schools · $17,878 per pupil
School year 2023–24. Census Bureau school finance survey.
Cowles’ votes are counted by county
Nebraska reports official results by county and precinct, not by village, so there are no official results for Cowles alone, and we don’t estimate them. These are Webster County’s results.
Donald J TrumpRepublican82.2%1,449 votes
Kamala D HarrisDemocrat16.8%296 votesOthers: 1.0% (18 votes).
Most votes in Webster County: Donald J Trump
Nebraska: Trump 59.3%, Harris 38.9%
100% of Cowles lies in Webster County. Every 2024 race in Webster County is on the county’s page.
Webster 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 Cowles.
- 1Your cityMayor & councilLocal officials aren’t on record yet.
- 2Nebraska SenateState senator
- 3GovernorStatewide
- 4U.S. HouseYour representative in Congress
- 5U.S. SenateBoth represent all of Nebraska
Democrat · Republican · other or independent. Tap a name for their official page.
Reach Cowles’ government
Neighbors add phone numbers and hours to the Handbook.
Questions about Cowles’ government
How much does Cowles spend per resident?
About $1,667 per resident on day-to-day services in the year to September 30, 2022, as reported to the Census Bureau. In 2022, the last full count, its $1,667 was more than 82% of 472 Nebraska cities of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools.
Who runs Cowles’ government?
We name an official only when a public source lists a current term, and none does for Cowles yet.
How did Cowles vote in 2024?
Nebraska counts votes by county and precinct, not by village, so there are no official results for Cowles alone. Webster County, where 100% of Cowles lies, voted Trump 82.2%, Harris 16.8% for president; its page has every race.
How many people work for Cowles?
0 full-time and 4 part-time employees in March 2022, with a March payroll of $238 (about $2,856 a year if every month were the same), as reported to the Census Bureau.
Who represents Cowles in the state legislature?
State Senate District 38 (Dave Murman). Listed by Open States; districts from the Census Bureau.
Ask neighbors about Cowles’ 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 →