Photo: Photo by and ©2006 Dustin M. Ramsey (Kralizec!) · CC BY-SA 2.5Helena spent less per resident in 2022 than 81% of similar cities
Helena’s village government spent $45,000 on day-to-day services in the year to December 31, 2022, about $216 per resident.
What stands out about how Helena is run
Read from the village’s budget and official records.
$216 per resident in 2022: less than 81% of them
Helena’s day-to-day spending in 2022 ($216 per resident, hospital and utilities left out) against 320 Ohio cities of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools: the median was $460, and the middle half spent $252–$774. Helena spent less than 81% of them.
Includes sewer and trash ($45,000), as the Census Bureau counts them. Later years come from a Census sample, so the comparison stays on 2022. How Town Hall compares budgets →
Ohio cities of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools, 2022 Census of Governments (every government counted that year; Helena itself left out).
About $216 per resident a year, or $0.59 a day
Day-to-day services only. The biggest line: sewer & trash, at 100%.
Thank you for being a neighbor
No trend yet
Helena reported only 2022 to the Census Bureau, so there is no trend yet.
The typical homeowner pays $1,488 a year
Every local property tax on the home: town, schools and county. About 1.08% of the home’s value, vs 1.31% across Ohio.
Typical yearly bill next door and statewide
The Housing page’s calculator splits a monthly payment into loan, tax and insurance at Helena’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 Helena’s Cost of living grade. Cost of living in Helena →
Who’s in charge in Helena
Names change after every election, so we link to the source that keeps them current.
Gibsonburg Exempted Village School District
Helena’s K–12 school district, shared with Madison Township, Gibsonburg, Washington Township, Scott Township. It’s its own government, with a budget separate from the town’s.
Of the $14,711 per pupil, $8,748 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.
Ohio districts overall: 53% local, 35% state, 12% federal.
School year 2023–24. Census Bureau school finance survey.
How Helena voted in 2024
Official results for Helena’s own voters, as certified after the November 5, 2024 general election, with the county and the state beside them.
Donald J TrumpRepublican70.1%82 votes
Kamala D HarrisDemocrat29.1%34 votesOthers: 0.9% (1 votes).
Most votes in Helena: Donald J Trump
Sandusky County: Trump 65.0%, Harris 34.1% · Ohio: Trump 55.1%, Harris 43.9%
Most votes in Helena: Bernie Moreno
Sandusky County: Moreno 57.9%, Brown 36.9% · Ohio: Moreno 50.1%, Brown 46.5%
Most votes in the district: Marcy Kaptur
Whole-district result
President, 2024: Helena, its county and the state
| Trump | Harris | Others | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Helena | 70.1% | 29.1% | 0.9% | 117 |
| Sandusky County | 65.0% | 34.1% | 0.9% | 29,713 |
| Ohio | 55.1% | 43.9% | 0.9% | 5,767,788 |
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 Helena.
- 1Your cityMayor & councilLocal officials aren’t on record yet.
- 2Ohio HouseState representatives
- 3Ohio SenateState senator
- 4GovernorStatewide
- 5U.S. HouseYour representative in Congress
- 6U.S. SenateBoth represent all of Ohio
Democrat · Republican · other or independent. Tap a name for their official page.
Reach Helena’s government
Neighbors add phone numbers and hours to the Handbook.
Questions about Helena’s government
How much does Helena spend per resident?
About $216 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 $216 was less than 81% of 320 Ohio cities of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools.
What is the property tax rate in Helena?
Homeowners report a typical bill of $1,488 a year (Census ACS, 2020–24), about 1.08% of the typical home’s value, vs 1.31% across Ohio. For the official rate per $1,000 of assessed value, see the village’s assessor.
Who runs Helena’s government?
We name an official only when a public source lists a current term, and none does for Helena yet.
How did Helena vote in 2024?
For president, Donald J Trump 70.1%, Kamala D Harris 29.1% (117 votes, official results). Sandusky County: Trump 65.0%, Harris 34.1%. Ohio: Trump 55.1%, Harris 43.9%.
How many people work for Helena?
0 full-time and 13 part-time employees in March 2022, with a March payroll of $2,071 (about $24,852 a year if every month were the same); Census Bureau estimates.
Who represents Helena in the state legislature?
State Senate District 26 (Bill Reineke) and State House District 88 (Gary Click). The House district also covers 43 other towns. Listed by Open States; districts from the Census Bureau.
Ask neighbors about Helena’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 →