Denison House · Photo: John Jennings · Public domainForty Fort spent more per resident in 2022 than 75% of similar cities
Forty Fort’s borough government spent $4.4 million on day-to-day services in the year to December 31, 2022, about $1,093 per resident.
What stands out about how Forty Fort is run
Read from the borough’s budget and official records.
$1,093 per resident in 2022: more than 75% of them
Forty Fort’s day-to-day spending in 2022 ($1,093 per resident, hospital and utilities left out) against 290 Pennsylvania cities of 2,500–9,999 that don’t run their own schools: the median was $856, and the middle half spent $655–$1,098. Forty Fort spent more than 75% of them.
Includes sewer and trash ($553,000), as the Census Bureau counts them. Later years come from a Census sample, so the comparison stays on 2022. How Town Hall compares budgets →
Pennsylvania cities of 2,500–9,999 that don’t run their own schools, 2022 Census of Governments (every government counted that year; Forty Fort itself left out).
About $1,093 per resident a year, or $2.99 a day
Day-to-day services only. The biggest line: roads & transportation, at 38%.
Thank you for being a neighbor
No trend yet
Forty Fort reported only 2022 to the Census Bureau, so there is no trend yet.
full-time in March 2025, up from 12 in 2022.
The typical homeowner pays $2,506 a year
Every local property tax on the home: town, schools and county. About 1.45% of the home’s value, vs 1.30% across Pennsylvania.
Typical yearly bill next door and statewide
The Housing page’s calculator splits a monthly payment into loan, tax and insurance at Forty Fort’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.
Tax bills are one input to Forty Fort’s Cost of living grade. Cost of living in Forty Fort →
Who’s in charge in Forty Fort
Names change after every election, so we link to the source that keeps them current.
Forty Fort’s meeting calendar isn’t in our feed yet. The borough posts agendas and minutes on fortyfort.org ↗.
One full-time borough employee for every 268 residents
On the payroll in March 2025, from the Census Bureau’s Annual Survey of Public Employment & Payroll. Residents: the Census population in the 2022 finance file (4,025).
By department full-time, plus part-time, March 2025
The Census reports one month’s payroll (March); yearly figures are that month × 12, an estimate. Part-timers count half in the bar lengths.
Wyoming Valley West School District
Forty Fort’s K–12 school district, shared with Courtdale, Edwardsville, Kingston, Larksville, Luzerne and more. It’s its own government, with a budget separate from the town’s.
Of the $16,982 per pupil, $10,440 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.
Pennsylvania districts overall: 55% local, 37% state, 8% federal.
School year 2023–24. Census Bureau school finance survey.
Forty Fort’s votes are counted by county
Pennsylvania reports official results by county and precinct, not by borough, so there are no official results for Forty Fort alone, and we don’t estimate them. These are Luzerne County’s results.
Donald J TrumpRepublican59.2%92,444 votes
Kamala D HarrisDemocrat40.0%62,504 votesOthers: 0.8% (1,202 votes).
Most votes in Luzerne County: Donald J Trump
Pennsylvania: Trump 50.4%, Harris 48.7%
100% of Forty Fort lies in Luzerne County. Every 2024 race in Luzerne County is on the county’s page.
Luzerne 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 Forty Fort.
- 1Your cityMayor & councilOfficials: fortyfort.org ↗
- 2Pennsylvania HouseState representatives
- 3Pennsylvania SenateState senator
- 4GovernorStatewide
- 5U.S. HouseYour representative in Congress
- 6U.S. SenateBoth represent all of Pennsylvania
Democrat · Republican · other or independent. Tap a name for their official page.
How Forty Fort compares with the towns next door
Forty Fort spent $1,093 per resident in 2022; the 4 neighbors that reported 2022 spent $450 to $961. Towns that run more services spend more. Tap a town to see its page.
| Town | Day-to-day, per resident (2022) | Tax bill |
|---|---|---|
| Swoyersville | $450 | $2,064 |
| Wyoming | $535 | $2,912 |
| Kingston | $883 | $2,628 |
| Plains Township | $961 | $2,301 |
| Forty Fort | $1,093 | $2,506 |
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 Forty Fort’s government
The official site has phone numbers, hours and forms. Neighbors add the rest to the Handbook.
Questions about Forty Fort’s government
How much does Forty Fort spend per resident?
About $1,093 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 $1,093 was more than 75% of 290 Pennsylvania cities of 2,500–9,999 that don’t run their own schools.
What is the property tax rate in Forty Fort?
Homeowners report a typical bill of $2,506 a year (Census ACS, 2020–24), about 1.45% of the typical home’s value, vs 1.30% across Pennsylvania. For the official rate per $1,000 of assessed value, see fortyfort.org.
Who runs Forty Fort’s government?
See fortyfort.org for current officials. We name an official only when a public source lists a current term, and none does for Forty Fort yet.
How did Forty Fort vote in 2024?
Pennsylvania counts votes by county and precinct, not by borough, so there are no official results for Forty Fort alone. Luzerne County, where 100% of Forty Fort lies, voted Trump 59.2%, Harris 40.0% for president; its page has every race.
How many people work for Forty Fort?
15 full-time and 8 part-time employees in March 2025, with a March payroll of $92,197 (about $1.1M a year if every month were the same), as reported to the Census Bureau.
Who represents Forty Fort in the state legislature?
State Senate District 20 (Lisa Baker) and State House District 120 (Brenda Pugh). The House district also covers 13 other towns. Listed by Open States; districts from the Census Bureau.
Ask neighbors about Forty Fort’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 →