Photo: Generic1139 · CC BY 3.0McDonald spent more per resident in 2022 than 68% of similar cities
McDonald’s borough government spent $1.3 million on day-to-day services in the year to December 31, 2022, about $652 per resident.
What stands out about how McDonald is run
Read from the borough’s budget and official records.
$652 per resident in 2022: more than 68% of them
McDonald’s day-to-day spending in 2022 ($652 per resident, hospital and utilities left out) against 574 Pennsylvania cities of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools: the median was $483, and the middle half spent $300–$726. McDonald spent more than 68% of them.
Includes sewer and trash ($2,000), 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 under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools, 2022 Census of Governments (every government counted that year; McDonald itself left out).
About $652 per resident a year, or $1.79 a day
Day-to-day services only. The biggest line: police, at 56%.
Thank you for being a neighbor
No trend yet
McDonald reported only 2022 to the Census Bureau, so there is no trend yet.
The typical homeowner pays $1,984 a year
Every local property tax on the home: town, schools and county. About 1.20% 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 McDonald’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 McDonald’s Cost of living grade. Cost of living in McDonald →
Who’s in charge in McDonald
Names change after every election, so we link to the source that keeps them current.
McDonald’s meeting calendar isn’t in our feed yet. The borough posts agendas and minutes on mcdonaldboro.com ↗.
One full-time borough employee for every 227 residents
On the payroll in March 2022, from the Census Bureau’s Annual Survey of Public Employment & Payroll. Residents: the Census population in the 2022 finance file (2,040).
By department full-time, plus part-time, March 2022
The Census reports one month’s payroll (March); yearly figures are that month × 12, an estimate. Part-timers count half in the bar lengths.
Fort Cherry School District
McDonald’s K–12 school district, shared with Midway, Mount Pleasant Township, Robinson Township. It’s its own government, with a budget separate from the town’s.
Of the $20,417 per pupil, $11,806 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.
McDonald’s votes are counted by county
Pennsylvania reports official results by county and precinct, not by borough, so there are no official results for McDonald alone, and we don’t estimate them. These are Washington County’s results.
Donald J TrumpRepublican62.4%75,929 votes
Kamala D HarrisDemocrat36.9%44,910 votesOthers: 0.6% (778 votes).
Most votes in Washington County: Donald J Trump
Pennsylvania: Trump 50.4%, Harris 48.7%
81% of McDonald lies in Washington County; the rest in Allegheny County. Every 2024 race in Washington County is on the county’s page.
Washington 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 McDonald.
- 1Your cityMayor & councilOfficials: mcdonaldboro.com ↗
- 2Pennsylvania HouseState representatives
- 3Pennsylvania SenateState senator
- 4GovernorStatewide
- 5U.S. HouseSplit between districts
- 6U.S. SenateBoth represent all of Pennsylvania
Democrat · Republican · other or independent. Tap a name for their official page.
How McDonald compares with the towns next door
McDonald spent $652 per resident in 2022. Most of its neighbors are townships, a different kind of government, so the like-for-like comparison is with similar cities, above. Tap a town to see its page.
| Town | Day-to-day, per resident (2022) | Tax bill |
|---|---|---|
| Cecil Township | $1,042 | $3,618 |
| South Fayette Township | $1,080 | $6,597 |
| North Fayette Township | $1,203 | $4,544 |
| Robinson Township | estimate | $2,276 |
| McDonald | $652 | $1,984 |
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 McDonald’s government
The official site has phone numbers, hours and forms. Neighbors add the rest to the Handbook.
Questions about McDonald’s government
How much does McDonald spend per resident?
About $652 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 $652 was more than 68% of 574 Pennsylvania cities of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools.
What is the property tax rate in McDonald?
Homeowners report a typical bill of $1,984 a year (Census ACS, 2020–24), about 1.20% of the typical home’s value, vs 1.30% across Pennsylvania. For the official rate per $1,000 of assessed value, see mcdonaldboro.com.
Who runs McDonald’s government?
See mcdonaldboro.com for current officials. We name an official only when a public source lists a current term, and none does for McDonald yet.
How did McDonald vote in 2024?
Pennsylvania counts votes by county and precinct, not by borough, so there are no official results for McDonald alone. Washington County, where 81% of McDonald lies, voted Trump 62.4%, Harris 36.9% for president; its page has every race.
How many people work for McDonald?
9 full-time and 8 part-time employees in March 2022, with a March payroll of $46,187 (about $554,244 a year if every month were the same), as reported to the Census Bureau.
Who represents McDonald in the state legislature?
McDonald is split among 2 State Senate districts, so your address decides. The Pennsylvania Legislature’s lookup finds yours. Listed by Open States; districts from the Census Bureau.
Ask neighbors about McDonald’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 →