Photo: Jakec · CC BY-SA 4.0New Columbus spent more per resident in 2022 than 66% of similar cities
New Columbus’ borough government spent $142,000 on day-to-day services in the year to December 31, 2022, about $626 per resident.
What stands out about how New Columbus is run
Read from the borough’s budget and official records.
$626 per resident in 2022: more than 66% of them
New Columbus’ day-to-day spending in 2022 ($626 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. New Columbus spent more than 66% of 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; New Columbus itself left out).
About $626 per resident a year, or $1.72 a day
Day-to-day services only. The biggest line: roads & transportation, at 83%.
Thank you for being a neighbor
No trend yet
New Columbus reported only 2022 to the Census Bureau, so there is no trend yet.
The typical homeowner pays $1,700 a year
Every local property tax on the home: town, schools and county. About 0.91% 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 New Columbus’ 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 New Columbus’ Cost of living grade. Cost of living in New Columbus →
Who’s in charge in New Columbus
Names change after every election, so we link to the source that keeps them current.
Northwest Area School District
New Columbus’ K–12 school district, shared with Fairmount Township, Hunlock Township, Huntington Township, Shickshinny, Union Township. It’s its own government, with a budget separate from the town’s.
Of the $21,347 per pupil, $12,284 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.
New Columbus’ votes are counted by county
Pennsylvania reports official results by county and precinct, not by borough, so there are no official results for New Columbus 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 New Columbus 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 New Columbus.
- 1Your cityMayor & councilLocal officials aren’t on record yet.
- 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 New Columbus compares with the towns next door
New Columbus spent $626 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Huntington Township | $366 | $2,622 |
| Fishing Creek Township | $379 | $3,057 |
| Benton Township | $1,104 | $2,532 |
| New Columbus | $626 | $1,700 |
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 New Columbus’ government
Neighbors add phone numbers and hours to the Handbook.
Questions about New Columbus’ government
How much does New Columbus spend per resident?
About $626 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 $626 was more than 66% of 574 Pennsylvania cities of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools.
What is the property tax rate in New Columbus?
Homeowners report a typical bill of $1,700 a year (Census ACS, 2020–24), about 0.91% of the typical home’s value, vs 1.30% across Pennsylvania. For the official rate per $1,000 of assessed value, see the borough’s assessor.
Who runs New Columbus’ government?
We name an official only when a public source lists a current term, and none does for New Columbus yet.
How did New Columbus vote in 2024?
Pennsylvania counts votes by county and precinct, not by borough, so there are no official results for New Columbus alone. Luzerne County, where 100% of New Columbus lies, voted Trump 59.2%, Harris 40.0% for president; its page has every race.
How many people work for New Columbus?
0 full-time and 10 part-time employees in March 2022, with a March payroll of $3,630 (about $43,560 a year if every month were the same); Census Bureau estimates.
Who represents New Columbus in the state legislature?
State Senate District 27 (Lynda Culver) and State House District 117 (Jamie Walsh). The House district also covers 28 other towns. Listed by Open States; districts from the Census Bureau.
Ask neighbors about New Columbus’ 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 →