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Town Hall · Norristown

Norristown spent more per resident in 2022 than 66% of similar cities

Norristown’s borough government spent $42 million on day-to-day services in the year to December 31, 2022, about $1,223 per resident.

Town website
Next public meeting

Municipal Council

6:30 pm

All meetings →
Day-to-day spending, 2022
$42.0M
year to December 31, 2022
Per resident, 2022
$1,223
In 2022: $1,223, more than 66% of 56 similar cities
Long-term debt
$27.3M
end of 2022, reported
Borough staff, 2025
160
full-time · 22 part-time · March payroll $1.3M
Typical tax bill
$4,638
2.17% of home value · PA 1.30%

What stands out about how Norristown is run

Read from the borough’s budget, meetings and official records.

Agendas posted online4 upcoming meetings posted, with agendas.Spends more than most similar citiesIn 2022: $1,223 per resident, more than 66% of 56 similar cities.A shared school districtShares Norristown Area School District with 2 other towns.Its own police and fire59 sworn officers and 23 full-time firefighters on the payroll.
★ What stands out · Meetings

4 upcoming meetings at town hall

From Norristown’s own agenda portal, checked daily. Agendas can change up to the meeting, so check before you go.

Recent meetings

Go in person

Most meetings are open to the public, and many have a public comment period at the start.

Agenda portal ↗
Your share of the 2022 budget

About $1,223 per resident a year, or $3.35 a day

Day-to-day services only. The biggest line: police, at 36%.

Where the money comes from
Property taxes 36%Income taxes 26%Fees & charges 14%Other taxes & licenses 9%From the state 5%From the federal government 5%Interest, fines & other 3%From other local governments 1%Sales taxes 1%
Not in the receipt.Building projects $6 million; interest on debt $1.1 million. With these, the whole budget was $49 million.
Compared with similar places

$1,223 per resident in 2022: more than 66% of them

Norristown’s day-to-day spending in 2022 ($1,223 per resident, hospital and utilities left out) against 56 Pennsylvania cities of 25,000–49,999 that don’t run their own schools: the median was $1,023, and the middle half spent $879–$1,269. Norristown spent more than 66% of them.

Middle half of the group, $879–$1,269Median $1,023Norristown

Includes sewer and trash ($5.1 million), as the Census Bureau counts them. Later years come from a Census sample, so the comparison stays on 2022. How Town Hall compares budgets →

The group
56

Pennsylvania cities of 25,000–49,999 that don’t run their own schools, 2022 Census of Governments (every government counted that year; Norristown itself left out).

Over the years

No trend yet

Norristown reported only 2022 to the Census Bureau, so there is no trend yet.

Borough staff
160

full-time in March 2025, up from 156 in 2022.

Property tax

The typical homeowner pays $4,638 a year

Every local property tax on the home: town, schools and county. About 2.17% of the home’s value, vs 1.30% across Pennsylvania.

What homes cost →

Typical yearly bill next door and statewide

East Norriton Township$6,333
West Norriton Township$5,366
Norristown$4,638
Plymouth Township$4,167
Upper Merion Township$4,159
Pennsylvania$3,311
Swedesburg$3,063
Bridgeport$2,788
$4,638
typical bill a year
2.17%
effective rate
$213,900
typical home value (Census)
Your own bill

The Housing page’s calculator splits a monthly payment into loan, tax and insurance at Norristown’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 Norristown’s Cost of living grade. Cost of living in Norristown →

Who runs it

Who’s in charge in Norristown

Names change after every election, so we link to the source that keeps them current.

See norristown.org for Norristown’s current officialsWe name an official only when a public source lists a current term. None does for Norristown yet.norristown.org ↗
Who works for Norristown

One full-time borough employee for every 215 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 (34,323).

By department full-time, plus part-time, March 2025

Police73 + 16 pt
Administration & buildings32
Fire23
Roads & transportation14 + 1 pt
Parks & libraries4 + 5 pt
Sewer & trash5
Other9
160
full-time
22
part-time
$1.3M
payroll for March 2025
$16.1M
a year, estimated (March × 12)
$98,100
average full-time pay, before benefits (March × 12)
59
sworn police officers
23
full-time firefighters
Compared, 2022.Norristown had 4.5 full-time staff per 1,000 residents in March 2022. The median for the 33 of the 56 Pennsylvania cities of 25,000–49,999 that don’t run their own schools that reported 2022 staff was 5.1: Norristown had fewer than 55% of them. Same group and year as the budget comparison.

The Census reports one month’s payroll (March); yearly figures are that month × 12, an estimate. Part-timers count half in the bar lengths.

The school district

Norristown Area School District

Norristown’s K–12 school district, shared with East Norriton Township, West Norriton Township. It’s its own government, with a budget separate from the town’s.

Schools in Norristown →
$20,821
per pupil · PA $21,758
7,662
students
$75.7 million
long-term debt

Of the $20,821 per pupil, $12,447 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.

The district: schools, scores and graduation →

Where the district’s money comes from
Local 63%State 28%Federal 9%

Pennsylvania districts overall: 55% local, 37% state, 8% federal.

School year 2023–24. Census Bureau school finance survey.

Elections · 2024 general election

Norristown’s votes are counted by county

Pennsylvania reports official results by county and precinct, not by borough, so there are no official results for Norristown alone, and we don’t estimate them. These are Montgomery County’s results.

President · Montgomery County’s results520,906 votes · results as certified
Kamala D HarrisKamala D HarrisDemocrat60.9%317,103 votes
Donald J TrumpDonald J TrumpRepublican38.1%198,311 votes

Others: 1.1% (5,492 votes).

Most votes in Montgomery County: Kamala D Harris

Pennsylvania: Trump 50.4%, Harris 48.7%

The county’s page

100% of Norristown lies in Montgomery County. Every 2024 race in Montgomery County is on the county’s page.

Montgomery County’s 2024 results →
DemocratRepublicanLibertarianIndependent / other

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.

Who represents Norristown

From town hall to Washington

Every level of government that speaks for Norristown.

2024 results ↑
  1. 1
    Your cityMayor & council
    Officials: norristown.org ↗
  2. 2
    Pennsylvania HouseState representatives
    Greg Scott
  3. 3
    Pennsylvania SenateState senator
    Amanda Cappelletti
  4. 4
    GovernorStatewide
    Josh Shapiro
  5. 5
    U.S. HouseYour representative in Congress
    Mary Gay Scanlon
  6. 6
    U.S. SenateBoth represent all of Pennsylvania
    John FettermanDavid McCormick

Democrat · Republican · other or independent. Tap a name for their official page.

Next door

How Norristown compares with the towns next door

Norristown spent $1,223 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.

Bridgeport: $1,257 per resident (2022)West Norriton Township: $885 per resident (2022)Plymouth Township: $1,830 per resident (2022)East Norriton Township: $852 per resident (2022)Swedesburg: unincorporated, no town budgetUpper Merion Township: $1,404 per resident (2022)BridgeportWest Norriton TownshipPlymouth TownshipEast Norriton TownshipSwedesburgUpper Merion TownshipNorristown
Spends the leastSpends the mostEstimate or no figures
TownDay-to-day, per resident (2022)Tax bill
East Norriton Township$852$6,333
West Norriton Township$885$5,366
Bridgeport$1,257$2,788
Upper Merion Township$1,404$4,159
Plymouth Township$1,830$4,167
Norristown$1,223$4,638

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 Norristown’s government

The official site has phone numbers, hours and forms. Neighbors add the rest to the Handbook.

The Handbook →
Official websitenorristown.org ↗

Questions about Norristown’s government

How much does Norristown spend per resident?

About $1,223 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 $1,223 was more than 66% of 56 Pennsylvania cities of 25,000–49,999 that don’t run their own schools.

What is the property tax rate in Norristown?

Homeowners report a typical bill of $4,638 a year (Census ACS, 2020–24), about 2.17% of the typical home’s value, vs 1.30% across Pennsylvania. For the official rate per $1,000 of assessed value, see norristown.org.

Who runs Norristown’s government?

See norristown.org for current officials. We name an official only when a public source lists a current term, and none does for Norristown yet.

How did Norristown vote in 2024?

Pennsylvania counts votes by county and precinct, not by borough, so there are no official results for Norristown alone. Montgomery County, where 100% of Norristown lies, voted Harris 60.9%, Trump 38.1% for president; its page has every race.

How many people work for Norristown?

160 full-time and 22 part-time employees in March 2025, with a March payroll of $1.3M (about $16.1M a year if every month were the same), as reported to the Census Bureau.

Who represents Norristown in the state legislature?

State Senate District 17 (Amanda Cappelletti) and State House District 54 (Greg Scott). The House district also covers two neighboring towns. Listed by Open States; districts from the Census Bureau.

When is the next public meeting in Norristown?

The next posted meeting is Municipal Council on Monday, November 16, at 6:30 pm, from the borough’s own agenda portal.

Ask neighbors about Norristown’s government

Neighbors who’ve been to the meetings can help.

Town Square →
Ask neighbors

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 →