Bethel Township spent more per resident in 2022 than 73% of similar towns
Bethel Township’s town government spent $84,000 on day-to-day services in the year to March 31, 2022, about $488 per resident.
What stands out about how Bethel Township is run
Read from the town’s budget and official records.
$488 per resident in 2022: more than 73% of them
Bethel Township’s day-to-day spending in 2022 ($488 per resident, hospital and utilities left out) against 395 South Dakota towns and townships of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools: the median was $292, and the middle half spent $142–$516. Bethel Township spent more than 73% of them.
Later years come from a Census sample, so the comparison stays on 2022. How Town Hall compares budgets →
South Dakota towns and townships of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools, 2022 Census of Governments (every government counted that year; Bethel Township itself left out).
About $488 per resident a year, or $1.34 a day
Day-to-day services only. The biggest line: roads & transportation, at 98%.
Thank you for being a neighbor
No trend yet
Bethel Township reported only 2022 to the Census Bureau, so there is no trend yet.
The typical homeowner pays $1,854 a year
Every local property tax on the home: town, schools and county. About 1.02% of the home’s value, vs 1.06% across South Dakota.
Typical yearly bill next door and statewide
The Housing page’s calculator splits a monthly payment into loan, tax and insurance at Bethel Township’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 Bethel Township’s Cost of living grade. Cost of living in Bethel Township →
Who’s in charge in Bethel Township
Names change after every election, so we link to the source that keeps them current.
Irene-Wakonda School District 13-3
Bethel Township’s K–12 school district, shared with Irene, Wakonda, Star Township, Turkey Valley Township, Marindahl Township and more. It’s its own government, with a budget separate from the town’s.
Of the $15,072 per pupil, $8,628 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.
South Dakota districts overall: 50% local, 31% state, 19% federal.
Gayville-Volin School District 63-1 · $11,766 per pupil
School year 2023–24. Census Bureau school finance survey.
Bethel Township’s votes are counted by county
South Dakota reports official results by county and precinct, not by town, so there are no official results for Bethel Township alone, and we don’t estimate them. These are Clay County’s results.
Kamala D HarrisDemocrat52.0%2,944 votes
Donald J TrumpRepublican45.5%2,574 votesOthers: 2.5% (139 votes).
Most votes in Clay County: Kamala D Harris
South Dakota: Trump 63.4%, Harris 34.2%
100% of Bethel Township lies in Clay County. Every 2024 race in Clay County is on the county’s page.
Clay 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 Bethel Township.
- 1Your townTown governmentLocal officials aren’t on record yet.
- 2South Dakota HouseState representatives
- 3South Dakota SenateState senator
- 4GovernorStatewide
- 5U.S. HouseYour representative in Congress
- 6U.S. SenateBoth represent all of South Dakota
Democrat · Republican · other or independent. Tap a name for their official page.
How Bethel Township compares with the towns next door
Bethel Township spent $488 per resident in 2022; the 4 neighbors that reported 2022 spent $111 to $762. Towns that run more services spend more. Tap a town to see its page.
| Town | Day-to-day, per resident (2022) | Tax bill |
|---|---|---|
| Meckling Township | $111 | $2,500 |
| Pleasant Valley Township | $584 | $1,592 |
| Spirit Mound Township | $586 | $3,048 |
| Star Township | $762 | $1,929 |
| Volin Township | estimate | $3,154 |
| Bethel Township | $488 | $1,854 |
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 Bethel Township’s government
Neighbors add phone numbers and hours to the Handbook.
Questions about Bethel Township’s government
How much does Bethel Township spend per resident?
About $488 per resident on day-to-day services in the year to March 31, 2022, as reported to the Census Bureau. In 2022, the last full count, its $488 was more than 73% of 395 South Dakota towns and townships of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools.
What is the property tax rate in Bethel Township?
Homeowners report a typical bill of $1,854 a year (Census ACS, 2020–24), about 1.02% of the typical home’s value, vs 1.06% across South Dakota. For the official rate per $1,000 of assessed value, see the town’s assessor.
Who runs Bethel Township’s government?
We name an official only when a public source lists a current term, and none does for Bethel Township yet.
How did Bethel Township vote in 2024?
South Dakota counts votes by county and precinct, not by town, so there are no official results for Bethel Township alone. Clay County, where 100% of Bethel Township lies, voted Harris 52.0%, Trump 45.5% for president; its page has every race.
How many people work for Bethel Township?
0 full-time and 5 part-time employees in March 2022, with a March payroll of $242 (about $2,904 a year if every month were the same), as reported to the Census Bureau.
Who represents Bethel Township in the state legislature?
State Senate District 18 (Lauren Nelson) and State House District 18 (Julie Auch and Mike Stevens). The House district also covers 18 other towns. Listed by Open States; districts from the Census Bureau.
Ask neighbors about Bethel Township’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 →