Carthage spent more per resident in 2022 than 77% of similar cities
Carthage’s city government spent $161,000 on day-to-day services in the year to December 31, 2022, about $1,248 per resident.
What stands out about how Carthage is run
Read from the city’s budget and official records.
$1,248 per resident in 2022: more than 77% of them
Carthage’s day-to-day spending in 2022 ($1,248 per resident, hospital and utilities left out) against 124 South Dakota cities of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools: the median was $747, and the middle half spent $370–$1,166. Carthage spent more than 77% of them.
Later years come from a Census sample, so the comparison stays on 2022. How Town Hall compares budgets →
South Dakota cities of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools, 2022 Census of Governments (every government counted that year; Carthage itself left out).
About $1,248 per resident a year, or $3.42 a day
Day-to-day services only. The biggest line: roads & transportation, at 45%.
Thank you for being a neighbor
No trend yet
Carthage reported only 2022 to the Census Bureau, so there is no trend yet.
The typical homeowner pays $431 a year
Every local property tax on the home: town, schools and county. About 0.53% 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 Carthage’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 Carthage’s Cost of living grade. Cost of living in Carthage →
Who’s in charge in Carthage
Names change after every election, so we link to the source that keeps them current.
Howard School District 48-3
Carthage’s K–12 school district, shared with Adams Township, Canova, Canova Township, Carthage Township, Clearwater Township and more. It’s its own government, with a budget separate from the town’s.
Of the $14,652 per pupil, $8,095 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.
School year 2023–24. Census Bureau school finance survey.
Carthage’s votes are counted by county
South Dakota reports official results by county and precinct, not by city, so there are no official results for Carthage alone, and we don’t estimate them. These are Miner County’s results.
Donald J TrumpRepublican72.1%841 votes
Kamala D HarrisDemocrat25.1%293 votesOthers: 2.8% (33 votes).
Most votes in Miner County: Donald J Trump
South Dakota: Trump 63.4%, Harris 34.2%
100% of Carthage lies in Miner County. Every 2024 race in Miner County is on the county’s page.
Miner 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 Carthage.
- 1Your cityMayor & councilLocal 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 Carthage compares with the towns next door
Carthage spent $1,248 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Carthage Township | $595 | — |
| Carthage | $1,248 | $431 |
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 Carthage’s government
Neighbors add phone numbers and hours to the Handbook.
Questions about Carthage’s government
How much does Carthage spend per resident?
About $1,248 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 $1,248 was more than 77% of 124 South Dakota cities of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools.
What is the property tax rate in Carthage?
Homeowners report a typical bill of $431 a year (Census ACS, 2020–24), about 0.53% of the typical home’s value, vs 1.06% across South Dakota. For the official rate per $1,000 of assessed value, see the city’s assessor.
Who runs Carthage’s government?
We name an official only when a public source lists a current term, and none does for Carthage yet.
How did Carthage vote in 2024?
South Dakota counts votes by county and precinct, not by city, so there are no official results for Carthage alone. Miner County, where 100% of Carthage lies, voted Trump 72.1%, Harris 25.1% for president; its page has every race.
How many people work for Carthage?
0 full-time and 8 part-time employees in March 2022, with a March payroll of $1,024 (about $12,288 a year if every month were the same), as reported to the Census Bureau.
Who represents Carthage in the state legislature?
State Senate District 8 (Casey Crabtree) and State House District 8 (Tim Reisch and Tim Walburg). The House district also covers 85 other towns. Listed by Open States; districts from the Census Bureau.
Ask neighbors about Carthage’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 →