Davis spent less per resident in 2022 than 85% of similar cities
Davis’ town government spent $22,000 on day-to-day services in the year to December 31, 2022, about $253 per resident.
What stands out about how Davis is run
Read from the town’s budget and official records.
$253 per resident in 2022: less than 85% of them
Davis’ day-to-day spending in 2022 ($253 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 $770, and the middle half spent $378–$1,182. Davis spent less than 85% 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; Davis itself left out).
About $253 per resident a year, or $0.69 a day
Day-to-day services only. The biggest line: administration & buildings, at 41%.
Thank you for being a neighbor
No trend yet
Davis reported only 2022 to the Census Bureau, so there is no trend yet.
The typical homeowner pays $1,000 a year
Every local property tax on the home: town, schools and county. About 1.05% 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 Davis’ 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 Davis’ Cost of living grade. Cost of living in Davis →
Who’s in charge in Davis
Names change after every election, so we link to the source that keeps them current.
Viborg Hurley School District 60-6
Davis’ K–12 school district, shared with Hurley, Swan Lake Township, Viborg, Hurley Township, Spring Valley Township and more. It’s its own government, with a budget separate from the town’s.
Of the $11,852 per pupil, $6,631 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.
Davis’ votes are counted by county
South Dakota reports official results by county and precinct, not by town, so there are no official results for Davis alone, and we don’t estimate them. These are Turner County’s results.
Donald J TrumpRepublican74.3%3,374 votes
Kamala D HarrisDemocrat23.0%1,044 votesOthers: 2.6% (120 votes).
Most votes in Turner County: Donald J Trump
South Dakota: Trump 63.4%, Harris 34.2%
100% of Davis lies in Turner County. Every 2024 race in Turner County is on the county’s page.
Turner 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 Davis.
- 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 Davis compares with the towns next door
Davis spent $253 per resident in 2022. Towns that run more services spend more. Tap a town to see its page.
| Town | Day-to-day, per resident (2022) | Tax bill |
|---|---|---|
| Turner Township | estimate | $2,040 |
| Middleton Township | estimate | — |
| Davis | $253 | $1,000 |
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 Davis’ government
Neighbors add phone numbers and hours to the Handbook.
Questions about Davis’ government
How much does Davis spend per resident?
About $253 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 $253 was less than 85% of 124 South Dakota cities of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools.
What is the property tax rate in Davis?
Homeowners report a typical bill of $1,000 a year (Census ACS, 2020–24), about 1.05% 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 Davis’ government?
We name an official only when a public source lists a current term, and none does for Davis yet.
How did Davis vote in 2024?
South Dakota counts votes by county and precinct, not by town, so there are no official results for Davis alone. Turner County, where 100% of Davis lies, voted Trump 74.3%, Harris 23.0% for president; its page has every race.
How many people work for Davis?
0 full-time and 4 part-time employees in March 2022, with a March payroll of $644 (about $7,728 a year if every month were the same); Census Bureau estimates.
Who represents Davis in the state legislature?
State Senate District 16 (Kevin Jensen) and State House District 16 (John Shubeck and Karla Lems). The House district also covers 54 other towns. Listed by Open States; districts from the Census Bureau.
Ask neighbors about Davis’ 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 →