Emerson Township spent more per resident in 2022 than 82% of similar towns
Emerson Township’s town government spent $21,000 on day-to-day services in the year to December 31, 2022, about $618 per resident.
What stands out about how Emerson Township is run
Read from the town’s budget and official records.
$618 per resident in 2022: more than 82% of them
Emerson Township’s day-to-day spending in 2022 ($618 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–$513. Emerson Township spent more than 82% 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; Emerson Township itself left out).
About $618 per resident a year, or $1.69 a day
Day-to-day services only. The biggest line: roads & transportation, at 95%.
Thank you for being a neighbor
No trend yet
Emerson Township reported only 2022 to the Census Bureau, so there is no trend yet.
Who’s in charge in Emerson Township
Names change after every election, so we link to the source that keeps them current.
Faulkton School District 24-4
Emerson Township’s K–12 school district, shared with Arcade Township, Bryant Township, Centerville Township, Enterprise Township, Faulkton and more. It’s its own government, with a budget separate from the town’s.
Of the $12,949 per pupil, $7,992 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.
Northwestern Area School District 56-7 · $13,471 per pupil
Ipswich School District 22-6 · $12,149 per pupil
School year 2023–24. Census Bureau school finance survey.
Emerson 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 Emerson Township alone, and we don’t estimate them. These are Faulk County’s results.
Donald J TrumpRepublican81.4%920 votes
Kamala D HarrisDemocrat16.2%183 votesOthers: 2.4% (27 votes).
Most votes in Faulk County: Donald J Trump
South Dakota: Trump 63.4%, Harris 34.2%
100% of Emerson Township lies in Faulk County. Every 2024 race in Faulk County is on the county’s page.
Faulk 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 Emerson 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 Emerson Township compares with the towns next door
Emerson Township spent $618 per resident in 2022; the 3 neighbors that reported 2022 spent $24 to $404. Towns that run more services spend more. Tap a town to see its page.
| Town | Day-to-day, per resident (2022) | Tax bill |
|---|---|---|
| Myron Township | $24 | — |
| Freedom Township | $125 | $467 |
| Fairview Township | $404 | — |
| Powell Township | estimate | — |
| Emerson Township | $618 | — |
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 Emerson Township’s government
Neighbors add phone numbers and hours to the Handbook.
Questions about Emerson Township’s government
How much does Emerson Township spend per resident?
About $618 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 $618 was more than 82% of 395 South Dakota towns and townships of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools.
Who runs Emerson Township’s government?
We name an official only when a public source lists a current term, and none does for Emerson Township yet.
How did Emerson Township vote in 2024?
South Dakota counts votes by county and precinct, not by town, so there are no official results for Emerson Township alone. Faulk County, where 100% of Emerson Township lies, voted Trump 81.4%, Harris 16.2% for president; its page has every race.
How many people work for Emerson Township?
0 full-time and 4 part-time employees in March 2022, with a March payroll of $900 (about $10,800 a year if every month were the same), as reported to the Census Bureau.
Who represents Emerson Township in the state legislature?
State Senate District 23 (Mark Lapka) and State House District 23 (Scott Moore and Spencer Gosch). The House district also covers 131 other towns. Listed by Open States; districts from the Census Bureau.
Ask neighbors about Emerson 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 →