Estelline Township spent less per resident in 2022 than 66% of similar towns
Estelline Township’s town government spent $72,000 on day-to-day services in the year to December 31, 2022, about $205 per resident.
What stands out about how Estelline Township is run
Read from the town’s budget and official records.
$205 per resident in 2022: less than 66% of them
Estelline Township’s day-to-day spending in 2022 ($205 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 $293, and the middle half spent $142–$516. Estelline Township spent less than 66% 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; Estelline Township itself left out).
About $205 per resident a year, or $0.56 a day
Day-to-day services only. The biggest line: roads & transportation, at 94%.
Thank you for being a neighbor
Revenue is well above spending. That usually means Estelline Township collects property taxes for the school district and county and passes them on, so only its own spending is counted.
No trend yet
Estelline Township reported only 2022 to the Census Bureau, so there is no trend yet.
The typical homeowner pays $3,357 a year
Every local property tax on the home: town, schools and county. About 1.38% 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 Estelline 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 Estelline Township’s Cost of living grade. Cost of living in Estelline Township →
Who’s in charge in Estelline Township
Names change after every election, so we link to the source that keeps them current.
Estelline School District 28-2
Estelline Township’s K–12 school district, shared with Estelline, Grange Township, Preston Township, Hidewood Township, Eureka Township and more. It’s its own government, with a budget separate from the town’s.
Of the $15,611 per pupil, $9,222 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.
Estelline 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 Estelline Township alone, and we don’t estimate them. These are Hamlin County’s results.
Donald J TrumpRepublican79.4%2,560 votes
Kamala D HarrisDemocrat18.9%610 votesOthers: 1.7% (56 votes).
Most votes in Hamlin County: Donald J Trump
South Dakota: Trump 63.4%, Harris 34.2%
100% of Estelline Township lies in Hamlin County. Every 2024 race in Hamlin County is on the county’s page.
Hamlin 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 Estelline 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 Estelline Township compares with the towns next door
Estelline Township spent $205 per resident in 2022; the 3 neighbors that reported 2022 spent $169 to $332. Towns that run more services spend more. Tap a town to see its page.
| Town | Day-to-day, per resident (2022) | Tax bill |
|---|---|---|
| Florence Township | $169 | $2,955 |
| Grange Township | $248 | $2,795 |
| Preston Township | $332 | — |
| Laketon Township | estimate | $2,300 |
| Norden Township | estimate | $2,346 |
| Estelline Township | $205 | $3,357 |
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 Estelline Township’s government
Neighbors add phone numbers and hours to the Handbook.
Questions about Estelline Township’s government
How much does Estelline Township spend per resident?
About $205 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 $205 was less than 66% 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 Estelline Township?
Homeowners report a typical bill of $3,357 a year (Census ACS, 2020–24), about 1.38% 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 Estelline Township’s government?
We name an official only when a public source lists a current term, and none does for Estelline Township yet.
How did Estelline Township vote in 2024?
South Dakota counts votes by county and precinct, not by town, so there are no official results for Estelline Township alone. Hamlin County, where 100% of Estelline Township lies, voted Trump 79.4%, Harris 18.9% for president; its page has every race.
How many people work for Estelline Township?
0 full-time and 5 part-time employees in March 2022, with a March payroll of $637 (about $7,644 a year if every month were the same), as reported to the Census Bureau.
Who represents Estelline Township in the state legislature?
State Senate District 4 (Stephanie Sauder) and State House District 4 (Dylan Jordan and Kent Roe). The House district also covers 122 other towns. Listed by Open States; districts from the Census Bureau.
Ask neighbors about Estelline 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 →