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Gregory County State BankGregory County State Bank · Photo: Ammodramus · CC0
Town Hall · Fairfax

Fairfax spent more per resident in 2022 than 95% of similar cities

Fairfax’s town government spent $257,000 on day-to-day services in the year to December 31, 2022, about $2,197 per resident.

Election Day

Today

General election in South Dakota.

Register or check: vote.gov ↗
Day-to-day spending, 2022
$257,000
year to December 31, 2022
Per resident, 2022
$2,197
In 2022: $2,197, more than 95% of 124 similar cities
Long-term debt
$41,000
end of 2022, reported
Town staff, 2022
0
full-time · 5 part-time · March payroll $1,070
Typical tax bill
$1,053
1.70% of home value · SD 1.06%

What stands out about how Fairfax is run

Read from the town’s budget and official records.

Spends more than most similar citiesIn 2022: $2,197 per resident, more than 95% of 124 similar cities.A shared school districtShares South Central School District 26-5 with 5 other towns.Low bills, a higher rateThe typical bill is $1,053 a year: 1.70% of the home’s value, vs 1.06% across South Dakota.
Compared with similar places

$2,197 per resident in 2022: more than 95% of them

Fairfax’s day-to-day spending in 2022 ($2,197 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. Fairfax spent more than 95% of them.

Middle half of the group, $370–$1,166Median $747Fairfax

Includes sewer and trash ($8,000), as the Census Bureau counts them. Later years come from a Census sample, so the comparison stays on 2022. How Town Hall compares budgets →

The group
124

South Dakota cities of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools, 2022 Census of Governments (every government counted that year; Fairfax itself left out).

Your share of the 2022 budget

About $2,197 per resident a year, or $6.02 a day

Day-to-day services only. The biggest line: administration & buildings, at 30%.

Where the money comes from
Sales taxes 43%Property taxes 27%Fees & charges 17%From the state 9%Other taxes & licenses 4%
Not in the receipt.Interest on debt $2,000. With these and the enterprises, the whole budget was $261,000.
About “Other”.40% of Fairfax’s day-to-day spending ($102,000) is filed by the Census Bureau outside the named functions above, so the receipt can’t say what it buys.
Over the years

No trend yet

Fairfax reported only 2022 to the Census Bureau, so there is no trend yet.

Property tax

The typical homeowner pays $1,053 a year

Every local property tax on the home: town, schools and county. About 1.70% of the home’s value, vs 1.06% across South Dakota.

What homes cost →

Typical yearly bill next door and statewide

South Dakota$2,724
Fairfax$1,053
$1,053
typical bill a year
1.70%
effective rate
$62,100
typical home value (Census)
Your own bill

The Housing page’s calculator splits a monthly payment into loan, tax and insurance at Fairfax’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 Fairfax’s Cost of living grade. Cost of living in Fairfax →

Who runs it

Who’s in charge in Fairfax

Names change after every election, so we link to the source that keeps them current.

Check Fairfax’s own website for current officialsWe name an official only when a public source lists a current term. None does for Fairfax yet.
The school district

South Central School District 26-5

Fairfax’s K–12 school district, shared with Bonesteel, Fairfax Township, Pleasant Valley Township, Schriever Township, Star Valley Township. It’s its own government, with a budget separate from the town’s.

Schools in Fairfax →
$15,581
per pupil · SD $13,040
93
students
None
long-term debt

Of the $15,581 per pupil, $7,097 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.

The district: schools, scores and graduation →

Where the district’s money comes from
Local 41%State 13%Federal 47%

South Dakota districts overall: 50% local, 31% state, 19% federal.

School year 2023–24. Census Bureau school finance survey.

Elections · 2024 general election

Fairfax’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 Fairfax alone, and we don’t estimate them. These are Gregory County’s results.

President · Gregory County’s results2,267 votes · results as certified
Donald J TrumpDonald J TrumpRepublican79.0%1,790 votes
Kamala D HarrisKamala D HarrisDemocrat18.8%426 votes

Others: 2.2% (51 votes).

Most votes in Gregory County: Donald J Trump

South Dakota: Trump 63.4%, Harris 34.2%

The county’s page

100% of Fairfax lies in Gregory County. Every 2024 race in Gregory County is on the county’s page.

Gregory County’s 2024 results →
DemocratRepublicanLibertarianIndependent / other

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.

Who represents Fairfax

From town hall to Washington

Every level of government that speaks for Fairfax.

2024 results ↑
  1. 1
    Your townTown government
    Local officials aren’t on record yet.
  2. 2
    South Dakota HouseState representatives
    Jim HalversonMarty Overweg
  3. 3
    South Dakota SenateState senator
    MyKala Voita
  4. 4
    GovernorStatewide
    Larry Rhoden
  5. 5
    U.S. HouseYour representative in Congress
    Dusty Johnson
  6. 6
    U.S. SenateBoth represent all of South Dakota
    John ThuneMike Rounds

Democrat · Republican · other or independent. Tap a name for their official page.

Reach Fairfax’s government

Neighbors add phone numbers and hours to the Handbook.

The Handbook →

Questions about Fairfax’s government

How much does Fairfax spend per resident?

About $2,197 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 $2,197 was more than 95% of 124 South Dakota cities of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools.

What is the property tax rate in Fairfax?

Homeowners report a typical bill of $1,053 a year (Census ACS, 2020–24), about 1.70% 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 Fairfax’s government?

We name an official only when a public source lists a current term, and none does for Fairfax yet.

How did Fairfax vote in 2024?

South Dakota counts votes by county and precinct, not by town, so there are no official results for Fairfax alone. Gregory County, where 100% of Fairfax lies, voted Trump 79.0%, Harris 18.8% for president; its page has every race.

How many people work for Fairfax?

0 full-time and 5 part-time employees in March 2022, with a March payroll of $1,070 (about $12,840 a year if every month were the same), as reported to the Census Bureau.

Who represents Fairfax in the state legislature?

State Senate District 21 (MyKala Voita) and State House District 21 (Jim Halverson and Marty Overweg). The House district also covers 129 other towns. Listed by Open States; districts from the Census Bureau.

Ask neighbors about Fairfax’s government

Neighbors who’ve been to the meetings can help.

Town Square →
Ask neighbors

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 →