How is Gem Township run?
Gem Township’s town government spent $84,000 on day-to-day services in the year to February 28, 2022, about $384 per resident.
What stands out about how Gem Township is run
Read from the town’s budget and official records.
Aberdeen School District 06-1
Gem Township’s K–12 school district, shared with Aberdeen, Aberdeen Township, Mercier Township, Prairiewood Township, Ravinia Township and more. It’s its own government, with a budget separate from the town’s.
Of the $11,519 per pupil, $7,006 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.
Groton Area School District 06-6 · $12,329 per pupil
Warner School District 06-5 · $12,506 per pupil
School year 2023–24. Census Bureau school finance survey.
About $384 per resident a year, or $1.05 a day
Day-to-day services only. The biggest line: roads & transportation, at 85%.
Thank you for being a neighbor
Revenue is well above spending. That usually means Gem Township collects property taxes for the school district and county and passes them on, so only its own spending is counted.
$384 per resident in 2022, close to the middle of similar towns
Gem Township’s day-to-day spending in 2022 ($384 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–$516. Gem Township spent more than 63% 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; Gem Township itself left out).
No trend yet
Gem Township reported only 2022 to the Census Bureau, so there is no trend yet.
The typical homeowner pays $1,679 a year
Every local property tax on the home: town, schools and county. About 0.49% 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 Gem 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 Gem Township’s Cost of living grade. Cost of living in Gem Township →
Who’s in charge in Gem Township
Names change after every election, so we link to the source that keeps them current.
Gem 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 Gem Township alone, and we don’t estimate them. These are Brown County’s results.
Donald J TrumpRepublican62.5%10,645 votes
Kamala D HarrisDemocrat35.6%6,075 votesOthers: 1.9% (323 votes).
Most votes in Brown County: Donald J Trump
South Dakota: Trump 63.4%, Harris 34.2%
100% of Gem Township lies in Brown County. Every 2024 race in Brown County is on the county’s page.
Brown 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 Gem 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 Gem Township compares with the towns next door
Gem Township spent $384 per resident in 2022; the 3 neighbors that reported 2022 spent $118 to $493. Towns that run more services spend more. Tap a town to see its page.
| Town | Day-to-day, per resident (2022) | Tax bill |
|---|---|---|
| Bath Township | $118 | $1,512 |
| Warner Township | $290 | $1,500 |
| West Hanson Township | $493 | — |
| Gem Township | $384 | $1,679 |
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 Gem Township’s government
Neighbors add phone numbers and hours to the Handbook.
Questions about Gem Township’s government
How much does Gem Township spend per resident?
About $384 per resident on day-to-day services in the year to February 28, 2022, as reported to the Census Bureau. In 2022, the last full count, its $384 was more than 63% 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 Gem Township?
Homeowners report a typical bill of $1,679 a year (Census ACS, 2020–24), about 0.49% 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 Gem Township’s government?
We name an official only when a public source lists a current term, and none does for Gem Township yet.
How did Gem Township vote in 2024?
South Dakota counts votes by county and precinct, not by town, so there are no official results for Gem Township alone. Brown County, where 100% of Gem Township lies, voted Trump 62.5%, Harris 35.6% for president; its page has every race.
How many people work for Gem Township?
0 full-time and 5 part-time employees in March 2022, with a March payroll of $596 (about $7,152 a year if every month were the same); Census Bureau estimates.
Who represents Gem Township in the state legislature?
State Senate District 1 (Michael Rohl) and State House District 1 (Logan Manhart and Nick Fosness). The House district also covers 150 other towns. Listed by Open States; districts from the Census Bureau.
Ask neighbors about Gem 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 →