How is Howard Township run?
Howard Township’s town government spent $76,000 on day-to-day services in the year to December 31, 2022, about $276 per resident.
What stands out about how Howard Township is run
Read from the town’s budget and official records.
Andes Central School District 11-1
Howard Township’s K–12 school district, shared with Lake Andes, Pickstown, Ravinia, White Swan Township, Goose Lake Township and more. It’s its own government, with a budget separate from the town’s.
Of the $20,047 per pupil, $11,143 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.
Armour School District 21-1 · $14,165 per pupil
Wagner School District 11-4 · $16,919 per pupil
School year 2023–24. Census Bureau school finance survey.
About $276 per resident a year, or $0.76 a day
Day-to-day services only. The biggest line: roads & transportation, at 95%.
Thank you for being a neighbor
$276 per resident in 2022, close to the middle of similar towns
Howard Township’s day-to-day spending in 2022 ($276 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. Howard Township spent less than 54% 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; Howard Township itself left out).
No trend yet
Howard Township reported only 2022 to the Census Bureau, so there is no trend yet.
The typical homeowner pays $1,403 a year
Every local property tax on the home: town, schools and county. About 0.56% 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 Howard 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 Howard Township’s Cost of living grade. Cost of living in Howard Township →
Who’s in charge in Howard Township
Names change after every election, so we link to the source that keeps them current.
Howard 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 Howard Township alone, and we don’t estimate them. These are Charles Mix County’s results.
Donald J TrumpRepublican70.6%2,551 votes
Kamala D HarrisDemocrat27.7%1,000 votesOthers: 1.8% (64 votes).
Most votes in Charles Mix County: Donald J Trump
South Dakota: Trump 63.4%, Harris 34.2%
100% of Howard Township lies in Charles Mix County. Every 2024 race in Charles Mix County is on the county’s page.
Charles Mix 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 Howard 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 Howard Township compares with the towns next door
Howard Township spent $276 per resident in 2022; the 3 neighbors that reported 2022 spent $311 to $1,286. Towns that run more services spend more. Tap a town to see its page.
| Town | Day-to-day, per resident (2022) | Tax bill |
|---|---|---|
| Chester Township | $311 | — |
| Plain Center Township | $423 | $2,154 |
| Kennedy Township | $1,286 | — |
| Moore Township | estimate | $1,028 |
| Goose Lake Township | estimate | $1,333 |
| Howard Township | $276 | $1,403 |
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 Howard Township’s government
Neighbors add phone numbers and hours to the Handbook.
Questions about Howard Township’s government
How much does Howard Township spend per resident?
About $276 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 $276 was less than 54% 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 Howard Township?
Homeowners report a typical bill of $1,403 a year (Census ACS, 2020–24), about 0.56% 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 Howard Township’s government?
We name an official only when a public source lists a current term, and none does for Howard Township yet.
How did Howard Township vote in 2024?
South Dakota counts votes by county and precinct, not by town, so there are no official results for Howard Township alone. Charles Mix County, where 100% of Howard Township lies, voted Trump 70.6%, Harris 27.7% for president; its page has every race.
How many people work for Howard Township?
0 full-time and 5 part-time employees in March 2022, with a March payroll of $510 (about $6,120 a year if every month were the same), as reported to the Census Bureau.
Who represents Howard Township 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 Howard 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 →