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St. Peter's Catholic ChurchSt. Peter's Catholic Church · Photo: Ammodramus · CC0
Town Hall · Jefferson

Jefferson spent more per resident in 2022 than 77% of similar cities

Jefferson’s city government spent $630,000 on day-to-day services in the year to December 31, 2022, about $1,223 per resident. Water and other utilities ($73,000) are counted separately.

Election Day

Tomorrow

General election in South Dakota.

Register or check: vote.gov ↗
Day-to-day spending, 2022
$630,000
year to December 31, 2022
Per resident, 2022
$1,223
In 2022: $1,223, more than 77% of 124 similar cities
Long-term debt
$38,000
end of 2022, reported
City staff, 2022
3
full-time · 13 part-time · March payroll $17,307
Typical tax bill
$2,284
1.27% of home value · SD 1.06%

What stands out about how Jefferson is run

Read from the city’s budget and official records.

Spends more than most similar citiesIn 2022: $1,223 per resident, more than 77% of 124 similar cities.Runs its own water & sewer23% of day-to-day spending goes to water, sewer and trash (2022).A shared school districtShares Elk Point-Jefferson School District 61-7 with 6+ other towns.
Compared with similar places

$1,223 per resident in 2022: more than 77% of them

Jefferson’s day-to-day spending in 2022 ($1,223 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. Jefferson spent more than 77% of them.

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

Includes sewer and trash ($87,000), 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; Jefferson itself left out).

Your share of the 2022 budget

About $1,223 per resident a year, or $3.35 a day

Day-to-day services only. The biggest line: administration & buildings, at 36%.

Where the money comes from
Sales taxes 31%Property taxes 27%From the state 15%Fees & charges 14%Utility sales 11%Other taxes & licenses 2%From other local governments 1%Interest, fines & other <1%
Not in the receipt.Interest on debt $2,000. With these and the enterprises, the whole budget was $705,000.
Over the years

No trend yet

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

Property tax

The typical homeowner pays $2,284 a year

Every local property tax on the home: town, schools and county. About 1.27% 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
Jefferson$2,284
$2,284
typical bill a year
1.27%
effective rate
$179,400
typical home value (Census)
Your own bill

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

Who runs it

Who’s in charge in Jefferson

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

Check Jefferson’s own website for current officialsWe name an official only when a public source lists a current term. None does for Jefferson yet.
Who works for Jefferson

One full-time city employee for every 172 residents

On the payroll in March 2022, from the Census Bureau’s Annual Survey of Public Employment & Payroll. Residents: the Census population in the 2022 finance file (515).

By department full-time, plus part-time, March 2022

Administration & buildings1 + 7 pt
Police1 + 1 pt
Parks & libraries1
Sewer & trash0 + 2 pt
Water & other utilities0 + 2 pt
Roads & transportation0 + 1 pt
3
full-time
13
part-time
$17,307
payroll for March 2022
$207,684
a year, estimated (March × 12)
$41,300
average full-time pay, before benefits (March × 12)
1
sworn police officers
Compared, 2022.Jefferson had 5.8 full-time staff per 1,000 residents in March 2022. The median for the 100 of the 124 South Dakota cities of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools that reported 2022 staff was 0.0: Jefferson had more than 68% of them. Same group and year as the budget comparison.

The Census reports one month’s payroll (March); yearly figures are that month × 12, an estimate. Part-timers count half in the bar lengths.

The school district

Elk Point-Jefferson School District 61-7

Jefferson’s K–12 school district, shared with Elk Point, Elk Point Township, Civil Bend Township, Sioux Valley Township, Brule Township and more. It’s its own government, with a budget separate from the town’s.

Schools in Jefferson →
$11,861
per pupil · SD $13,040
690
students
None
long-term debt

Of the $11,861 per pupil, $6,965 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 58%State 36%Federal 6%

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

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

Elections · 2024 general election

Jefferson’s votes are counted by county

South Dakota reports official results by county and precinct, not by city, so there are no official results for Jefferson alone, and we don’t estimate them. These are Union County’s results.

President · Union County’s results8,876 votes · results as certified
Donald J TrumpDonald J TrumpRepublican69.4%6,160 votes
Kamala D HarrisKamala D HarrisDemocrat28.7%2,548 votes

Others: 1.9% (168 votes).

Most votes in Union County: Donald J Trump

South Dakota: Trump 63.4%, Harris 34.2%

The county’s page

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

Union 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 Jefferson

From town hall to Washington

Every level of government that speaks for Jefferson.

2024 results ↑
  1. 1
    Your cityMayor & council
    Local officials aren’t on record yet.
  2. 2
    South Dakota HouseState representatives
    Chris KassinWilliam Shorma
  3. 3
    South Dakota SenateState senator
    Sydney Davis
  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 Jefferson’s government

Neighbors add phone numbers and hours to the Handbook.

The Handbook →

Questions about Jefferson’s government

How much does Jefferson spend per resident?

About $1,223 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 $1,223 was more than 77% of 124 South Dakota cities of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools.

What is the property tax rate in Jefferson?

Homeowners report a typical bill of $2,284 a year (Census ACS, 2020–24), about 1.27% of the typical home’s value, vs 1.06% across South Dakota. For the official rate per $1,000 of assessed value, see the city’s assessor.

Who runs Jefferson’s government?

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

How did Jefferson vote in 2024?

South Dakota counts votes by county and precinct, not by city, so there are no official results for Jefferson alone. Union County, where 100% of Jefferson lies, voted Trump 69.4%, Harris 28.7% for president; its page has every race.

How many people work for Jefferson?

3 full-time and 13 part-time employees in March 2022, with a March payroll of $17,307 (about $207,684 a year if every month were the same), as reported to the Census Bureau.

Who represents Jefferson in the state legislature?

State Senate District 17 (Sydney Davis) and State House District 17 (Chris Kassin and William Shorma). The House district also covers 17 other towns. Listed by Open States; districts from the Census Bureau.

Ask neighbors about Jefferson’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 →