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Spearfish historic commercial district, Lawrence County, SDPhoto: JERRYE AND ROY KLOTZ MD · CC BY-SA 3.0
Town Hall · Spearfish

How is Spearfish run?

Spearfish’s city government spent $18.7 million on day-to-day services in the year to December 31, 2024, about $1,445 per resident. Water and other utilities ($1.4 million) are counted separately.

Town website
Next public meeting

General

5:30 pm · City Hall, 625 N 5th St

All meetings →
Day-to-day spending, 2024
$18.7M
year to December 31, 2024
Per resident, 2024
$1,445
In 2022: $1,254, less than 52% of 23 similar cities
Long-term debt
$36.6M
end of 2024, reported
City staff, 2025
109
full-time · 66 part-time · March payroll $770,740
Typical tax bill
$3,183
0.92% of home value · SD 1.06%

What stands out about how Spearfish is run

Read from the city’s budget, meetings and official records.

Agendas posted online6 upcoming meetings posted, with agendas.Runs its own water & sewer21% of day-to-day spending goes to water, sewer and trash (2024).A shared school districtShares Spearfish School District 40-2 with 1 other town.Its own police and fire20 sworn officers and 3 full-time firefighters on the payroll.
★ What stands out · Meetings

6 upcoming meetings at town hall

From Spearfish’s own agenda portal, checked daily. Agendas can change up to the meeting, so check before you go.

Recent meetings

Go in person

Most meetings are open to the public, and many have a public comment period at the start.

Agenda portal ↗
Your share of the 2024 budget

About $1,445 per resident a year, or $3.96 a day

Day-to-day services only. The biggest line: parks & libraries, at 25%.

Where the money comes from
Sales taxes 35%Fees & charges 21%Interest, fines & other 19%Utility sales 10%Property taxes 10%From the state 2%Other taxes & licenses 2%From other local governments 1%From the federal government <1%
Not in the receipt.Building projects $17.3 million; interest on debt $1.3 million. With these and the enterprises, the whole budget was $38.9 million.
Compared with similar places

$1,254 per resident in 2022, close to the middle of similar cities

Spearfish’s day-to-day spending in 2022 ($1,254 per resident, hospital and utilities left out) against 23 South Dakota cities of 10,000–24,999 that don’t run their own schools: the median was $1,291, and the middle half spent $836–$1,647. Spearfish spent less than 52% of them.

Middle half of the group, $836–$1,647Median $1,291Spearfish

Includes sewer and trash ($2.3 million), 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
23

South Dakota cities of 10,000–24,999 that don’t run their own schools, 2022 Census of Governments (every government counted that year; Spearfish itself left out).

Over the years

Day-to-day spending is up 25% since 2022

Day-to-day services, in dollars, in the years Spearfish reported to the Census Bureau. Prices rose too: about 4% a year in 2022–2024.

Day-to-day spending by fiscal year

2022$14.9 million
2023$16.5 million
2024$18.7 million

Per resident: 2022: $1,254 · 2023: $1,333 · 2024: $1,445. Per resident it went from $1,254 to $1,445 (up 15%), partly because the Census population behind it changed from 11,900 to 12,914.

City staff
109

full-time in March 2025, up from 105 in 2022.

Building projects, interest and enterprises (hospital, utilities) are left out, so a big construction year doesn’t read as growth.

Property tax

The typical homeowner pays $3,183 a year

Every local property tax on the home: town, schools and county. About 0.92% of the home’s value, vs 1.06% across South Dakota.

What homes cost →

Typical yearly bill next door and statewide

Mountain Plains$6,148
Spearfish$3,183
South Dakota$2,724
North Spearfish$2,554
$3,183
typical bill a year
0.92%
effective rate
$346,200
typical home value (Census)
Your own bill

The Housing page’s calculator splits a monthly payment into loan, tax and insurance at Spearfish’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.

Tax bills are one input to Spearfish’s Cost of living grade. Cost of living in Spearfish →

Who runs it

Who’s in charge in Spearfish

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

See cityofspearfish.com for Spearfish’s current officialsWe name an official only when a public source lists a current term. None does for Spearfish yet.cityofspearfish.com ↗
Who works for Spearfish

One full-time city employee for every 118 residents

On the payroll in March 2025, from the Census Bureau’s Annual Survey of Public Employment & Payroll. Residents: the Census population in the 2024 finance file (12,914).

By department full-time, plus part-time, March 2025

Police29 + 2 pt
Parks & libraries22 + 15 pt
Fire3 + 36 pt
Roads & transportation14
Sewer & trash12 + 2 pt
Administration & buildings7 + 8 pt
Water & other utilities7 + 2 pt
Courts, inspections & corrections1
Health & welfare1
Housing & development0 + 1 pt
Other13
109
full-time
66
part-time
$770,740
payroll for March 2025
$9.2M
a year, estimated (March × 12)
$78,600
average full-time pay, before benefits (March × 12)
20
sworn police officers
3
full-time firefighters
Compared, 2022.Spearfish had 8.8 full-time staff per 1,000 residents in March 2022. The median for the 16 of the 23 South Dakota cities of 10,000–24,999 that don’t run their own schools that reported 2022 staff was 10.0: Spearfish had fewer than 62% 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

Spearfish School District 40-2

Spearfish’s K–12 school district, shared with St. Onge Township. It’s its own government, with a budget separate from the town’s.

Schools in Spearfish →
$10,621
per pupil · SD $13,040
2,387
students
$14.6 million
long-term debt

Of the $10,621 per pupil, $6,873 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 63%State 27%Federal 9%

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

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

Elections · 2024 general election

Spearfish’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 Spearfish alone, and we don’t estimate them. These are Lawrence County’s results.

President · Lawrence County’s results15,409 votes · results as certified
Donald J TrumpDonald J TrumpRepublican64.3%9,904 votes
Kamala D HarrisKamala D HarrisDemocrat32.9%5,074 votes

Others: 2.8% (431 votes).

Most votes in Lawrence County: Donald J Trump

South Dakota: Trump 63.4%, Harris 34.2%

The county’s page

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

Lawrence 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 Spearfish

From town hall to Washington

Every level of government that speaks for Spearfish.

2024 results ↑
  1. 1
    Your cityMayor & council
    Officials: cityofspearfish.com ↗
  2. 2
    South Dakota HouseState representatives
    Mary FitzgeraldScott Odenbach
  3. 3
    South Dakota SenateState senator
    Randy Deibert
  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.

Next door

How Spearfish compares with the towns next door

Spearfish spent $1,254 per resident in 2022. Towns that run more services spend more. Tap a town to see its page.

North Spearfish: unincorporated, no town budgetMountain Plains: unincorporated, no town budgetNorth SpearfishMountain PlainsSpearfish
Spends the leastSpends the mostEstimate or no figures
TownDay-to-day, per resident (2022)Tax bill
Spearfish$1,254$3,183

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 Spearfish’s government

The official site has phone numbers, hours and forms. Neighbors add the rest to the Handbook.

The Handbook →
Official websitecityofspearfish.com ↗

Questions about Spearfish’s government

How much does Spearfish spend per resident?

About $1,445 per resident on day-to-day services in the year to December 31, 2024, as reported to the Census Bureau. In 2022, the last full count, its $1,254 was less than 52% of 23 South Dakota cities of 10,000–24,999 that don’t run their own schools.

What is the property tax rate in Spearfish?

Homeowners report a typical bill of $3,183 a year (Census ACS, 2020–24), about 0.92% of the typical home’s value, vs 1.06% across South Dakota. For the official rate per $1,000 of assessed value, see cityofspearfish.com.

Who runs Spearfish’s government?

See cityofspearfish.com for current officials. We name an official only when a public source lists a current term, and none does for Spearfish yet.

How did Spearfish vote in 2024?

South Dakota counts votes by county and precinct, not by city, so there are no official results for Spearfish alone. Lawrence County, where 100% of Spearfish lies, voted Trump 64.3%, Harris 32.9% for president; its page has every race.

How many people work for Spearfish?

109 full-time and 66 part-time employees in March 2025, with a March payroll of $770,740 (about $9.2M a year if every month were the same), as reported to the Census Bureau.

Who represents Spearfish in the state legislature?

State Senate District 31 (Randy Deibert) and State House District 31 (Mary Fitzgerald and Scott Odenbach). The House district also covers five other towns. Listed by Open States; districts from the Census Bureau.

When is the next public meeting in Spearfish?

The next posted meeting is General on Monday, November 2, at 5:30 pm in City Hall, 625 N 5th St, from the city’s own agenda portal.

Ask neighbors about Spearfish’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 →