Sample-Lindblaum House · Photo: Ammodramus · CC0Star Township spent more per resident in 2022 than 88% of similar towns
Star Township’s town government spent $99,000 on day-to-day services in the year to February 28, 2022, about $762 per resident.
What stands out about how Star Township is run
Read from the town’s budget and official records.
$762 per resident in 2022: more than 88% of them
Star Township’s day-to-day spending in 2022 ($762 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–$513. Star Township spent more than 88% 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; Star Township itself left out).
About $762 per resident a year, or $2.09 a day
Day-to-day services only. The biggest line: roads & transportation, at 96%.
Thank you for being a neighbor
No trend yet
Star Township reported only 2022 to the Census Bureau, so there is no trend yet.
The typical homeowner pays $1,929 a year
Every local property tax on the home: town, schools and county. About 0.57% 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 Star 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 Star Township’s Cost of living grade. Cost of living in Star Township →
Who’s in charge in Star Township
Names change after every election, so we link to the source that keeps them current.
Irene-Wakonda School District 13-3
Star Township’s K–12 school district, shared with Irene, Wakonda, Bethel Township, Turkey Valley Township, Marindahl Township and more. It’s its own government, with a budget separate from the town’s.
Of the $15,072 per pupil, $8,628 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.
Centerville School District 60-1 · $12,371 per pupil
School year 2023–24. Census Bureau school finance survey.
Star 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 Star Township alone, and we don’t estimate them. These are Clay County’s results.
Kamala D HarrisDemocrat52.0%2,944 votes
Donald J TrumpRepublican45.5%2,574 votesOthers: 2.5% (139 votes).
Most votes in Clay County: Kamala D Harris
South Dakota: Trump 63.4%, Harris 34.2%
100% of Star Township lies in Clay County. Every 2024 race in Clay County is on the county’s page.
Clay 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 Star 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 Star Township compares with the towns next door
Star Township spent $762 per resident in 2022; the 3 neighbors that reported 2022 spent $140 to $1,012. Towns that run more services spend more. Tap a town to see its page.
| Town | Day-to-day, per resident (2022) | Tax bill |
|---|---|---|
| Daneville Township | $140 | $2,971 |
| Bethel Township | $488 | $1,854 |
| Irene | $1,012 | $1,395 |
| Marindahl Township | estimate | $1,659 |
| Riverside Township | estimate | $2,318 |
| Star Township | $762 | $1,929 |
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 Star Township’s government
Neighbors add phone numbers and hours to the Handbook.
Questions about Star Township’s government
How much does Star Township spend per resident?
About $762 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 $762 was more than 88% 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 Star Township?
Homeowners report a typical bill of $1,929 a year (Census ACS, 2020–24), about 0.57% 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 Star Township’s government?
We name an official only when a public source lists a current term, and none does for Star Township yet.
How did Star Township vote in 2024?
South Dakota counts votes by county and precinct, not by town, so there are no official results for Star Township alone. Clay County, where 100% of Star Township lies, voted Harris 52.0%, Trump 45.5% for president; its page has every race.
How many people work for Star Township?
0 full-time and 5 part-time employees in March 2022, with a March payroll of $62 (about $744 a year if every month were the same), as reported to the Census Bureau.
Who represents Star Township in the state legislature?
State Senate District 18 (Lauren Nelson) and State House District 18 (Julie Auch and Mike Stevens). The House district also covers 18 other towns. Listed by Open States; districts from the Census Bureau.
Ask neighbors about Star 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 →