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Town Hall · Vancouver

How is Vancouver run?

Vancouver’s city government spent $306.8 million on day-to-day services in the year to December 31, 2024, about $1,577 per resident. Water and other utilities ($54.4 million) are counted separately.

Town website
Next public meeting

Lodging Tax Advisory Committee

12:00 pm · 415 W 6th Street

All meetings →
Day-to-day spending, 2024
$306.8M
year to December 31, 2024
Per resident, 2024
$1,577
In 2022: $1,182, less than 52% of 23 similar cities
Long-term debt
$164.5M
end of 2024, reported
City staff, 2025
1,219
full-time · 150 part-time · March payroll $12.8M
Typical tax bill
$3,899
0.84% of home value · WA 0.81%

What stands out about how Vancouver is run

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

Agendas posted online6 upcoming meetings posted, with agendas.Runs its own water & sewer31% of day-to-day spending goes to water, sewer and trash (2024).Split between districts2 State House districts cover Vancouver; your street decides yours.Its own police and fire223 sworn officers and 240 full-time firefighters on the payroll.
★ What stands out · Meetings

6 upcoming meetings at town hall

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

Recent meetings

  • Nov3
    Culture, Arts and Heritage CommissionTuesday · 5:30 pm · 415 W 6th St, Vancouver, WA 98660Culture, Arts & Heritage Commission - November Special MeetingAgenda ↗Meeting page ↗
  • Nov3
    Transportation and Mobility CommissionTuesday · 4:30 pm · Vancouver City Hall, Aspen Room, 415 West 6th StreetAgenda ↗Meeting page ↗
  • Nov2
    City CouncilMonday · 4:30 pm · Vancouver City Hall, Council Chambers, 415 West 6th StreetCity Council MeetingAgenda ↗Meeting page ↗
  • Oct27
    Planning CommissionTuesday · 4:30 pm · Vancouver City Hall, Council Chambers, 415 West 6th StreetPlanning Commission - CancelledMeeting page ↗
  • Oct26
    City CouncilMonday · 4:00 pm · Vancouver City Hall, Council Chambers, 415 West 6th StreetCity Council MeetingAgenda ↗Meeting page ↗
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 $1,577 per resident a year, or $4.32 a day

Day-to-day services only. The biggest line: police, at 27%.

Where the money comes from
Sales taxes 28%Fees & charges 25%Property taxes 14%Utility sales 9%Interest, fines & other 7%Other taxes & licenses 7%From the federal government 5%From the state 4%From other local governments 1%
Not in the receipt.Building projects $104.7 million; interest on debt $3.7 million; payments to other governments $302,000. With these and the enterprises, the whole budget was $473 million.
Compared with similar places

$1,182 per resident in 2022, close to the middle of similar cities

Vancouver’s day-to-day spending in 2022 ($1,182 per resident, hospital and utilities left out) against 23 Washington cities of 100,000–249,999 that don’t run their own schools: the median was $1,251, and the middle half spent $896–$1,718. Vancouver spent less than 52% of them.

Middle half of the group, $896–$1,718Median $1,251Vancouver

Includes sewer and trash ($47.3 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

Washington cities of 100,000–249,999 that don’t run their own schools, 2022 Census of Governments (every government counted that year; Vancouver itself left out).

Over the years

Day-to-day spending is up 39% since 2022

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

Day-to-day spending by fiscal year

2022$220 million
2023$264.7 million
2024$306.8 million

Per resident: 2022: $1,182 · 2023: $1,378 · 2024: $1,577. Per resident it went from $1,182 to $1,577 (up 33%), partly because the Census population behind it changed from 186,192 to 194,512.

City staff
1,219

full-time in March 2025, up from 1,090 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 $3,899 a year

Every local property tax on the home: town, schools and county. About 0.84% of the home’s value, vs 0.81% across Washington.

What homes cost →

Typical yearly bill next door and statewide

Camas$6,361
Portland$5,743
Lake Shore$4,711
Washington$4,556
Vancouver$3,899
Orchards$3,815
Hazel Dell$3,750
Five Corners$3,731
Minnehaha$3,647
$3,899
typical bill a year
0.84%
effective rate
$462,400
typical home value (Census)
Your own bill

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

Who runs it

Who’s in charge in Vancouver

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

See cityofvancouver.us for Vancouver’s current officialsWe name an official only when a public source lists a current term. None does for Vancouver yet.cityofvancouver.us ↗
Who works for Vancouver

One full-time city employee for every 160 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 (194,512).

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

Police270
Fire248
Administration & buildings156 + 3 pt
Water & other utilities139
Parks & libraries53 + 141 pt
Sewer & trash105
Housing & development91
Roads & transportation61
Courts, inspections & corrections32
Other64 + 6 pt
1,219
full-time
150
part-time
$12.8M
payroll for March 2025
$153.9M
a year, estimated (March × 12)
$124,900
average full-time pay, before benefits (March × 12)
223
sworn police officers
240
full-time firefighters
Compared, 2022.Vancouver had 5.9 full-time staff per 1,000 residents in March 2022. The median for the 19 of the 23 Washington cities of 100,000–249,999 that don’t run their own schools that reported 2022 staff was 6.9: Vancouver had fewer than 58% 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

Evergreen School District (Clark)

Vancouver’s K–12 school district. It’s its own government, with a budget separate from the town’s.

Schools in Vancouver →
$18,601
per pupil · WA $18,444
22,053
students
$586.1 million
long-term debt

Of the $18,601 per pupil, $11,049 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 24%State 68%Federal 8%

Washington districts overall: 27% local, 66% state, 8% federal.

Also serving Vancouver

Vancouver Public Schools · $18,926 per pupil

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

Elections · 2024 general election

Vancouver’s votes are counted by county

Washington reports official results by county and precinct, not by city, so there are no official results for Vancouver alone, and we don’t estimate them. These are Clark County’s results.

President · Clark County’s results276,569 votes · results as certified
Kamala D HarrisKamala D HarrisDemocrat51.8%143,201 votes
Donald J TrumpDonald J TrumpRepublican44.8%123,995 votes

Others: 3.4% (9,373 votes).

Most votes in Clark County: Kamala D Harris

Washington: Harris 57.2%, Trump 39.0%

The county’s page

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

Clark 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 Vancouver

From town hall to Washington

Vancouver sends 4 representatives to the Washington House alone.

2024 results ↑
  1. 1
    Your cityMayor & council
    Officials: cityofvancouver.us ↗
  2. 2
    Washington HouseVancouver is split between 2 districts
    Monica StonierSharon WylieDave StuebeKevin Waters
  3. 3
    Washington SenateState senator
    Annette ClevelandPaul Harris
  4. 4
    GovernorStatewide
    Bob Ferguson
  5. 5
    U.S. HouseYour representative in Congress
    Marie Gluesenkamp Perez
  6. 6
    U.S. SenateBoth represent all of Washington
    Patty MurrayMaria Cantwell
Find your state legislators by address ↗

Democrat · Republican · other or independent. Tap a name for their official page.

Next door

How Vancouver compares with the towns next door

No neighbor is close in size, so the comparison above uses Washington cities of 100,000–249,999 that don’t run their own schools. Tap a town to see its page.

Hazel Dell: unincorporated, no town budgetMinnehaha: unincorporated, no town budgetFive Corners: unincorporated, no town budgetOrchards: unincorporated, no town budgetCamas: $1,535 per resident (2022)Lake Shore: unincorporated, no town budgetHazel DellMinnehahaFive CornersOrchardsCamasLake ShoreVancouver
Spends the leastSpends the mostEstimate or no figures
TownDay-to-day, per resident (2022)Tax bill
Camas$1,535$6,361
Vancouver$1,182$3,899

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 Vancouver’s government

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

The Handbook →
Official websitecityofvancouver.us ↗

Questions about Vancouver’s government

How much does Vancouver spend per resident?

About $1,577 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 $1,182 was less than 52% of 23 Washington cities of 100,000–249,999 that don’t run their own schools.

What is the property tax rate in Vancouver?

Homeowners report a typical bill of $3,899 a year (Census ACS, 2020–24), about 0.84% of the typical home’s value, vs 0.81% across Washington. For the official rate per $1,000 of assessed value, see cityofvancouver.us.

Who runs Vancouver’s government?

See cityofvancouver.us for current officials. We name an official only when a public source lists a current term, and none does for Vancouver yet.

How did Vancouver vote in 2024?

Washington counts votes by county and precinct, not by city, so there are no official results for Vancouver alone. Clark County, where 100% of Vancouver lies, voted Harris 51.8%, Trump 44.8% for president; its page has every race.

How many people work for Vancouver?

1,219 full-time and 150 part-time employees in March 2025, with a March payroll of $12.8M (about $153.9M a year if every month were the same), as reported to the Census Bureau.

Who represents Vancouver in the state legislature?

Vancouver is split among 2 State House districts and 2 State Senate districts, so your address decides. The Washington Legislature’s lookup finds yours. Listed by Open States; districts from the Census Bureau.

When is the next public meeting in Vancouver?

The next posted meeting is Lodging Tax Advisory Committee on Friday, November 6, at 12:00 pm in 415 W 6th Street, from the city’s own agenda portal.

Ask neighbors about Vancouver’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 →