Bear Bluff spent more per resident in 2022 than 93% of similar towns
Bear Bluff’s town government spent $185,000 on day-to-day services in the year to December 31, 2022, about $1,285 per resident.
What stands out about how Bear Bluff is run
Read from the town’s budget and official records.
$1,285 per resident in 2022: more than 93% of them
Bear Bluff’s day-to-day spending in 2022 ($1,285 per resident, hospital and utilities left out) against 1113 Wisconsin towns and townships of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools: the median was $509, and the middle half spent $371–$727. Bear Bluff spent more than 93% of them.
Includes sewer and trash ($3,000), as the Census Bureau counts them. Later years come from a Census sample, so the comparison stays on 2022. How Town Hall compares budgets →
Wisconsin towns and townships of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools, 2022 Census of Governments (every government counted that year; Bear Bluff itself left out).
About $1,285 per resident a year, or $3.52 a day
Day-to-day services only. The biggest line: roads & transportation, at 79%.
Thank you for being a neighbor
No trend yet
Bear Bluff reported only 2022 to the Census Bureau, so there is no trend yet.
The typical homeowner pays $2,333 a year
Every local property tax on the home: town, schools and county. About 1.24% of the home’s value, vs 1.42% across Wisconsin.
Typical yearly bill next door and statewide
The Housing page’s calculator splits a monthly payment into loan, tax and insurance at Bear Bluff’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 Bear Bluff’s Cost of living grade. Cost of living in Bear Bluff →
Who’s in charge in Bear Bluff
Names change after every election, so we link to the source that keeps them current.
Tomah Area School District
Bear Bluff’s K–12 school district, shared with Byron, Camp Douglas, Kingston, La Grange, Lincoln and more. It’s its own government, with a budget separate from the town’s.
Of the $14,085 per pupil, $8,555 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.
Wisconsin districts overall: 39% local, 50% state, 11% federal.
School year 2023–24. Census Bureau school finance survey.
How Bear Bluff voted in 2024
Official results for Bear Bluff’s own voters, as certified after the November 5, 2024 general election, with the county and the state beside them.
Donald J TrumpRepublican86.9%73 votes
Kamala D HarrisDemocrat13.1%11 votesMost votes in Bear Bluff: Donald J Trump
Jackson County: Trump 59.1%, Harris 39.6% · Wisconsin: Trump 49.6%, Harris 48.7%
Most votes in Bear Bluff: Eric Hovde
Jackson County: Hovde 55.4%, Baldwin 41.5% · Wisconsin: Baldwin 49.3%, Hovde 48.5%
Most votes in the district: Tom Tiffany
Whole-district result
President, 2024: Bear Bluff, its county and the state
| Trump | Harris | Others | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bear Bluff | 86.9% | 13.1% | 0.0% | 84 |
| Jackson County | 59.1% | 39.6% | 1.3% | 10,502 |
| Wisconsin | 49.6% | 48.7% | 1.7% | 3,422,918 |
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 Bear Bluff.
- 1Your townTown governmentLocal officials aren’t on record yet.
- 2Wisconsin AssemblyState representatives
- 3Wisconsin SenateState senator
- 4GovernorStatewide
- 5U.S. HouseYour representative in Congress
- 6U.S. SenateBoth represent all of Wisconsin
Democrat · Republican · other or independent. Tap a name for their official page.
How Bear Bluff compares with the towns next door
Bear Bluff spent $1,285 per resident in 2022; the 5 neighbors that reported 2022 spent $811 to $2,260. Towns that run more services spend more. Tap a town to see its page.
| Town | Day-to-day, per resident (2022) | Tax bill |
|---|---|---|
| Knapp | $811 | $3,162 |
| Scott | $971 | — |
| Remington | $1,484 | $1,750 |
| Kingston | $2,067 | $199 |
| City Point | $2,260 | $2,324 |
| Bear Bluff | $1,285 | $2,333 |
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 Bear Bluff’s government
Neighbors add phone numbers and hours to the Handbook.
Questions about Bear Bluff’s government
How much does Bear Bluff spend per resident?
About $1,285 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 $1,285 was more than 93% of 1113 Wisconsin towns and townships of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools.
What is the property tax rate in Bear Bluff?
Homeowners report a typical bill of $2,333 a year (Census ACS, 2020–24), about 1.24% of the typical home’s value, vs 1.42% across Wisconsin. For the official rate per $1,000 of assessed value, see the town’s assessor.
Who runs Bear Bluff’s government?
We name an official only when a public source lists a current term, and none does for Bear Bluff yet.
How did Bear Bluff vote in 2024?
For president, Donald J Trump 86.9%, Kamala D Harris 13.1% (84 votes, official results). Jackson County: Trump 59.1%, Harris 39.6%. Wisconsin: Trump 49.6%, Harris 48.7%.
How many people work for Bear Bluff?
0 full-time and 6 part-time employees in March 2022, with a March payroll of $9,102 (about $109,224 a year if every month were the same), as reported to the Census Bureau.
Who represents Bear Bluff in the state legislature?
State Senate District 24 (Patrick Testin) and Assembly District 70 (Nancy VanderMeer). The Assembly district also covers 58 other towns. Listed by Open States; districts from the Census Bureau.
Ask neighbors about Bear Bluff’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 →