Big Bend spent more per resident in 2022 than 84% of similar towns
Big Bend’s town government spent $319,000 on day-to-day services in the year to December 31, 2022, about $925 per resident.
What stands out about how Big Bend is run
Read from the town’s budget and official records.
$925 per resident in 2022: more than 84% of them
Big Bend’s day-to-day spending in 2022 ($925 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. Big Bend spent more than 84% of them.
Includes sewer and trash ($7,000), 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; Big Bend itself left out).
About $925 per resident a year, or $2.53 a day
Day-to-day services only. The biggest line: roads & transportation, at 63%.
Thank you for being a neighbor
No trend yet
Big Bend reported only 2022 to the Census Bureau, so there is no trend yet.
The typical homeowner pays $2,692 a year
Every local property tax on the home: town, schools and county. About 1.06% 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 Big Bend’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 Big Bend’s Cost of living grade. Cost of living in Big Bend →
Who’s in charge in Big Bend
Names change after every election, so we link to the source that keeps them current.
Big Bend’s meeting calendar isn’t in our feed yet. The town posts agendas and minutes on townofbigbend.com ↗.
Bruce School District
Big Bend’s K–12 school district, shared with Bruce, Exeland, Murry, Weirgor, Atlanta and more. It’s its own government, with a budget separate from the town’s.
Of the $17,617 per pupil, $10,627 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.
Chetek-Weyerhaeuser Area School District · $14,821 per pupil
School year 2023–24. Census Bureau school finance survey.
How Big Bend voted in 2024
Official results for Big Bend’s own voters, as certified after the November 5, 2024 general election, with the county and the state beside them.
Donald J TrumpRepublican66.6%217 votes
Kamala D HarrisDemocrat32.8%107 votesOthers: 0.6% (2 votes).
Most votes in Big Bend: Donald J Trump
Rusk County: Trump 68.4%, Harris 30.4% · Wisconsin: Trump 49.6%, Harris 48.7%
of Big Bend’s 403 adult citizens voted for president in 2024. Across Wisconsin: 76%.
Votes ÷ citizens of voting age (Census CVAP, 2020–24 ACS).
Most votes in Big Bend: Eric Hovde
Rusk County: Hovde 65.5%, Baldwin 31.1% · Wisconsin: Baldwin 49.3%, Hovde 48.5%
Most votes in the district: Tom Tiffany
Whole-district result
President, 2024: Big Bend, its county and the state
| Trump | Harris | Others | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Big Bend | 66.6% | 32.8% | 0.6% | 326 |
| Rusk County | 68.4% | 30.4% | 1.1% | 8,270 |
| 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 Big Bend.
- 1Your townTown governmentOfficials: townofbigbend.com ↗
- 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 Big Bend compares with the towns next door
Big Bend spent $925 per resident in 2022; the 4 neighbors that reported 2022 spent $469 to $784. Towns that run more services spend more. Tap a town to see its page.
| Town | Day-to-day, per resident (2022) | Tax bill |
|---|---|---|
| Sampson | $469 | $2,941 |
| Stubbs | $591 | $1,617 |
| Washington | $655 | $2,604 |
| Rusk | $784 | $2,065 |
| Big Bend | $925 | $2,692 |
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 Big Bend’s government
The official site has phone numbers, hours and forms. Neighbors add the rest to the Handbook.
Questions about Big Bend’s government
How much does Big Bend spend per resident?
About $925 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 $925 was more than 84% of 1113 Wisconsin towns and townships of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools.
What is the property tax rate in Big Bend?
Homeowners report a typical bill of $2,692 a year (Census ACS, 2020–24), about 1.06% of the typical home’s value, vs 1.42% across Wisconsin. For the official rate per $1,000 of assessed value, see townofbigbend.com.
Who runs Big Bend’s government?
See townofbigbend.com for current officials. We name an official only when a public source lists a current term, and none does for Big Bend yet.
How did Big Bend vote in 2024?
For president, Donald J Trump 66.6%, Kamala D Harris 32.8% (326 votes, official results). Rusk County: Trump 68.4%, Harris 30.4%. Wisconsin: Trump 49.6%, Harris 48.7%.
How many people work for Big Bend?
0 full-time and 11 part-time employees in March 2022, with a March payroll of $3,120 (about $37,440 a year if every month were the same), as reported to the Census Bureau.
Who represents Big Bend in the state legislature?
State Senate District 23 (Jesse James) and Assembly District 68 (Rob Summerfield). The Assembly district also covers 92 other towns. Listed by Open States; districts from the Census Bureau.
Ask neighbors about Big Bend’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 →