Fern School · Photo: TheCatalyst31 · CC0Fern spent more per resident in 2022 than 89% of similar towns
Fern’s town government spent $165,000 on day-to-day services in the year to December 31, 2022, about $1,065 per resident.
What stands out about how Fern is run
Read from the town’s budget and official records.
$1,065 per resident in 2022: more than 89% of them
Fern’s day-to-day spending in 2022 ($1,065 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. Fern spent more than 89% of them.
Includes sewer and trash ($18,000), 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; Fern itself left out).
About $1,065 per resident a year, or $2.92 a day
Day-to-day services only. The biggest line: roads & transportation, at 57%.
Thank you for being a neighbor
Revenue is well above spending. That usually means Fern collects property taxes for the school district and county and passes them on, so only its own spending is counted.
No trend yet
Fern reported only 2022 to the Census Bureau, so there is no trend yet.
The typical homeowner pays $3,773 a year
Every local property tax on the home: town, schools and county. About 1.25% 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 Fern’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 Fern’s Cost of living grade. Cost of living in Fern →
Who’s in charge in Fern
Names change after every election, so we link to the source that keeps them current.
Florence School District
Fern’s K–12 school district, shared with Aurora, Commonwealth, Fence, Florence, Homestead and more. It’s its own government, with a budget separate from the town’s.
Of the $21,651 per pupil, $11,094 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 Fern voted in 2024
Official results for Fern’s own voters, as certified after the November 5, 2024 general election, with the county and the state beside them.
Donald J TrumpRepublican80.0%112 votes
Kamala D HarrisDemocrat19.3%27 votesOthers: 0.7% (1 votes).
Most votes in Fern: Donald J Trump
Florence County: Trump 74.6%, Harris 24.8% · Wisconsin: Trump 49.6%, Harris 48.7%
Most votes in Fern: Eric Hovde
Florence County: Hovde 72.5%, Baldwin 25.1% · Wisconsin: Baldwin 49.3%, Hovde 48.5%
Most votes in the district: Tom Tiffany
Whole-district result
President, 2024: Fern, its county and the state
| Trump | Harris | Others | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fern | 80.0% | 19.3% | 0.7% | 140 |
| Florence County | 74.6% | 24.8% | 0.6% | 3,158 |
| 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 Fern.
- 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 Fern compares with the towns next door
Fern spent $1,065 per resident in 2022; the 3 neighbors that reported 2022 spent $308 to $1,486. Towns that run more services spend more. Tap a town to see its page.
| Town | Day-to-day, per resident (2022) | Tax bill |
|---|---|---|
| Commonwealth | $308 | $1,879 |
| Florence | $793 | $2,681 |
| Fence | $1,486 | $1,494 |
| Fern | $1,065 | $3,773 |
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 Fern’s government
Neighbors add phone numbers and hours to the Handbook.
Questions about Fern’s government
How much does Fern spend per resident?
About $1,065 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 $1,065 was more than 89% of 1113 Wisconsin towns and townships of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools.
What is the property tax rate in Fern?
Homeowners report a typical bill of $3,773 a year (Census ACS, 2020–24), about 1.25% 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 Fern’s government?
We name an official only when a public source lists a current term, and none does for Fern yet.
How did Fern vote in 2024?
For president, Donald J Trump 80.0%, Kamala D Harris 19.3% (140 votes, official results). Florence County: Trump 74.6%, Harris 24.8%. Wisconsin: Trump 49.6%, Harris 48.7%.
How many people work for Fern?
0 full-time and 8 part-time employees in March 2022, with a March payroll of $9,493 (about $113,916 a year if every month were the same), as reported to the Census Bureau.
Who represents Fern in the state legislature?
State Senate District 12 (Mary Felzkowski) and Assembly District 36 (Jeff Mursau). The Assembly district also covers 53 other towns. Listed by Open States; districts from the Census Bureau.
Ask neighbors about Fern’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 →