Rising Star Flouring Mill · Photo: Jeff the quiet · CC0Nelsonville spent less per resident in 2022 than 97% of similar cities
Nelsonville’s village government spent $72,000 on day-to-day services in the year to December 31, 2022, about $477 per resident.
What stands out about how Nelsonville is run
Read from the village’s budget and official records.
$477 per resident in 2022: less than 97% of them
Nelsonville’s day-to-day spending in 2022 ($477 per resident, hospital and utilities left out) against 375 Wisconsin cities of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools: the median was $1,107, and the middle half spent $866–$1,431. Nelsonville spent less than 97% of them.
Includes sewer and trash ($13,000), 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 cities of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools, 2022 Census of Governments (every government counted that year; Nelsonville itself left out).
About $477 per resident a year, or $1.31 a day
Day-to-day services only. The biggest line: administration & buildings, at 38%.
Thank you for being a neighbor
No trend yet
Nelsonville reported only 2022 to the Census Bureau, so there is no trend yet.
The typical homeowner pays $1,650 a year
Every local property tax on the home: town, schools and county. About 1.03% 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 Nelsonville’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 Nelsonville’s Cost of living grade. Cost of living in Nelsonville →
Who’s in charge in Nelsonville
Names change after every election, so we link to the source that keeps them current.
Tomorrow River School District
Nelsonville’s K–12 school district, shared with Amherst Junction, Amherst, Amherst, Lanark, New Hope and more. It’s its own government, with a budget separate from the town’s.
Of the $13,024 per pupil, $8,536 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 Nelsonville voted in 2024
Official results for Nelsonville’s own voters, as certified after the November 5, 2024 general election, with the county and the state beside them.
Kamala D HarrisDemocrat59.6%62 votes
Donald J TrumpRepublican39.4%41 votesOthers: 1.0% (1 votes).
Most votes in Nelsonville: Kamala D Harris
Portage County: Harris 49.7%, Trump 48.5% · Wisconsin: Trump 49.6%, Harris 48.7%
Most votes in Nelsonville: Tammy Baldwin
Portage County: Baldwin 51.2%, Hovde 46.8% · Wisconsin: Baldwin 49.3%, Hovde 48.5%
Most votes in the district: Derrick Van Orden
Whole-district result
President, 2024: Nelsonville, its county and the state
| Harris | Trump | Others | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nelsonville | 59.6% | 39.4% | 1.0% | 104 |
| Portage County | 49.7% | 48.5% | 1.8% | 43,258 |
| Wisconsin | 48.7% | 49.6% | 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 Nelsonville.
- 1Your cityMayor & councilLocal 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 Nelsonville compares with the towns next door
Nelsonville spent $477 per resident in 2022. Most of its neighbors are townships, a different kind of government, so the like-for-like comparison is with similar cities, above. Tap a town to see its page.
| Town | Day-to-day, per resident (2022) | Tax bill |
|---|---|---|
| Amherst | $584 | $3,744 |
| Nelsonville | $477 | $1,650 |
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 Nelsonville’s government
Neighbors add phone numbers and hours to the Handbook.
Questions about Nelsonville’s government
How much does Nelsonville spend per resident?
About $477 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 $477 was less than 97% of 375 Wisconsin cities of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools.
What is the property tax rate in Nelsonville?
Homeowners report a typical bill of $1,650 a year (Census ACS, 2020–24), about 1.03% of the typical home’s value, vs 1.42% across Wisconsin. For the official rate per $1,000 of assessed value, see the village’s assessor.
Who runs Nelsonville’s government?
We name an official only when a public source lists a current term, and none does for Nelsonville yet.
How did Nelsonville vote in 2024?
For president, Kamala D Harris 59.6%, Donald J Trump 39.4% (104 votes, official results). Portage County: Harris 49.7%, Trump 48.5%. Wisconsin: Trump 49.6%, Harris 48.7%.
How many people work for Nelsonville?
0 full-time and 4 part-time employees in March 2022, with a March payroll of $5,167 (about $62,004 a year if every month were the same), as reported to the Census Bureau.
Who represents Nelsonville in the state legislature?
State Senate District 24 (Patrick Testin) and Assembly District 71 (Vinnie Miresse). The Assembly district also covers 15 other towns. Listed by Open States; districts from the Census Bureau.
Ask neighbors about Nelsonville’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 →