Rockdale spent less per resident in 2022 than 81% of similar cities
Rockdale’s village government spent $171,000 on day-to-day services in the year to December 31, 2022, about $792 per resident.
What stands out about how Rockdale is run
Read from the village’s budget and official records.
$792 per resident in 2022: less than 81% of them
Rockdale’s day-to-day spending in 2022 ($792 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. Rockdale spent less than 81% of them.
Includes sewer and trash ($88,000), 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; Rockdale itself left out).
About $792 per resident a year, or $2.17 a day
Day-to-day services only. The biggest line: sewer & trash, at 51%.
Thank you for being a neighbor
No trend yet
Rockdale reported only 2022 to the Census Bureau, so there is no trend yet.
The typical homeowner pays $3,735 a year
Every local property tax on the home: town, schools and county. About 1.28% 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 Rockdale’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 Rockdale’s Cost of living grade. Cost of living in Rockdale →
Who’s in charge in Rockdale
Names change after every election, so we link to the source that keeps them current.
Rockdale’s meeting calendar isn’t in our feed yet. The village posts agendas and minutes on villageofrockdale.com ↗.
Cambridge School District
Rockdale’s K–12 school district, shared with Cambridge, Christiana, Oakland. It’s its own government, with a budget separate from the town’s.
Of the $16,978 per pupil, $9,067 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 Rockdale voted in 2024
Official results for Rockdale’s own voters, as certified after the November 5, 2024 general election, with the county and the state beside them.
Kamala D HarrisDemocrat55.3%78 votes
Donald J TrumpRepublican42.6%60 votesOthers: 2.1% (3 votes).
Most votes in Rockdale: Kamala D Harris
Dane County: Harris 74.9%, Trump 23.4% · Wisconsin: Trump 49.6%, Harris 48.7%
Most votes in Rockdale: Tammy Baldwin
Dane County: Baldwin 75.3%, Hovde 23.3% · Wisconsin: Baldwin 49.3%, Hovde 48.5%
Most votes in the district: Mark Pocan
Whole-district result
President, 2024: Rockdale, its county and the state
| Harris | Trump | Others | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rockdale | 55.3% | 42.6% | 2.1% | 141 |
| Dane County | 74.9% | 23.4% | 1.8% | 365,929 |
| 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 Rockdale.
- 1Your cityMayor & councilOfficials: villageofrockdale.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.
Reach Rockdale’s government
The official site has phone numbers, hours and forms. Neighbors add the rest to the Handbook.
Questions about Rockdale’s government
How much does Rockdale spend per resident?
About $792 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 $792 was less than 81% of 375 Wisconsin cities of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools.
What is the property tax rate in Rockdale?
Homeowners report a typical bill of $3,735 a year (Census ACS, 2020–24), about 1.28% of the typical home’s value, vs 1.42% across Wisconsin. For the official rate per $1,000 of assessed value, see villageofrockdale.com.
Who runs Rockdale’s government?
See villageofrockdale.com for current officials. We name an official only when a public source lists a current term, and none does for Rockdale yet.
How did Rockdale vote in 2024?
For president, Kamala D Harris 55.3%, Donald J Trump 42.6% (141 votes, official results). Dane County: Harris 74.9%, Trump 23.4%. Wisconsin: Trump 49.6%, Harris 48.7%.
How many people work for Rockdale?
0 full-time and 10 part-time employees in March 2022, with a March payroll of $4,535 (about $54,420 a year if every month were the same), as reported to the Census Bureau.
Who represents Rockdale in the state legislature?
State Senate District 16 (Melissa Ratcliff) and Assembly District 46 (Joan Fitzgerald). The Assembly district also covers 20 other towns. Listed by Open States; districts from the Census Bureau.
Ask neighbors about Rockdale’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 →