Ruby spent more per resident in 2022 than 75% of similar towns
Ruby’s town government spent $372,000 on day-to-day services in the year to December 31, 2022, about $727 per resident.
What stands out about how Ruby is run
Read from the town’s budget and official records.
$727 per resident in 2022: more than 75% of them
Ruby’s day-to-day spending in 2022 ($727 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. Ruby spent more than 75% of them.
Includes sewer and trash ($9,000), 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; Ruby itself left out).
About $727 per resident a year, or $1.99 a day
Day-to-day services only. The biggest line: roads & transportation, at 85%.
Thank you for being a neighbor
No trend yet
Ruby reported only 2022 to the Census Bureau, so there is no trend yet.
The typical homeowner pays $2,119 a year
Every local property tax on the home: town, schools and county.
Typical yearly bill next door and statewide
The Housing page’s calculator splits a monthly payment into loan, tax and insurance at Ruby’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 Ruby’s Cost of living grade. Cost of living in Ruby →
Who’s in charge in Ruby
Names change after every election, so we link to the source that keeps them current.
Lake Holcombe School District
Ruby’s K–12 school district, shared with Birch Creek, Lake Holcombe, Willard, Washington. It’s its own government, with a budget separate from the town’s.
Of the $22,044 per pupil, $9,309 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.
Flambeau School District · $18,300 per pupil
Cornell School District · $15,092 per pupil
Gilman School District · $22,256 per pupil
School year 2023–24. Census Bureau school finance survey.
How Ruby voted in 2024
Official results for Ruby’s own voters, as certified after the November 5, 2024 general election, with the county and the state beside them.
Donald J TrumpRepublican77.2%213 votes
Kamala D HarrisDemocrat21.4%59 votesOthers: 1.4% (4 votes).
Most votes in Ruby: Donald J Trump
Chippewa County: Trump 60.8%, Harris 37.9% · Wisconsin: Trump 49.6%, Harris 48.7%
Most votes in Ruby: Eric Hovde
Chippewa County: Hovde 58.3%, Baldwin 39.1% · Wisconsin: Baldwin 49.3%, Hovde 48.5%
Most votes in the district: Tom Tiffany
Whole-district result
President, 2024: Ruby, its county and the state
| Trump | Harris | Others | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ruby | 77.2% | 21.4% | 1.4% | 276 |
| Chippewa County | 60.8% | 37.9% | 1.3% | 38,471 |
| 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 Ruby.
- 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 Ruby compares with the towns next door
Ruby spent $727 per resident in 2022; the 5 neighbors that reported 2022 spent $251 to $1,497. Towns that run more services spend more. Tap a town to see its page.
| Town | Day-to-day, per resident (2022) | Tax bill |
|---|---|---|
| Colburn | $251 | $2,145 |
| Estella | $361 | $1,700 |
| Lake Holcombe | $456 | $2,379 |
| Marshall | $601 | $1,310 |
| Pershing | $1,497 | $2,409 |
| Ruby | $727 | $2,119 |
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 Ruby’s government
Neighbors add phone numbers and hours to the Handbook.
Questions about Ruby’s government
How much does Ruby spend per resident?
About $727 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 $727 was more than 75% of 1113 Wisconsin towns and townships of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools.
Who runs Ruby’s government?
We name an official only when a public source lists a current term, and none does for Ruby yet.
How did Ruby vote in 2024?
For president, Donald J Trump 77.2%, Kamala D Harris 21.4% (276 votes, official results). Chippewa County: Trump 60.8%, Harris 37.9%. Wisconsin: Trump 49.6%, Harris 48.7%.
How many people work for Ruby?
0 full-time and 7 part-time employees in March 2022, with a March payroll of $4,226 (about $50,712 a year if every month were the same), as reported to the Census Bureau.
Who represents Ruby 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 Ruby’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 →