Trenton spent less per resident in 2022 than 89% of similar towns
Trenton’s town government spent $387,000 on day-to-day services in the year to December 31, 2022, about $300 per resident.
What stands out about how Trenton is run
Read from the town’s budget and official records.
$300 per resident in 2022: less than 89% of them
Trenton’s day-to-day spending in 2022 ($300 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 $511, and the middle half spent $373–$727. Trenton spent less than 89% of them.
Includes sewer and trash ($16,000), 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; Trenton itself left out).
About $300 per resident a year, or $0.82 a day
Day-to-day services only. The biggest line: roads & transportation, at 63%.
Thank you for being a neighbor
No trend yet
Trenton reported only 2022 to the Census Bureau, so there is no trend yet.
The typical homeowner pays $3,257 a year
Every local property tax on the home: town, schools and county. About 1.11% 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 Trenton’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 Trenton’s Cost of living grade. Cost of living in Trenton →
Who’s in charge in Trenton
Names change after every election, so we link to the source that keeps them current.
Waupun School District
Trenton’s K–12 school district, shared with Chester, Fox Lake, Waupun, Waupun, Alto and more. It’s its own government, with a budget separate from the town’s.
Of the $13,994 per pupil, $7,940 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.
Beaver Dam School District · $15,130 per pupil
School year 2023–24. Census Bureau school finance survey.
How Trenton voted in 2024
Official results for Trenton’s own voters, as certified after the November 5, 2024 general election, with the county and the state beside them.
Donald J TrumpRepublican71.4%554 votes
Kamala D HarrisDemocrat27.2%211 votesOthers: 1.4% (11 votes).
Most votes in Trenton: Donald J Trump
Dodge County: Trump 65.7%, Harris 32.8% · Wisconsin: Trump 49.6%, Harris 48.7%
of Trenton’s 1,082 adult citizens voted for president in 2024. Across Wisconsin: 76%.
Votes ÷ citizens of voting age (Census CVAP, 2020–24 ACS).
Most votes in Trenton: Eric Hovde
Dodge County: Hovde 64.0%, Baldwin 33.7% · Wisconsin: Baldwin 49.3%, Hovde 48.5%
Most votes in the district: Glenn Grothman
Whole-district result
President, 2024: Trenton, its county and the state
| Trump | Harris | Others | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trenton | 71.4% | 27.2% | 1.4% | 776 |
| Dodge County | 65.7% | 32.8% | 1.4% | 50,300 |
| 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 Trenton.
- 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 Trenton compares with the towns next door
Trenton spent $300 per resident in 2022; the 8 neighbors that reported 2022 spent $229 to $1,332. Towns that run more services spend more. Tap a town to see its page.
| Town | Day-to-day, per resident (2022) | Tax bill |
|---|---|---|
| Westford | $229 | $3,488 |
| Chester | $233 | $2,554 |
| Waupun | $317 | $3,446 |
| Burnett | $379 | $3,217 |
| Fox Lake | $381 | $4,633 |
| Beaver Dam | $400 | $3,291 |
| Alto | $553 | $3,013 |
| Beaver Dam | $1,332 | $3,536 |
| Trenton | $300 | $3,257 |
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 Trenton’s government
Neighbors add phone numbers and hours to the Handbook.
Questions about Trenton’s government
How much does Trenton spend per resident?
About $300 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 $300 was less 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 Trenton?
Homeowners report a typical bill of $3,257 a year (Census ACS, 2020–24), about 1.11% 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 Trenton’s government?
We name an official only when a public source lists a current term, and none does for Trenton yet.
How did Trenton vote in 2024?
For president, Donald J Trump 71.4%, Kamala D Harris 27.2% (776 votes, official results). Dodge County: Trump 65.7%, Harris 32.8%. Wisconsin: Trump 49.6%, Harris 48.7%.
How many people work for Trenton?
0 full-time and 11 part-time employees in March 2022, with a March payroll of $6,582 (about $78,984 a year if every month were the same), as reported to the Census Bureau.
Who represents Trenton in the state legislature?
State Senate District 13 (John Jagler) and Assembly District 37 (Mark Born). The Assembly district also covers 20 other towns. Listed by Open States; districts from the Census Bureau.
Ask neighbors about Trenton’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 →