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Town Hall · Wauchula

How Wauchula is run

Wauchula spent $15.5 million in the year to September 30, 2022, about $3,258 per resident.

Town website
City budget
$15.5 million
spent, year to September 30, 2022
Per resident
$3,258
Above typical Florida cities ($1,939)
Long-term debt
$3.1 million
$644 per resident
City staff
76
full-time · 3 part-time
Typical tax bill
$1,176
a year · FL $2,730

What stands out about how Wauchula is run

Read from the town’s budget, meetings and records. The page puts what stands out first.

★ What stands out · Property tax

The typical homeowner pays $1,176 a year

Every local property tax on the home: town, schools and county. About 0.61% of the home’s value, vs 0.76% across Florida.

What homes cost →

Typical yearly bill next door and statewide

Florida$2,730
Wauchula$1,176
$1,176
typical bill a year
0.61%
effective rate
$191,800
typical home value (Census)
Your own bill

The Housing page’s calculator splits a monthly payment into loan, tax and insurance at Wauchula’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.

Your share of the budget

About $3,258 per resident a year, or $8.93 a day

The biggest line: water & other utilities, at 49% of spending.

Where the money comes from
Utility sales 50%Fees & charges 25%Property taxes 7%From the federal government 5%Sales taxes 4%Other taxes & licenses 3%From other local governments 2%Interest, fines & other 2%From the state 2%
The school district

Hardee County School District

Wauchula’s K–12 school district, shared with Bowling Green, Zolfo Springs. It’s its own government, with a budget separate from the town’s.

Schools in Wauchula →
$12,694
per pupil · FL $13,006
4,725
students
$1.6 million
long-term debt

Of the $12,694 per pupil, $6,803 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.

The district: schools, scores and graduation →

Where the district’s money comes from
Local 27%State 45%Federal 28%

Florida districts overall: 55% local, 29% state, 15% federal.

School year 2023–24. Census Bureau school finance survey.

Who runs it

Who’s in charge in Wauchula

Local officials aren’t in the public records we use for Wauchula yet. Neighbors can add them.

Who works for Wauchula

One full-time town employee for every 63 residents

On the payroll in March 2022.

By department full-time, plus part-time

Police18 + 2 pt
Administration & buildings16 + 1 pt
Water & other utilities14
Sewer & trash11
Parks & libraries6
Roads & transportation2
Housing & development2
Other7
76
full-time
3
part-time
$46,200
average full-time pay, before benefits
15
sworn police officers

Pay is March payroll times twelve, so it’s approximate. Part-timers count half in the bar lengths.

Who represents Wauchula

From town hall to Washington

Every level of government that speaks for Wauchula.

Politics & elections →
  1. 1
    Your cityMayor & council
    Local officials aren’t on record yet.
  2. 2
    Florida HouseState representatives
  3. 3
    Florida SenateState senator
  4. 4
    GovernorStatewide
  5. 5
    U.S. HouseYour representative in Congress
  6. 6
    U.S. SenateBoth represent all of Florida

Democrat · Republican · other or independent. Tap a name for their official page.

Reach Wauchula’s government

Numbers and hours come from neighbors and the town’s own site (the Handbook). A new one goes live once two neighbors confirm it.

The Handbook →
Official websitecityofwauchula.com ↗

Questions about how Wauchula is run?

Neighbors who’ve been to the meetings can help.

Town Square →
Weigh in
Does Wauchula get good value for its tax dollars?

Your answer becomes a post in Town Square.

Ask neighbors

Budget and staff: U.S. Census Bureau, Census of Governments and Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances and the Annual Survey of Public Employment & Payroll. School district: Census school finance survey. Property tax: Census American Community Survey, 5-year estimates. Representatives: Open States, the Census and congress-legislators.

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Add to the handbook

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