How Houghton is run
Houghton spent $16 million in the year to June 30, 2024, about $2,003 per resident.
What stands out about how Houghton is run
Read from the town’s budget, meetings and records. The page puts what stands out first.
About $2,003 per resident a year, or $5.49 a day
The biggest line: roads & transportation, at 17% of spending.
Thank you for being a neighbor
Houghton-Portage Township Schools
Houghton’s K–12 school district, shared with Portage. It’s its own government, with a budget separate from the town’s.
Of the $13,225 per pupil, $8,639 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.
Michigan districts overall: 34% local, 57% state, 9% federal.
Adams Township School District · $14,354 per pupil
School year 2023–24. Census Bureau school finance survey.
Per resident, spending is up 25% since 2022
Spending per resident, by fiscal year. Prices rose too: about 4% a year in 2022–2024.
Spending per resident by year
full-time in 2025, up from 41 in 2022.
* A Census Bureau estimate for that year (the town didn’t report most of its figures).
Who’s in charge in Houghton
Local officials aren’t in the public records we use for Houghton yet. Neighbors can add them.
One full-time town employee for every 174 residents
On the payroll in March 2025.
By department full-time, plus part-time
Pay is March payroll times twelve, so it’s approximate. Part-timers count half in the bar lengths.
The typical homeowner pays $4,474 a year
Every local property tax on the home: town, schools and county. About 1.76% of the home’s value, vs 1.25% across Michigan.
Typical yearly bill next door and statewide
The Housing page’s calculator splits a monthly payment into loan, tax and insurance at Houghton’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.
How Houghton’s budget compares
Houghton ranks 5th lowest of 5 for spending per resident. Towns that run their own schools spend more. Tap a town to see its Town Hall.
The town government’s own spending in its newest year (often a Census Bureau estimate). — = no figures.
From town hall to Washington
Every level of government that speaks for Houghton.
- 1Your cityMayor & councilLocal officials aren’t on record yet.
- 2Michigan HouseState representatives
- 3Michigan SenateState senator
- 4GovernorStatewide
- 5U.S. HouseYour representative in Congress
- 6U.S. SenateBoth represent all of Michigan
Democrat · Republican · other or independent. Tap a name for their official page.
Reach Houghton’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.
Questions about how Houghton is run?
Neighbors who’ve been to the meetings can help.
Your answer becomes a post in Town Square.
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.