Town Hall · St. Joseph

St. Joseph, MI town hall & government

St. Joseph spent $7 million in the year to December 31, 2022, about $726 per resident.

Where the money goes, where it comes from, property taxes, and how to reach St. Joseph's government.

Town budget

Where St. Joseph's money goes

Spent
$7 million
fiscal year to December 31, 2022
Per resident
$726
typical Michigan towns: $355
Long-term debt
None
none outstanding at year end
Sewer & trash
$2.1 million31%
Police
$1.8 million26%
Administration & buildings
$725,00010%
Parks & libraries
$589,0008%
Fire
$464,0007%
Roads & transportation
$321,0005%
Courts, inspections & corrections
$147,0002%
Health & welfare
$55,0001%
Other
$709,00010%

Where the money comes from

  • Property taxes 51%
  • Fees & charges 24%
  • From the state 13%
  • Utility sales 8%
  • Other taxes & licenses 2%
  • Interest, fines & other 2%
  • From the federal government <1%
Town workforce

Who works for St. Joseph

Full-time staff
25
44 part-time too
Average full-time pay
$65,300
a year, before benefits
Sworn police officers
11
full-time, with power of arrest
Fire
1 full-time26 part
Police
12 full-time
Administration & buildings
3 full-time5 part
Sewer & trash
3 full-time2 part
Water & other utilities
3 full-time2 part
Parks & libraries
2 full-time
Courts, inspections & corrections
1 full-time1 part
Other
0 full-time8 part

Staff on the town's payroll in March 2022. Pay is March payroll times twelve, so it's approximate.

Schools · school year 2023–24

St. Joseph Public Schools

St. Joseph's K–12 school district, shared with St. Joseph, Shoreham and Royalton. It is its own government, with a budget separate from the town's.

Spending per pupil
$13,601
Michigan: $16,528
Students
2,914
in the whole district
Long-term debt
$35.4 million
at year end

Where the district's money comes from Michigan districts overall: 34% local, 57% state, 9% federal

  • Local 36%
  • State 61%
  • Federal 2%

Of the $13,601 per pupil, $8,105 goes to classroom instruction (teachers, aides, supplies); the rest to support services such as buses, buildings, counselors and administration. Building projects and debt payments aren't in the per-pupil figure.

Also serving St. Joseph: Benton Harbor Area Schools ($25,288 per pupil) · Lakeshore School District ($14,746 per pupil).

Property tax

What homeowners in St. Joseph pay

Typical tax bill
$3,060
a year · Michigan typical $2,904
Effective rate
1.23%
of home value · Michigan 1.25%
Typical home value
$248,900
owner-occupied

The median yearly bill homeowners report, covering every local property tax on the home (town, schools, county). The effective rate is that bill divided by the median home value, so it's a rough guide, not the official tax rate.

Local

Contact St. Joseph's government

🏛️ Official websitesjcity.com ↗

Town hall & decisions in St. Joseph →

Beyond town hall

Who represents St. Joseph

St. Joseph is represented in Congress by Senators Gary C. Peters and Elissa Slotkin and Representative Bill Huizenga. Gretchen Whitmer is governor.

All of St. Joseph's representatives, with contacts →

Budget: U.S. Census Bureau, 2022 Census of Governments: Finance (every city and town government's revenue, spending and debt, grouped into plain categories). Property tax: Census American Community Survey, 5-year estimates.

The coffee’s on

Where to, neighbor?

You’re in St. Joseph, MIBerrien CountyView boundary

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Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/15 · 2025-01-01