Town Hall · Clarks Grove

How Clarks Grove is run

Clarks Grove spent $630,000 in the year to December 31, 2022, about $908 per resident.

Photo: Jonathunder

City budget

$630,000

spent, year to December 31, 2022

Per resident

$908

Below typical Minnesota cities ($2,225)

Long-term debt

None

at year end

City staff

full-time · 1 part-time

Typical tax bill

$1,516

a year · MN $3,357

What stands out about how Clarks Grove is run

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

A lean budget$908 per resident a year, vs $2,225 for a typical Minnesota city.Lower tax billsThe typical homeowner pays $1,516 a year in property tax, vs $3,357 across Minnesota.Runs its own water & sewer27% of spending goes to water, sewer and trash, paid largely by users’ fees.A shared school districtShares Albert Lea Public School District with 6+ other towns.

★ What stands out · Your share of the budget

About $908 per resident a year, or $2.49 a day

The biggest line: roads & transportation, at 27% of spending.

CLARKS GROVEYour share · per resident · year to December 31, 2022

Roads & transportation$173,000 · 27%$249

Water & other utilities$99,000 · 16%$143

Administration & buildings$74,000 · 12%$107

Sewer & trash$71,000 · 11%$102

Fire$36,000 · 6%$52

Parks & libraries$21,000 · 3%$30

Interest on debt$1,000 · <1%$1

Other$155,000 · 25%$223

Total per resident$908

Whole budget $630,000 · 694 residents
Thank you for being a neighbor

Where the money comes from

Fees & charges 28%From the state 27%Utility sales 23%Property taxes 16%From the federal government 4%Interest, fines & other 1%Sales taxes <1%Other taxes & licenses <1%

Property tax

The typical homeowner pays $1,516 a year

Every local property tax on the home: town, schools and county. About 1.23% of the home’s value, vs 1.02% across Minnesota.

What homes cost →

Typical yearly bill next door and statewide

Minnesota$3,357

Bancroft$2,806

Bath$1,868

Clarks Grove$1,516

$1,516

typical bill a year

1.23%

effective rate

$123,400

typical home value (Census)

Your own bill

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

The school district

Albert Lea Public School District

Clarks Grove’s K–12 school district, shared with Albert Lea, Bancroft, Hayward, Hollandale, Manchester and more. It’s its own government, with a budget separate from the town’s.

Schools in Clarks Grove →

$17,748

per pupil · MN $17,091

3,338

students

$34 million

long-term debt

Of the $17,748 per pupil, $12,007 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 19%State 73%Federal 8%

Minnesota districts overall: 30% local, 62% state, 8% federal.

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

Who runs it

Who’s in charge in Clarks Grove

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

Who works for Clarks Grove

One full-time town employee for every 347 residents

On the payroll in March 2022.

By department full-time, plus part-time

Fire1

Water & other utilities1

Administration & buildings0 + 1 pt

full-time

part-time

$63,200

average full-time pay, before benefits

full-time firefighters

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

Next door

How Clarks Grove’s budget compares

Clarks Grove ranks 3rd lowest of 3 for spending per resident. Towns that run their own schools spend more. Tap a town to see its Town Hall.

BathBancroftClarks Grove

Spends the leastSpends the mostNo figures

Town	Spent per resident	Debt per resident	Tax bill
Bancroft	$221	—	$2,806
Bath	$494	—	$1,868
Clarks Grove	$908	—	$1,516

The town government’s own spending in its newest year (often a Census Bureau estimate). — = no figures.

Who represents Clarks Grove

From town hall to Washington

Every level of government that speaks for Clarks Grove.

Politics & elections →

1
Your cityMayor & council

Local officials aren’t on record yet.
2
Minnesota HouseState representatives

Peggy Bennett
3
Minnesota SenateState senator

Gene Dornink
4
GovernorStatewide

Tim Walz
5
U.S. HouseYour representative in Congress

Brad Finstad
6
U.S. SenateBoth represent all of Minnesota

Amy Klobuchar Tina Smith

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

Reach Clarks Grove’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 →

Questions about how Clarks Grove is run?

Neighbors who’ve been to the meetings can help.

Town Square →

Weigh in

Does Clarks Grove 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.