Town Hall · Ely

Ely, MN town hall & government

Ely spent $19.6 million in the year to December 31, 2024, about $6,070 per resident.

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

Town budget

Where Ely's money goes

Spent
$19.6 million
fiscal year to December 31, 2024
Per resident
$6,070
typical Minnesota cities: $2,521
Long-term debt
$6.9 million
$2,123 per resident
Water & other utilities
$5.3 million27%
Sewer & trash
$5.2 million27%
Roads & transportation
$3.1 million16%
Housing & development
$1.7 million9%
Police
$1.3 million6%
Parks & libraries
$1.1 million6%
Administration & buildings
$469,0002%
Interest on debt
$232,0001%
Fire
$204,0001%
Other
$1.1 million5%

Where the money comes from

  • From the state 29%
  • Utility sales 27%
  • Fees & charges 19%
  • Property taxes 11%
  • From other local governments 5%
  • From the federal government 5%
  • Interest, fines & other 2%
  • Other taxes & licenses 1%
  • Sales taxes <1%
Town workforce · Census estimate

Who works for Ely

Full-time staff
35
58 part-time too
Average full-time pay
$86,900
a year, before benefits
Sworn police officers
7
full-time, with power of arrest
Fire
0 full-time50 part
Administration & buildings
5 full-time7 part
Police
8 full-time
Water & other utilities
7 full-time1 part
Roads & transportation
7 full-time
Parks & libraries
3 full-time
Sewer & trash
3 full-time
Other
2 full-time

Staff on the town's payroll in March 2025. Pay is March payroll times twelve, so it's approximate. Ely didn't report its staffing to the Census Bureau, so these are the Bureau's estimates.

Schools · school year 2023–24

Ely Public School District

Ely's K–12 school district, shared with Morse and Winton. It is its own government, with a budget separate from the town's.

Spending per pupil
$17,119
Minnesota: $17,091
Students
536
in the whole district
Long-term debt
$14.9 million
at year end

Where the district's money comes from Minnesota districts overall: 30% local, 62% state, 8% federal

  • Local 34%
  • State 59%
  • Federal 7%

Of the $17,119 per pupil, $10,194 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.

Property tax

What homeowners in Ely pay

Typical tax bill
$1,331
a year · Minnesota typical $3,357
Effective rate
0.85%
of home value · Minnesota 1.02%
Typical home value
$157,300
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 Ely's government

🏛️ Official websiteely.mn.us ↗

Town hall & decisions in Ely →

Beyond town hall

Who represents Ely

Ely is represented in Congress by Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith and Representative Pete Stauber. Tim Walz is governor.

All of Ely'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.

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Ely

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