Town Hall · Orwell

Orwell, MN town hall & government

Orwell spent $87,000 in the year to December 31, 2022, about $478 per resident.

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

Town budget

Where Orwell's money goes

Spent
$87,000
fiscal year to December 31, 2022
Per resident
$478
typical Minnesota towns: $269
Long-term debt
None
none outstanding at year end
Roads & transportation
$48,00055%
Administration & buildings
$27,00031%
Fire
$4,0005%
Parks & libraries
$1,0001%
Other
$7,0008%

Where the money comes from

  • Property taxes 75%
  • From the state 25%
  • Interest, fines & other 1%

Revenue here is well above spending. That usually means Orwell collects property taxes for the school district and county and passes them on, so only its own spending is counted above.

Town workforce · Census estimate

Who works for Orwell

Full-time staff
0
9 part-time too
Administration & buildings
0 full-time9 part

Staff on the town's payroll in March 2022. Pay is March payroll times twelve, so it's approximate. Orwell didn't report its staffing to the Census Bureau, so these are the Bureau's estimates.

Schools · school year 2023–24

Fergus Falls Public School District

Orwell's K–12 school district, shared with Buse, Dalton, Elizabeth, Fergus Falls, Fergus Falls and Carlisle. It is its own government, with a budget separate from the town's.

Spending per pupil
$13,197
Minnesota: $17,091
Students
2,901
in the whole district
Long-term debt
$25.1 million
at year end

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

  • Local 23%
  • State 73%
  • Federal 4%

Of the $13,197 per pupil, $8,671 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 Orwell: Campbell-Tintah Public School District ($17,211 per pupil).

Property tax

What homeowners in Orwell pay

Typical tax bill
$1,500
a year · Minnesota typical $3,357
Effective rate
0.49%
of home value · Minnesota 1.02%
Typical home value
$303,200
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. In a town this small the survey estimate has a wide margin.

Local

Contact Orwell's government

Town hall & decisions in Orwell →

Beyond town hall

Who represents Orwell

Orwell is represented in Congress by Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith and Representative Michelle Fischbach. Tim Walz is governor.

All of Orwell'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 door’s open

Where to, neighbor?

You’re in Orwell, MNOtter Tail 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