Town Hall · Houston

Houston, MO town hall & government

Houston spent $9.4 million in the year to December 31, 2023, about $4,418 per resident.

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

Town budget

Where Houston's money goes

Spent
$9.4 million
fiscal year to December 31, 2023
Per resident
$4,418
typical Missouri cities: $1,867
Long-term debt
$2.5 million
$1,163 per resident
Water & other utilities
$4.3 million45%
Roads & transportation
$1.2 million13%
Police
$1.1 million12%
Sewer & trash
$742,0008%
Parks & libraries
$667,0007%
Administration & buildings
$642,0007%
Fire
$350,0004%
Housing & development
$230,0002%
Interest on debt
$99,0001%
Courts, inspections & corrections
$81,0001%

Where the money comes from

  • Utility sales 47%
  • Fees & charges 17%
  • Property taxes 15%
  • Sales taxes 9%
  • From the federal government 4%
  • Interest, fines & other 4%
  • Other taxes & licenses 2%
  • From the state 1%
Town workforce

Who works for Houston

Full-time staff
26
16 part-time too
Average full-time pay
$59,000
a year, before benefits
Sworn police officers
6
and 1 full-time firefighter
Water & other utilities
8 full-time
Police
6 full-time
Administration & buildings
3 full-time3 part
Fire
1 full-time7 part
Roads & transportation
4 full-time
Sewer & trash
2 full-time3 part
Housing & development
0 full-time3 part
Courts, inspections & corrections
1 full-time
Parks & libraries
1 full-time

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

Schools · school year 2023–24

Houston R-I School District

Houston's K–12 school district, shared with Piney, Morris and Cass. It is its own government, with a budget separate from the town's.

Spending per pupil
$12,981
Missouri: $14,569
Students
1,037
in the whole district
Long-term debt
$6.8 million
at year end

Where the district's money comes from Missouri districts overall: 54% local, 35% state, 11% federal

  • Local 36%
  • State 48%
  • Federal 16%

Of the $12,981 per pupil, $7,090 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 Houston pay

Typical tax bill
$628
a year · Missouri typical $1,948
Effective rate
0.55%
of home value · Missouri 0.85%
Typical home value
$114,400
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 Houston's government

🏛️ Official websitehoustonmo.org ↗

Town hall & decisions in Houston →

Beyond town hall

Who represents Houston

Houston is represented in Congress by Senators Josh Hawley and Eric Schmitt and Representative Jason Smith. Mike Kehoe is governor.

All of Houston'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

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Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/18 · 2025-01-01