Town Hall · Fort Benton

Fort Benton, MT town hall & government

Fort Benton spent $3.4 million in the year to June 30, 2024, about $2,349 per resident.

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

Town budget

Where Fort Benton's money goes

Spent
$3.4 million
fiscal year to June 30, 2024
Per resident
$2,349
typical Montana cities: $2,059
Long-term debt
$9.6 million
$6,637 per resident
Sewer & trash
$636,00019%
Roads & transportation
$576,00017%
Water & other utilities
$469,00014%
Police
$382,00011%
Interest on debt
$207,0006%
Parks & libraries
$177,0005%
Administration & buildings
$170,0005%
Housing & development
$140,0004%
Courts, inspections & corrections
$39,0001%
Fire
$17,0001%
Other
$572,00017%

Where the money comes from

  • From the state 46%
  • Property taxes 27%
  • Fees & charges 11%
  • Utility sales 10%
  • Interest, fines & other 7%
  • Other taxes & licenses <1%
Town workforce

Who works for Fort Benton

Full-time staff
8
10 part-time too
Average full-time pay
$49,100
a year, before benefits
Administration & buildings
3 full-time7 part
Parks & libraries
2 full-time
Roads & transportation
1 full-time
Sewer & trash
1 full-time
Water & other utilities
1 full-time
Courts, inspections & corrections
0 full-time1 part
Other
0 full-time2 part

Staff on the town's payroll in March 2025. Pay is March payroll times twelve, so it's approximate.

Schools · school year 2023–24

Fort Benton Elementary School District

Fort Benton's elementary school district. It is its own government, with a budget separate from the town's.

Spending per pupil
$11,521
Montana: $13,570
Students
234
in the whole district
Long-term debt
$336,000
at year end

Where the district's money comes from Montana districts overall: 44% local, 39% state, 17% federal

  • Local 34%
  • State 43%
  • Federal 22%

Of the $11,521 per pupil, $6,667 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 Fort Benton: Fort Benton High School District ($20,018 per pupil).

Property tax

What homeowners in Fort Benton pay

Typical tax bill
$2,275
a year · Montana typical $2,693
Effective rate
0.92%
of home value · Montana 0.72%
Typical home value
$247,600
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 Fort Benton's government

🏛️ Official websitefortbenton.com ↗

Town hall & decisions in Fort Benton →

Beyond town hall

Who represents Fort Benton

Fort Benton is represented in Congress by Senators Steve Daines and Tim Sheehy and Representative Troy Downing. Greg Gianforte is governor.

All of Fort Benton'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 Fort Benton, MTView boundary

Nearby

All towns & citiesExplore the map
Loading boundary…

Fort Benton is your selected town. The feed includes posts assigned to this town, not a distance radius or ZIP code.

Neighborhoods narrow the feed further, while townwide announcements, events, and issues remain visible.

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