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Township

Spencer Township

Kent County

Spencer Township is a township in Kent County, Michigan. In 2025, primary homes here pay a total of 25.96–29.41 mills in property tax, depending on the school district; rentals, second homes and businesses pay 43.96–46.74 mills. It levied property tax in 3 tax areas in 2025. In fiscal year 2025 it reported $1.8 million in spending across all its funds. It has 4 boards and sub-entities.

Total property tax rate, primary homes

25.96–29.41

mills in 2025 · 3 tax areas · about $4,224–$4,785 a year on a median home (estimate)

Total property tax rate, rentals, second homes and businesses

43.96–46.74

mills in 2025 · includes the school operating tax

Levies, 2025

2

in 3 tax areas

Boards and sub-entities

4

Total property tax rates here, 2025

What property pays to every taxing body (the State, county, schools, local government and others), by tax area. A mill is $1 of tax per $1,000 of taxable value.

Compare with every tax area in Kent County →

School district Primary homes mills Median home est. yearly tax Rentals, second homes and businesses mills
Cedar Springs Public Schools 29.4105 $4,785 46.7380
Lakeview Community Schools (Montcalm) 28.3403 $4,611 46.3403
Greenville Public Schools 25.9614 $4,224 43.9614

Rates differ within Spencer Township because parts of it are in different school districts (Cedar Springs Public Schools, Greenville Public Schools and Lakeview Community Schools (Montcalm)).

Kent County's certified rates split each area's total between a summer and a winter tax bill; open an area below to see its split.

Primary homes, which their owners live in, pay the homestead rate; so do qualified farmland and a few other kinds of property exempt from the school operating tax. Rentals, second homes and most businesses pay the non-homestead rate, which includes it. What these terms mean

Median home, estimated: the yearly tax a new buyer would pay on a primary home at Kent County's median value, $325,400 (Census Bureau, 2024): half the value times the mills, divided by 1,000. An estimate, not a bill. How the estimate works

Every levy, by tax area

Cedar Springs Public Schools · 29.4105 primary homes, 46.7380 other

Billed in 2 parts, in mills: primary homes summer 24.0913, winter 5.3192; rentals, second homes and businesses summer 41.4188, winter 5.3192.

Levy Levied by Primary homes mills Median home est. yearly tax Rentals, second homes and businesses mills
School Debt Cedar Springs Public Schools 7.0000 $1,139 7.0000
State Education Tax State of Michigan 6.0000 $976 6.0000
ISD Voted Special Education Kent ISD 4.3364 $706 4.3364
County Allocated Operating Kent County 4.0605 $661 4.0605
Community College Grand Rapids Community College 1.6793 $273 1.6793
Voted Operating Spencer Township 1.4802 $241 1.4802
Library Kent District Library 1.0832 $176 1.0832
ISD Voted Vocational Education Kent ISD 0.9310 $151 0.9310
Allocated or Charter Operating Spencer Township 0.8126 $132 0.8126
Jail Kent County 0.7417 $121 0.7417
Senior Citizens Kent County 0.4914 $80 0.4914
Zoo and Museum Kent County 0.4134 $67 0.4134
Ready by Five Kent County 0.2476 $40 0.2476
ISD Allocated Operating Kent ISD 0.0841 $14 0.0841
Veterans Kent County 0.0491 $8 0.0491
School Operating (Non-Homestead) Cedar Springs Public Schools 0.0000 $0 17.3275
Lakeview Community Schools (Montcalm) · 28.3403 primary homes, 46.3403 other

Billed in 2 parts, in mills: primary homes summer 15.5605, winter 12.7798; rentals, second homes and businesses summer 33.5605, winter 12.7798.

Levy Levied by Primary homes mills Median home est. yearly tax Rentals, second homes and businesses mills
State Education Tax State of Michigan 6.0000 $976 6.0000
School Debt Lakeview Community Schools (Montcalm) 5.5000 $895 5.5000
County Allocated Operating Kent County 4.0605 $661 4.0605
ISD Voted Special Education Montcalm Area ISD 3.4078 $554 3.4078
Community College Montcalm Community College 2.6044 $424 2.6044
Voted Operating Spencer Township 1.4802 $241 1.4802
ISD Voted Vocational Education Montcalm Area ISD 1.2789 $208 1.2789
Library Kent District Library 1.0832 $176 1.0832
Allocated or Charter Operating Spencer Township 0.8126 $132 0.8126
Jail Kent County 0.7417 $121 0.7417
Senior Citizens Kent County 0.4914 $80 0.4914
Zoo and Museum Kent County 0.4134 $67 0.4134
Ready by Five Kent County 0.2476 $40 0.2476
ISD Allocated Operating Montcalm Area ISD 0.1695 $28 0.1695
Veterans Kent County 0.0491 $8 0.0491
School Operating (Non-Homestead) Lakeview Community Schools (Montcalm) 0.0000 $0 18.0000
Greenville Public Schools · 25.9614 primary homes, 43.9614 other

Billed in 2 parts, in mills: primary homes summer 10.0605, winter 15.9009; rentals, second homes and businesses summer 10.0605, winter 33.9009.

Levy Levied by Primary homes mills Median home est. yearly tax Rentals, second homes and businesses mills
State Education Tax State of Michigan 6.0000 $976 6.0000
County Allocated Operating Kent County 4.0605 $661 4.0605
ISD Voted Special Education Montcalm Area ISD 3.4078 $554 3.4078
School Debt Greenville Public Schools 2.9000 $472 2.9000
Community College Montcalm Community College 2.6044 $424 2.6044
Building and Site Greenville Public Schools 1.5000 $244 1.5000
Voted Operating Spencer Township 1.4802 $241 1.4802
Library Kent District Library 1.0832 $176 1.0832
Allocated or Charter Operating Spencer Township 0.8126 $132 0.8126
Jail Kent County 0.7417 $121 0.7417
Senior Citizens Kent County 0.4914 $80 0.4914
Zoo and Museum Kent County 0.4134 $67 0.4134
Ready by Five Kent County 0.2476 $40 0.2476
ISD Allocated Operating Montcalm Area ISD 0.1695 $28 0.1695
Veterans Kent County 0.0491 $8 0.0491
School Operating (Non-Homestead) Greenville Public Schools 0.0000 $0 18.0000

Where the property tax goes here

Each tax area's total for primary homes, split by who levies it.

Of the $4,224–$4,785 a year a new buyer of a median primary home here would pay (an estimate), about $373 goes to Spencer Township (8–9%). The rest goes to the other bodies that levy here: the State, the county, the schools and others.

Spencer Township's 3 tax areas rank 70th, 81st and 88th highest of Kent County's 94 for primary homes. See every area

  • State
  • County
  • ISD and college
  • School district
  • City, township or village
  • Library, transit and other
  • Spencer Township Cedar Springs Public Schools 29.4105 mills $4,785

    Spencer Township with Cedar Springs Public Schools: 29.4105 mills in total (State 6.0000, County 6.0037, ISD and college 7.0308, School district 7.0000, City, township or village 2.2928, Library, transit and other 1.0832), estimated $4,785 a year for a new buyer

  • Spencer Township Lakeview Community Schools (Montcalm) 28.3403 mills $4,611

    Spencer Township with Lakeview Community Schools (Montcalm): 28.3403 mills in total (State 6.0000, County 6.0037, ISD and college 7.4606, School district 5.5000, City, township or village 2.2928, Library, transit and other 1.0832), estimated $4,611 a year for a new buyer

  • Spencer Township Greenville Public Schools 25.9614 mills $4,224

    Spencer Township with Greenville Public Schools: 25.9614 mills in total (State 6.0000, County 6.0037, ISD and college 6.1817, School district 4.4000, City, township or village 2.2928, Library, transit and other 1.0832), estimated $4,224 a year for a new buyer

The figures as a table
Tax area State County ISD and college School district City, township or village Library, transit and other Total Estimated tax
Spencer Township, Cedar Springs Public Schools 6.0000 6.0037 7.0308 7.0000 2.2928 1.0832 29.4105 $4,785
Spencer Township, Lakeview Community Schools (Montcalm) 6.0000 6.0037 7.4606 5.5000 2.2928 1.0832 28.3403 $4,611
Spencer Township, Greenville Public Schools 6.0000 6.0037 6.1817 4.4000 2.2928 1.0832 25.9614 $4,224

Median home, estimated: the yearly tax a new buyer would pay on a primary home at Kent County's median value, $325,400 (Census Bureau, 2024): half the value times the mills, divided by 1,000. An estimate, not a bill. How the estimate works

What Spencer Township levies, 2025

Only its own millages, part of the totals above, and how many tax areas each is levied in.

Levy Primary homes mills Median home est. yearly tax Rentals, second homes and businesses mills Tax areas
Voted Operating 1.4802 $241 1.4802 3
Allocated or Charter Operating 0.8126 $132 0.8126 3

Median home, estimated: the yearly tax a new buyer would pay on a primary home at Kent County's median value, $325,400 (Census Bureau, 2024): half the value times the mills, divided by 1,000. An estimate, not a bill. How the estimate works

Money in and out, fiscal year 2025

From its annual financial report, as filed with the Michigan Department of Treasury. Its fiscal year ends in March.

Revenue

$1.7M

all funds

Spending

$1.8M

all funds

Spending per resident

$417

2024 population: 4,254

General fund spending

$938K

budget: $974K

Spending by purpose

All funds. Share of $1,774,551 in total.

  • General government $480,686 27%
    Legislative (Council, Board, Commission) $39,181
    Chief Executive $37,046
    Treasurer $52,517
    Clerk $53,822
    Assessing Equalization $56,965
    Elections $48,674
    Building and Grounds $75,182
    All Other General Government $117,299
  • Public works $380,128 21%
    Public Works (Non-Act 51) $288,606
    All Other Public Works $91,522
  • Capital outlay, debt service and other $285,713 16%
    Capital Outlay $285,713
  • Public safety $252,994 14%
    Fire $171,500
    Building Inspection & Regulation Activities $81,494
  • Community and economic development $27,116 2%
    Community Planning and Zoning $27,116
  • Recreation and culture $5,985 <1%
    Parks and Recreation $5,985
  • Transfers out and special items $341,929 19%
    Transfers (Out) $341,929

Revenue by source

All funds. Share of $1,727,403 in total.

  • Taxes $517,739 30%
    Trailer Taxes (Act 243 of 1959) $5,616
    Property Tax (includes, delinquent taxes, penalties, interest, fees, community wide special assessments) $512,123
  • State grants $461,531 27%
    State Revenue Sharing $449,171
    Other General/All Other State Aid Grants $12,360
  • Federal grants $121,302 7%
    Culture and Recreation $121,302
  • Licenses and permits $107,371 6%
    Business Licenses and Permits $20,751
    Non-Business Licenses and Permits $86,620
  • Special assessments $92,977 5%
    Special Assessments $92,977
  • Interest and rents $46,355 3%
    Interest & Dividends $39,005
    Rents & Royalties $7,350
  • Other revenue $32,899 2%
    Miscellaneous Other Revenue $32,899
  • Charges for services $5,300 <1%
    All Other Sales, Use, & Admission Fees $1,900
    All Other Statutory Fees $3,400
  • Borrowing and transfers in $341,929 20%
    Transfers In $341,929

"All funds" is the report's total column: the general fund, other governmental funds, enterprise funds such as water and sewer, internal service funds and component units. Its totals include money moved between the government's own funds, and revenue includes money borrowed. Spending per resident is total spending divided by the population shown; the shares are each heading's part of its total. Open a heading to see the lines filed under it.

Population: DashBoard_Metrics (MI Community Financial Dashboard), Michigan Department of Treasury.

Source: FY2025 F65 Township Part 2, Michigan Department of Treasury, retrieved November 3, 2026.

Revenue and spending, fiscal years 2016–2025

All funds, as filed each year.

Revenue Spending
The figures as a table
Fiscal year Revenue Spending General fund spending Long-term debt
2025 $1,727,403 $1,774,551 $937,850 —
2024 $1,335,676 $1,192,211 $764,578 —
2023 $1,361,387 $1,294,581 $735,013 —
2022 $1,309,521 $1,455,287 $795,061 —
2021 $952,382 $915,675 $684,856 —
2020 $1,025,032 $1,084,702 $725,405 —
2019 $892,015 $923,715 $713,331 —
2018 $979,258 $828,277 $587,711 —
2017 $827,935 $748,131 $628,275 —
2016 $729,213 $785,289 $635,877 —

Each year links to the dataset it comes from. A year with dashes across has no report in the State's data.

Debt, pensions and staff, fiscal year 2025

As reported in the same filing.

Debt and fund balance

Long-term debt at year end
—
General fund balance at year end
$670,527
Of which unassigned
$648,086

Pensions and retiree health care

Unfunded pension liability
—
Pension funded, general employees
—
Pension funded, police and fire
—
Unfunded retiree health care (OPEB)
—

Staff

Police
—
Fire
15
Combined public safety
—
All other staff
13
Wages and salaries
$990,956

A dash means the State's data has no figure for that line. Its datasets leave out zero amounts in most years, so a dash can also be a zero that was filed. The unfunded pension liability is the filing's "aggregate pension liability" line.

Source: FY2025 F65 Township Part 2, Michigan Department of Treasury, retrieved November 3, 2026.

Boards and sub-entities

Boards, commissions and committees

Transparency checks

What this body files with the State and posts online, checked against the law and good practice.

Grade pending

A grade appears once every check below has been read and the site has set its grading scale. Every check counts the same.

Required by law

5 found · 0 not found

  • Found: Audit filed with the State for the latest fiscal year

    Treasury's Document Search shows the audit for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2025 as received, sent September 30, 2025.

    Uniform Budgeting and Accounting Act, MCL 141.421 et seq.; MCL 141.921 · FY2025 · Read September 27, 2026 from State records · Evidence for Audit filed with the State for the latest fiscal year

  • Found: Audit filed on time

    Sent September 30, 2025, within six months of the fiscal year ended March 31, 2025 (due September 30, 2025; fiscal year end from its F-65).

    Due six months after fiscal year end; MCL 141.921 · FY2025 · Read September 27, 2026 from State records · Evidence for Audit filed on time

  • Found: Annual financial report (F-65) filed with the State

    Treasury's Document Search shows the annual financial report (F-65) for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2025 as received, sent September 30, 2025.

    MCL 141.424(3) · FY2025 · Read September 27, 2026 from State records · Evidence for Annual financial report (F-65) filed with the State

  • Found: Annual financial report (F-65) filed on time

    Sent September 30, 2025, within six months of the fiscal year ended March 31, 2025 (due September 30, 2025; fiscal year end from its F-65).

    Due six months after fiscal year end; MCL 141.424(3) · FY2025 · Read September 27, 2026 from State records · Evidence for Annual financial report (F-65) filed on time

  • Found: FOIA procedures and written public summary posted

    Documents & Ordinances (Government menu) has a FOIA section linking "Freedom of Information Act Procedures and Guidelines" (FOIA-Policy.pdf) and "Summary of Freedom of Information Act Procedures and Guidelines". The FOIA page linked from the homepage gives only contact details.

    MCL 15.234(4) · Read September 27, 2026 on its website · Evidence for FOIA procedures and written public summary posted

Good practice

2 found · 9 not found

About

Type
Township

Codes

Census of Governments ID
167082
Census GEOID (county subdivision)
2608175560
Michigan Treasury unit code
411190

Sources

Where this page's facts come from.

Open Government Project · a nonpartisan, nonprofit project

Every figure comes from a public record, cited on its page.