City government · Baldwin County, AL

Gulf Shores's money: where it comes from and where it goes

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended September 30, 2023), Gulf Shores took in $81.3 million and spent $58.1 million.

Latest recorded year: ended September 30, 2023Estimated by the U.S. Census BureauComes fromGoes to

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Where it comes from

City taxes84%Fines and other11%Fees for services (parks and recreation, parking)3.2%State tax money1.7%Federal tax money<0.1%

What stands out

42%

of Gulf Shores' money comes from sales tax.Most U.S. cities of 10,000 to 50,000 people get none.

City taxes84%

Sales tax
42%$34.1 million
Other taxes
36%$29.2 million
What's in other taxesOther selective sales taxes; occupation and business licenses and 6 more
  • Other selective sales taxes$18.9 million
  • Occupation and business licenses$3.9 million
  • Public utility taxes$2.8 million
  • Other licenses$1.9 million
  • Alcoholic beverage taxes$1.1 million
  • Motor fuel taxes$451 thousand
  • Tobacco taxes$175 thousand
  • Motor vehicle licenses$51 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Property tax
6.1%$4.9 million

Fees for services3.2%

Fees for services
3.2%$2.6 million
What's in fees for servicesParks and recreation and parking
  • Parks and recreation$1.9 million
  • Parking$699 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money<0.1%

Grants from Washington, paid for by the federal taxes residents also pay.

From the federal government
<0.1%$44 thousand

State tax money1.7%

Money the state passes on, paid for by the state taxes residents also pay.

From the state
1.7%$1.4 million

Fines and other11%

Interest, rents and other
9.5%$7.7 million
Fines
1.5%$1.2 million

Where it goes

Running the government and other costs37%Police, fire, courts and jails31%Parks, recreation and libraries13%Interest on debt9.4%Roads, transit and parking9.3%

What stands out

37%

of Gulf Shores' spending goes to running the government and other costs.A typical U.S. city of 10,000 to 50,000 people spends 18%.

Spending by category100%

Running the government and other costs
37%$21.5 million
What's in running the government and other costsOther and not broken out; government buildings and 2 more
  • Other and not broken out$10.4 million
  • Government buildings$3.9 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$3.8 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$3.4 million
Police, fire, courts and jails
31%$17.9 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; fire protection and 2 more
  • Police$9.1 million
  • Fire protection$7.7 million
  • Inspections and regulation$622 thousand
  • Courts and legal services$540 thousand
Parks, recreation and libraries
13%$7.8 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation and libraries
  • Parks and recreation$7.1 million
  • Libraries$748 thousand
Interest on debt
9.4%$5.5 million
Roads, transit and parking
9.3%$5.4 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways
  • Roads and highways$5.4 million
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

City of Gulf Shores. U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, individual unit file, fiscal year ended September 30, 2023. Most of this government's figures were estimated by the U.S. Census Bureau from a sample; the government did not report them itself.

What this covers. The money of City of Gulf Shores itself. Other governments that serve the same area (the city, county, school district and state) are separate and not included. Borrowing, transfers between a government's own funds, and pension trust funds are not counted as revenue.