City government · Mobile County, AL

Mobile's money: where it comes from and where it goes

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended September 30, 2023), Mobile took in $617 million and spent $473 million.

Latest recorded year: ended September 30, 2023Comes fromGoes to

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Where it comes from

City taxes64%Fees for services (sewer, water)27%State tax money4.3%Fines and other3.9%Federal tax money1.0%County and local tax money<0.1%

What stands out

45%

of Mobile's money comes from sales tax.A typical U.S. city of 50,000+ people gets 7.8%.

City taxes64%

Sales tax
45%$275 million
Other taxes
15%$90.9 million
What's in other taxesOccupation and business licenses; other selective sales taxes and 4 more
  • Occupation and business licenses$45.8 million
  • Other selective sales taxes$27.5 million
  • Motor fuel taxes$11.2 million
  • Alcoholic beverage taxes$2.6 million
  • Tobacco taxes$2.2 million
  • Other licenses$1.5 million

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Property tax
4.5%$27.7 million

Fees for services27%

Fees for services
27%$166 million
What's in fees for servicesSewer; water and 4 more
  • Sewer$96.2 million
  • Water$49.1 million
  • Parks and recreation$13.4 million
  • Other service charges$6.0 million
  • Transit fares$682 thousand
  • Parking$400 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money1.0%

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

From the federal government
1.0%$6.1 million

State tax money4.3%

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

From the state
4.3%$26.7 million

County and local tax money<0.1%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From the county and other local governments
<0.1%$464 thousand

Fines and other3.9%

Interest, rents and other
3.9%$24.2 million

Where it goes

Water, sewer, trash and utilities38%Police, fire, courts and jails27%Running the government and other costs12%Roads, transit and parking6.1%Parks, recreation and libraries4.9%All other spending12%

What stands out

38%

of Mobile's spending goes to water, sewer, trash and other utilities.A typical U.S. city of 50,000+ people spends 20%.

Spending by category100%

Water, sewer, trash and utilities
38%$180 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesSewer systems; water supply and 1 more
  • Sewer systems$116 million
  • Water supply$52.2 million
  • Garbage and solid waste$12.2 million
Police, fire, courts and jails
27%$126 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; fire protection and 4 more
  • Police$62.8 million
  • Fire protection$39.8 million
  • Prisons and jails$13.6 million
  • Inspections and regulation$3.9 million
  • Probation, parole and other corrections$3.6 million
  • Courts and legal services$2.1 million
Running the government and other costs
12%$58.7 million
What's in running the government and other costsOther and not broken out; finance, tax collection and budgeting and 2 more
  • Other and not broken out$44.1 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$5.8 million
  • Government buildings$4.9 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$3.8 million
Roads, transit and parking
6.1%$28.8 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways; public transit and 1 more
  • Roads and highways$14.2 million
  • Public transit$13.9 million
  • Parking$766 thousand
Parks, recreation and libraries
4.9%$23.3 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation and libraries
  • Parks and recreation$15.8 million
  • Libraries$7.5 million
Sent to other local governments
4.0%$18.8 million
What's in sent to other local governmentsSent to local governments: other and not broken out
  • Sent to local governments: other and not broken out$18.8 million
Housing and community development
3.4%$16.1 million
Interest on debt
2.6%$12.4 million
What's in interest on debtInterest on general debt and interest on water supply debt
  • Interest on general debt$10.3 million
  • Interest on water supply debt$2.0 million
Health and hospitals
1.8%$8.7 million
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$8.7 million
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

City of Mobile. U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, individual unit file, fiscal year ended September 30, 2023.

What this covers. The money of City of Mobile 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.