City government · Craighead County, AR

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended December 31, 2023), Jonesboro took in $231 million and spent $259 million.

Latest recorded year: ended December 31, 2023Comes fromGoes to

See every government that serves your ZIP

Where it comes from

Fees for services (electric power, water)54%City taxes20%County and local tax money9.7%Fines and other6.5%State tax money5.8%Federal tax money4.4%

What stands out

10%

of Jonesboro's money comes from county and other local tax money.A typical U.S. city of 50,000+ people gets 0.9%.

City taxes20%

Sales tax
11%$25.9 million
Other taxes
6.1%$14.1 million
What's in other taxesOther selective sales taxes; public utility taxes and 3 more
  • Other selective sales taxes$7.5 million
  • Public utility taxes$3.3 million
  • Other licenses$1.3 million
  • Occupation and business licenses$1.2 million
  • Alcoholic beverage taxes$689 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Property tax
2.5%$5.7 million

Fees for services54%

Fees for services
54%$124 million
What's in fees for servicesElectric power; water and 8 more
  • Electric power$96.4 million
  • Water$13.6 million
  • Sewer$11.5 million
  • Parks and recreation$869 thousand
  • Other service charges$679 thousand
  • Airport$583 thousand
  • Road charges$209 thousand
  • Garbage collection$103 thousand
  • Transit fares$94 thousand
  • Other government-run businesses$42 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money4.4%

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

From the federal government
4.4%$10.0 million

State tax money5.8%

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

From the state
5.8%$13.4 million

County and local tax money9.7%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From the county and other local governments
9.7%$22.4 million

Fines and other6.5%

Interest, rents and other
5.7%$13.3 million
Fines
0.8%$1.8 million

Where it goes

Water, sewer, trash and utilities63%Police, fire, courts and jails13%Roads, transit and parking8.5%Running the government and other costs6.3%Parks, recreation and libraries4.3%All other spending4.3%

What stands out

63%

of Jonesboro'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
63%$164 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesElectric power; sewer systems and 2 more
  • Electric power$98.6 million
  • Sewer systems$47.8 million
  • Water supply$12.6 million
  • Garbage and solid waste$5.0 million
Police, fire, courts and jails
13%$34.3 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; fire protection and 2 more
  • Police$18.0 million
  • Fire protection$14.5 million
  • Inspections and regulation$1.1 million
  • Courts and legal services$657 thousand
Roads, transit and parking
8.5%$22.0 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways; airports and 1 more
  • Roads and highways$11.5 million
  • Airports$8.8 million
  • Public transit$1.7 million
Running the government and other costs
6.3%$16.3 million
What's in running the government and other costsOther and not broken out; central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology) and 3 more
  • Other and not broken out$10.1 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$3.9 million
  • Government buildings$1.2 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$699 thousand
  • Other government-run businesses$406 thousand
Parks, recreation and libraries
4.3%$11.1 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation
  • Parks and recreation$11.1 million
Sent to other local governments
3.1%$8.0 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$8.0 million
Interest on debt
0.6%$1.6 million
What's in interest on debtInterest on electric power debt and interest on general debt
  • Interest on electric power debt$971 thousand
  • Interest on general debt$628 thousand
Health and hospitals
0.3%$786 thousand
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$786 thousand
Housing and community development
0.2%$635 thousand
Social services
<0.1%$134 thousand
What's in social servicesOther public welfare
  • Other public welfare$134 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

City of Jonesboro. U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, individual unit file, fiscal year ended December 31, 2023.

What this covers. The money of City of Jonesboro 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.