City government · Jefferson County, CO

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended December 31, 2023), Arvada took in $251 million and spent $208 million.

Latest recorded year: ended December 31, 2023Estimated by the U.S. Census BureauComes fromGoes to

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Where it comes from

City taxes51%Fees for services (water, sewer)30%Fines and other11%State tax money3.7%County and local tax money2.3%Federal tax money1.8%

What stands out

43%

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

City taxes51%

Sales tax
43%$109 million
Other taxes
4.0%$10.1 million
What's in other taxesOccupation and business licenses and other licenses
  • Occupation and business licenses$5.3 million
  • Other licenses$4.8 million

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Property tax
3.8%$9.5 million

Fees for services30%

Fees for services
30%$74.3 million
What's in fees for servicesWater; sewer and 3 more
  • Water$32.3 million
  • Sewer$25.2 million
  • Parks and recreation$7.8 million
  • Other service charges$5.7 million
  • Garbage collection$3.3 million

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money1.8%

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

From the federal government
1.8%$4.6 million

State tax money3.7%

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

From the state
3.7%$9.3 million

County and local tax money2.3%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From the county and other local governments
2.3%$5.9 million

Fines and other11%

Interest, rents and other
9.5%$23.8 million
Fines
1.7%$4.3 million

Where it goes

Water, sewer, trash and utilities31%Running the government and other costs30%Police, fire, courts and jails22%Parks, recreation and libraries9.3%Housing and community development4.5%Interest on debt2.1%

What stands out

30%

of Arvada's spending goes to running the government and other costs.A typical U.S. city of 50,000+ people spends 16%.

Spending by category100%

Water, sewer, trash and utilities
31%$65.5 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesWater supply; sewer systems and 1 more
  • Water supply$42.9 million
  • Sewer systems$18.2 million
  • Garbage and solid waste$4.4 million
Running the government and other costs
30%$62.8 million
What's in running the government and other costsOther and not broken out; finance, tax collection and budgeting and 1 more
  • Other and not broken out$37.8 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$17.8 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$7.2 million
Police, fire, courts and jails
22%$46.8 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice and courts and legal services
  • Police$42.5 million
  • Courts and legal services$4.3 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
9.3%$19.4 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation
  • Parks and recreation$19.4 million
Housing and community development
4.5%$9.4 million
Interest on debt
2.1%$4.4 million
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

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