City government · Fulton County, GA

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended June 30, 2024), Atlanta took in $3.19 billion and spent $2.71 billion.

Latest recorded year: ended June 30, 2024Comes fromGoes to

See every government that serves your ZIP

Where it comes from

Fees for services (airport, water)42%City taxes34%County and local tax money15%Fines and other4.8%Federal tax money3.4%State tax money0.9%

What stands out

15%

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

City taxes34%

Property tax
22%$703 million
Other taxes
12%$394 million
What's in other taxesOther selective sales taxes; occupation and business licenses and 6 more
  • Other selective sales taxes$126 million
  • Occupation and business licenses$80.9 million
  • Public utility taxes$60.8 million
  • Insurance premium taxes$44.2 million
  • Other licenses$43.8 million
  • Alcoholic beverage taxes$26.6 million
  • Alcoholic beverage licenses$10.9 million
  • Other taxes not classified elsewhere$191 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services42%

Fees for services
42%$1.33 billion
What's in fees for servicesAirport; water and 4 more
  • Airport$682 million
  • Water$284 million
  • Sewer$223 million
  • Other service charges$70.9 million
  • Garbage collection$51.5 million
  • Road charges$18.0 million

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money3.4%

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

From the federal government
3.4%$110 million

State tax money0.9%

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

From the state
0.9%$30.0 million

County and local tax money15%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From the county and other local governments
15%$475 million

Fines and other4.8%

Interest, rents and other
4.1%$131 million
Fines
0.7%$22.4 million

Where it goes

Interest on debt20%Roads, transit and parking20%Police, fire, courts and jails19%Running the government and other costs17%Water, sewer, trash and utilities16%All other spending7.3%

What stands out

20%

of Atlanta's spending goes to interest on debt.A typical U.S. city of 50,000+ people spends 2.5%.

Spending by category100%

Interest on debt
20%$553 million
What's in interest on debtInterest on general debt and interest on water supply debt
  • Interest on general debt$440 million
  • Interest on water supply debt$112 million
Roads, transit and parking
20%$538 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingAirports and roads and highways
  • Airports$403 million
  • Roads and highways$135 million
Police, fire, courts and jails
19%$510 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; fire protection and 3 more
  • Police$308 million
  • Fire protection$119 million
  • Courts and legal services$46.0 million
  • Prisons and jails$18.5 million
  • Inspections and regulation$18.3 million
Running the government and other costs
17%$469 million
What's in running the government and other costsOther and not broken out; finance, tax collection and budgeting and 3 more
  • Other and not broken out$248 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$128 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$59.2 million
  • Government buildings$32.3 million
  • Other government-run businesses$1.3 million
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
16%$442 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesWater supply; sewer systems and 1 more
  • Water supply$406 million
  • Sewer systems$28.7 million
  • Garbage and solid waste$7.0 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
4.7%$128 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation
  • Parks and recreation$128 million
Social services
2.2%$59.6 million
What's in social servicesOther public welfare
  • Other public welfare$59.6 million
Housing and community development
0.3%$7.2 million
Health and hospitals
<0.1%$2.3 million
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$2.3 million
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

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

What this covers. The money of City of Atlanta 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.