City government · Chatham County, GA

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended December 31, 2023), Savannah took in $653 million and spent $535 million.

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

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Where it comes from

Fees for services (sewer, airport)34%City taxes29%County and local tax money17%Fines and other15%Federal tax money3.4%State tax money1.1%

What stands out

17%

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

City taxes29%

Property tax
15%$98.2 million
Other taxes
14%$93.3 million
What's in other taxesOther selective sales taxes; insurance premium taxes and 6 more
  • Other selective sales taxes$42.3 million
  • Insurance premium taxes$13.1 million
  • Public utility taxes$12.6 million
  • Other licenses$7.2 million
  • Occupation and business licenses$6.9 million
  • Alcoholic beverage taxes$6.4 million
  • Alcoholic beverage licenses$2.4 million
  • Other taxes not classified elsewhere$2.4 million

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services34%

Fees for services
34%$223 million
What's in fees for servicesSewer; airport and 6 more
  • Sewer$76.5 million
  • Airport$46.9 million
  • Garbage collection$39.1 million
  • Water$24.2 million
  • Parking$20.6 million
  • Other service charges$11.4 million
  • Parks and recreation$3.8 million
  • Road charges$987 thousand

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%$22.1 million

State tax money1.1%

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

From the state
1.1%$7.0 million

County and local tax money17%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From the county and other local governments
17%$113 million

Fines and other15%

Interest, rents and other
15%$96.3 million

Where it goes

Roads, transit and parking26%Police, fire, courts and jails22%Water, sewer, trash and utilities22%Running the government and other costs17%Parks, recreation and libraries7.9%All other spending5.8%

What stands out

26%

of Savannah's spending goes to roads, transit and parking.A typical U.S. city of 50,000+ people spends 10%.

Spending by category100%

Roads, transit and parking
26%$138 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways; airports and 1 more
  • Roads and highways$68.9 million
  • Airports$59.0 million
  • Parking$10.2 million
Police, fire, courts and jails
22%$119 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; fire protection and 2 more
  • Police$68.0 million
  • Fire protection$39.3 million
  • Courts and legal services$7.2 million
  • Inspections and regulation$4.2 million
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
22%$116 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesSewer systems; garbage and solid waste and 1 more
  • Sewer systems$46.9 million
  • Garbage and solid waste$37.8 million
  • Water supply$31.3 million
Running the government and other costs
17%$88.7 million
What's in running the government and other costsOther and not broken out; government buildings and 3 more
  • Other and not broken out$41.1 million
  • Government buildings$22.3 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$15.2 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$6.2 million
  • Other government-run businesses$3.8 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
7.9%$42.4 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation
  • Parks and recreation$42.4 million
Social services
2.8%$15.0 million
What's in social servicesOther public welfare
  • Other public welfare$15.0 million
Interest on debt
2.6%$13.8 million
What's in interest on debtInterest on general debt and interest on water supply debt
  • Interest on general debt$13.5 million
  • Interest on water supply debt$230 thousand
Sent to other local governments
0.4%$1.9 million
What's in sent to other local governmentsSent to local governments: other and not broken out and sent to the state government
  • Sent to local governments: other and not broken out$1.9 million
  • Sent to the state government$16 thousand
Environment and natural resources
<0.1%$456 thousand
What's in environment and natural resourcesNatural resources, farming and conservation
  • Natural resources, farming and conservation$456 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

City of Savannah. 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 Savannah 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.