Town government · Lake County, IN

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended December 31, 2023), Merrillville took in $21.8 million and spent $16.7 million.

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

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Where it comes from

Town taxes78%Fines and other20%Fees for services (parks and recreation)1.4%Federal tax money0.4%

What stands out

63%

of Merrillville's money comes from property tax.A typical U.S. city of 10,000 to 50,000 people gets 19%.

Town taxes78%

Property tax
63%$13.8 million
Individual income tax
7.6%$1.7 million
Other taxes
7.4%$1.6 million
What's in other taxesOccupation and business licenses and other selective sales taxes
  • Occupation and business licenses$1.6 million
  • Other selective sales taxes$12 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services1.4%

Fees for services
1.4%$300 thousand
What's in fees for servicesParks and recreation
  • Parks and recreation$300 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money0.4%

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

From the federal government
0.4%$79 thousand

Fines and other20%

Interest, rents and other
20%$4.4 million

Where it goes

Police, fire, courts and jails41%Running the government and other costs28%Interest on debt16%Roads, transit and parking8.8%Parks, recreation and libraries4.4%Water, sewer, trash and utilities1.5%

What stands out

16%

of Merrillville's spending goes to interest on debt.A typical U.S. city of 10,000 to 50,000 people spends 2.2%.

Spending by category100%

Police, fire, courts and jails
41%$6.9 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; fire protection and 2 more
  • Police$4.9 million
  • Fire protection$1.5 million
  • Courts and legal services$417 thousand
  • Inspections and regulation$108 thousand
Running the government and other costs
28%$4.7 million
What's in running the government and other costsOther and not broken out and central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)
  • Other and not broken out$3.2 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$1.5 million
Interest on debt
16%$2.7 million
Roads, transit and parking
8.8%$1.5 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways
  • Roads and highways$1.5 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
4.4%$735 thousand
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation
  • Parks and recreation$735 thousand
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
1.5%$247 thousand
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesSewer systems
  • Sewer systems$247 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

Town of Merrillville. 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 Town of Merrillville 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.