City government · Tippecanoe County, IN

West Lafayette's money: where it comes from and where it goes

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended December 31, 2023), West Lafayette took in $82.8 million and spent $69.8 million.

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

See every government that serves your ZIP

Where it comes from

City taxes42%Fees for services (sewer, parks and recreation)37%State tax money16%Fines and other3.5%County and local tax money0.9%

What stands out

41%

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

City taxes42%

Property tax
41%$34.3 million
Other taxes
0.7%$602 thousand
What's in other taxesOther licenses and public utility taxes
  • Other licenses$466 thousand
  • Public utility taxes$136 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services37%

Fees for services
37%$30.9 million
What's in fees for servicesSewer; parks and recreation and 1 more
  • Sewer$28.0 million
  • Parks and recreation$2.8 million
  • Other service charges$47 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money<0.1%

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

From the federal government
<0.1%$41 thousand

State tax money16%

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

From the state
16%$13.2 million

County and local tax money0.9%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From the county and other local governments
0.9%$739 thousand

Fines and other3.5%

Interest, rents and other
3.1%$2.6 million
Fines
0.4%$324 thousand

Where it goes

Running the government and other costs39%Police, fire, courts and jails22%Water, sewer, trash and utilities16%Interest on debt7.6%Parks, recreation and libraries6.2%All other spending9.2%

What stands out

39%

of West Lafayette's spending goes to running the government and other costs.A typical U.S. city of 10,000 to 50,000 people spends 18%.

Spending by category100%

Running the government and other costs
39%$27.0 million
What's in running the government and other costsOther and not broken out; central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology) and 2 more
  • Other and not broken out$24.7 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$1.1 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$705 thousand
  • Government buildings$383 thousand
Police, fire, courts and jails
22%$15.5 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; fire protection and 2 more
  • Police$8.3 million
  • Fire protection$6.8 million
  • Inspections and regulation$276 thousand
  • Courts and legal services$141 thousand
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
16%$11.2 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesSewer systems
  • Sewer systems$11.2 million
Interest on debt
7.6%$5.3 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
6.2%$4.4 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation
  • Parks and recreation$4.4 million
Roads, transit and parking
4.8%$3.3 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways
  • Roads and highways$3.3 million
Housing and community development
4.0%$2.8 million
Environment and natural resources
0.5%$319 thousand
What's in environment and natural resourcesNatural resources, farming and conservation
  • Natural resources, farming and conservation$319 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

City of West Lafayette. 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 West Lafayette 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.