City government · Polk County, IA

Des Moines's money: where it comes from and where it goes

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended June 30, 2024), Des Moines took in $736 million and spent $710 million.

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

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Where it comes from

Fees for services (water, sewer)39%City taxes37%Federal tax money9.9%Fines and other8.9%State tax money5.0%County and local tax money0.2%

What stands out

10%

of Des Moines' money comes from federal tax money.A typical U.S. city of 50,000+ people gets 3.6%.

City taxes37%

Property tax
26%$189 million
Sales tax
7.3%$53.6 million
Other taxes
4.2%$31.2 million
What's in other taxesPublic utility taxes; other selective sales taxes and 1 more
  • Public utility taxes$16.2 million
  • Other selective sales taxes$10.2 million
  • Other licenses$4.8 million

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services39%

Fees for services
39%$285 million
What's in fees for servicesWater; sewer and 7 more
  • Water$94.5 million
  • Sewer$83.7 million
  • Airport$56.3 million
  • Garbage collection$17.4 million
  • Other service charges$16.1 million
  • Parking$11.2 million
  • Road charges$2.7 million
  • Parks and recreation$1.8 million
  • Other government-run businesses$1.7 million

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money9.9%

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

From the federal government
9.9%$72.7 million

State tax money5.0%

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

From the state
5.0%$37.0 million

County and local tax money0.2%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From the county and other local governments
0.2%$1.4 million

Fines and other8.9%

Interest, rents and other
8.1%$59.9 million
Fines
0.8%$5.7 million

Where it goes

Roads, transit and parking35%Police, fire, courts and jails19%Water, sewer, trash and utilities18%Running the government and other costs14%Parks, recreation and libraries4.0%All other spending9.4%

What stands out

35%

of Des Moines' 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
35%$252 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways; airports and 1 more
  • Roads and highways$167 million
  • Airports$76.9 million
  • Parking$7.7 million
Police, fire, courts and jails
19%$138 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; fire protection and 2 more
  • Police$78.8 million
  • Fire protection$50.5 million
  • Inspections and regulation$6.7 million
  • Courts and legal services$1.7 million
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
18%$125 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesWater supply; sewer systems and 1 more
  • Water supply$56.4 million
  • Sewer systems$53.0 million
  • Garbage and solid waste$15.7 million
Running the government and other costs
14%$100 million
What's in running the government and other costsOther and not broken out; central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology) and 3 more
  • Other and not broken out$61.8 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$23.4 million
  • Government buildings$7.7 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$5.0 million
  • Other government-run businesses$2.3 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
4.0%$28.0 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation and libraries
  • Parks and recreation$16.7 million
  • Libraries$11.4 million
Interest on debt
3.7%$26.3 million
What's in interest on debtInterest on general debt and interest on water supply debt
  • Interest on general debt$26.3 million
  • Interest on water supply debt$2 thousand
Housing and community development
3.3%$23.4 million
Social services
2.0%$14.0 million
What's in social servicesOther public welfare
  • Other public welfare$14.0 million
Health and hospitals
0.5%$3.3 million
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$3.3 million
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

City of Des Moines. 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 Des Moines 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.