City government · Polk County, IA

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended June 30, 2024), Urbandale took in $114 million and spent $81.3 million.

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

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Where it comes from

City taxes54%Fees for services (water, garbage collection)31%Fines and other9.4%State tax money5.7%County and local tax money<0.1%

What stands out

8.9%

of Urbandale's money comes from sales tax.Most U.S. cities of 10,000 to 50,000 people get none.

City taxes54%

Property tax
39%$45.0 million
Sales tax
8.9%$10.2 million
Other taxes
5.1%$5.8 million
What's in other taxesOther selective sales taxes; other licenses and 1 more
  • Other selective sales taxes$2.2 million
  • Other licenses$2.0 million
  • Public utility taxes$1.6 million

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services31%

Fees for services
31%$35.7 million
What's in fees for servicesWater; garbage collection and 4 more
  • Water$26.8 million
  • Garbage collection$3.2 million
  • Sewer$2.9 million
  • Other service charges$2.6 million
  • Parks and recreation$318 thousand
  • Other government-run businesses$27 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%$57 thousand

State tax money5.7%

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

From the state
5.7%$6.5 million

County and local tax money<0.1%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From the county and other local governments
<0.1%$80 thousand

Fines and other9.4%

Interest, rents and other
9.2%$10.5 million
Fines
0.2%$172 thousand

Where it goes

Water, sewer, trash and utilities35%Police, fire, courts and jails26%Running the government and other costs13%Parks, recreation and libraries11%Roads, transit and parking9.3%All other spending6.0%

What stands out

35%

of Urbandale's spending goes to water, sewer, trash and other utilities.A typical U.S. city of 10,000 to 50,000 people spends 24%.

Spending by category100%

Water, sewer, trash and utilities
35%$28.4 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesWater supply; garbage and solid waste and 1 more
  • Water supply$24.7 million
  • Garbage and solid waste$2.8 million
  • Sewer systems$955 thousand
Police, fire, courts and jails
26%$21.4 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; fire protection and 1 more
  • Police$11.5 million
  • Fire protection$9.7 million
  • Courts and legal services$197 thousand
Running the government and other costs
13%$10.2 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$5.3 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$2.8 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$1.1 million
  • Government buildings$958 thousand
  • Other government-run businesses$15 thousand
Parks, recreation and libraries
11%$8.8 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation and libraries
  • Parks and recreation$5.9 million
  • Libraries$2.9 million
Roads, transit and parking
9.3%$7.5 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways
  • Roads and highways$7.5 million
Interest on debt
3.9%$3.2 million
What's in interest on debtInterest on general debt and interest on water supply debt
  • Interest on general debt$3.1 million
  • Interest on water supply debt$17 thousand
Sent to other local governments
1.8%$1.5 million
What's in sent to other local governmentsSent to local governments: other and not broken out
  • Sent to local governments: other and not broken out$1.5 million
Social services
0.2%$155 thousand
What's in social servicesOther public welfare
  • Other public welfare$155 thousand
Health and hospitals
<0.1%$60 thousand
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$60 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

City of Urbandale. 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 Urbandale 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.