City government · Dorchester County, MD

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended June 30, 2024), Cambridge took in $31.7 million and spent $29.7 million.

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

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Where it comes from

City taxes40%Fees for services (sewer, water)31%Federal tax money17%State tax money8.1%Fines and other3.3%County and local tax money1.4%

What stands out

17%

of Cambridge's money comes from federal tax money.A typical U.S. city of 10,000 to 50,000 people gets 1.2%.

City taxes40%

Property tax
29%$9.1 million
Other taxes
7.2%$2.3 million
What's in other taxesOther selective sales taxes; other licenses and 3 more
  • Other selective sales taxes$962 thousand
  • Other licenses$691 thousand
  • Occupation and business licenses$368 thousand
  • Public utility licenses$143 thousand
  • Amusement taxes$108 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Individual income tax
4.1%$1.3 million

Fees for services31%

Fees for services
31%$9.7 million
What's in fees for servicesSewer; water and 3 more
  • Sewer$5.4 million
  • Water$2.6 million
  • Garbage collection$1.1 million
  • Parks and recreation$537 thousand
  • Other service charges$93 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money17%

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

From the federal government
17%$5.3 million

State tax money8.1%

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

From the state
8.1%$2.6 million

County and local tax money1.4%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From the county and other local governments
1.4%$433 thousand

Fines and other3.3%

Interest, rents and other
3.1%$995 thousand
Fines
0.1%$41 thousand

Where it goes

Water, sewer, trash and utilities30%Police, fire, courts and jails26%Roads, transit and parking23%Running the government and other costs18%Parks, recreation and libraries2.1%Interest on debt1.6%

What stands out

23%

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

Spending by category100%

Water, sewer, trash and utilities
30%$8.8 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesSewer systems; water supply and 1 more
  • Sewer systems$5.6 million
  • Water supply$2.1 million
  • Garbage and solid waste$1.1 million
Police, fire, courts and jails
26%$7.6 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; fire protection and 1 more
  • Police$7.1 million
  • Fire protection$411 thousand
  • Courts and legal services$127 thousand
Roads, transit and parking
23%$6.8 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways
  • Roads and highways$6.8 million
Running the government and other costs
18%$5.4 million
What's in running the government and other costsOther and not broken out; finance, tax collection and budgeting and 1 more
  • Other and not broken out$3.6 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$1.0 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$761 thousand
Parks, recreation and libraries
2.1%$622 thousand
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation
  • Parks and recreation$622 thousand
Interest on debt
1.6%$473 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

City of Cambridge. 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 Cambridge 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.