Town government · Worcester County, MD

Ocean City's money: where it comes from and where it goes

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended June 30, 2024), Ocean City took in $154 million and spent $143 million.

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

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Where it comes from

Town taxes53%Fees for services (sewer, water)30%Fines and other5.4%County and local tax money5.1%State tax money4.1%Federal tax money2.9%

What stands out

22%

of Ocean City's money comes from taxes other than property, sales and income taxes.A typical U.S. city, town or village of under 10,000 people gets 2.5%.

Town taxes53%

Property tax
30%$45.9 million
Other taxes
22%$33.7 million
What's in other taxesOther selective sales taxes; amusement taxes and 4 more
  • Other selective sales taxes$25.4 million
  • Amusement taxes$3.2 million
  • Occupation and business licenses$1.9 million
  • Other licenses$1.8 million
  • Public utility licenses$1.1 million
  • Alcoholic beverage licenses$341 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Individual income tax
1.4%$2.2 million

Fees for services30%

Fees for services
30%$45.7 million
What's in fees for servicesSewer; water and 7 more
  • Sewer$14.8 million
  • Water$8.3 million
  • Other service charges$6.1 million
  • Parking$5.9 million
  • Parks and recreation$4.9 million
  • Transit fares$3.9 million
  • Airport$1.5 million
  • Garbage collection$175 thousand
  • Road charges$73 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money2.9%

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

From the federal government
2.9%$4.4 million

State tax money4.1%

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

From the state
4.1%$6.4 million

County and local tax money5.1%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From the county and other local governments
5.1%$7.8 million

Fines and other5.4%

Interest, rents and other
4.3%$6.7 million
Fines
1.0%$1.6 million

Where it goes

Police, fire, courts and jails33%Running the government and other costs25%Water, sewer, trash and utilities19%Roads, transit and parking13%Parks, recreation and libraries8.6%All other spending2.4%

What stands out

33%

of Ocean City's spending goes to police, fire, courts and jails.A typical U.S. city, town or village of under 10,000 people spends 11%.

Spending by category100%

Police, fire, courts and jails
33%$46.7 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; fire protection and 2 more
  • Police$26.3 million
  • Fire protection$14.1 million
  • Inspections and regulation$5.7 million
  • Courts and legal services$728 thousand
Running the government and other costs
25%$35.2 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$26.0 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$4.5 million
  • Government buildings$2.6 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$2.2 million
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
19%$27.4 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesSewer systems; water supply and 1 more
  • Sewer systems$12.1 million
  • Water supply$7.8 million
  • Garbage and solid waste$7.5 million
Roads, transit and parking
13%$18.3 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingPublic transit; roads and highways and 2 more
  • Public transit$8.2 million
  • Roads and highways$6.7 million
  • Airports$2.4 million
  • Parking$990 thousand
Parks, recreation and libraries
8.6%$12.3 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation
  • Parks and recreation$12.3 million
Interest on debt
2.2%$3.2 million
Health and hospitals
0.2%$220 thousand
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$220 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

Town of Ocean City. 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 Town of Ocean City 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.