Town government · Middlesex County, MA

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended June 30, 2024), Acton took in $134 million and spent $132 million.

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

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Where it comes from

Town taxes84%Fees for services (sewer, garbage collection)9.4%State tax money5.7%Fines and other1.3%

What stands out

82%

of Acton's money comes from property tax.A typical U.S. township or town of 10,000 to 50,000 people gets 53%.

Town taxes84%

Property tax
82%$110 million
Other taxes
1.3%$1.8 million
What's in other taxesOther licenses and other selective sales taxes
  • Other licenses$1.3 million
  • Other selective sales taxes$481 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services9.4%

Fees for services
9.4%$12.6 million
What's in fees for servicesSewer; other service charges and 3 more
  • Sewer$7.5 million
  • Other service charges$4.0 million
  • Garbage collection$809 thousand
  • Parking$200 thousand
  • Other government-run businesses$97 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%$48 thousand

State tax money5.7%

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

From the state
5.7%$7.6 million

Fines and other1.3%

Interest, rents and other
1.2%$1.7 million
Fines
<0.1%$52 thousand

Where it goes

Sent to other local governments57%Running the government and other costs23%Police, fire, courts and jails8.5%Water, sewer, trash and utilities4.3%Roads, transit and parking3.3%All other spending3.1%

What stands out

57%

of Acton's spending goes to local governments.Most U.S. townships and towns of 10,000 to 50,000 people spend nothing on this.

Spending by category100%

Sent to other local governments
57%$75.6 million
What's in sent to other local governmentsSent to local governments: other and not broken out and sent to the state government
  • Sent to local governments: other and not broken out$75.4 million
  • Sent to the state government$240 thousand
Running the government and other costs
23%$30.7 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$24.8 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$2.6 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$1.8 million
  • Government buildings$1.5 million
Police, fire, courts and jails
8.5%$11.2 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; fire protection and 1 more
  • Police$6.5 million
  • Fire protection$4.4 million
  • Inspections and regulation$304 thousand
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
4.3%$5.7 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesSewer systems and garbage and solid waste
  • Sewer systems$5.0 million
  • Garbage and solid waste$638 thousand
Roads, transit and parking
3.3%$4.4 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways
  • Roads and highways$4.4 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
1.2%$1.6 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesLibraries and parks and recreation
  • Libraries$1.6 million
  • Parks and recreation$3 thousand
Interest on debt
1.1%$1.4 million
Health and hospitals
0.6%$854 thousand
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$854 thousand
Social services
0.1%$193 thousand
What's in social servicesOther public welfare
  • Other public welfare$193 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

Town of Acton. 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 Acton 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.