Town government · Middlesex County, MA

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended June 30, 2022), Bedford took in $114 million and spent $116 million.

Latest recorded year: ended June 30, 2022Comes fromGoes to

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Where it comes from

Town taxes70%State tax money14%Fees for services (sewer, water)10%Federal tax money3.7%Fines and other2.5%

What stands out

3.7%

of Bedford's money comes from federal tax money.Most U.S. townships and towns of 10,000 to 50,000 people get none.

Town taxes70%

Property tax
66%$75.4 million
Other taxes
4.1%$4.7 million
What's in other taxesOther licenses and other selective sales taxes
  • Other licenses$3.7 million
  • Other selective sales taxes$987 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services10%

Fees for services
10%$11.5 million
What's in fees for servicesSewer; water and 4 more
  • Sewer$4.9 million
  • Water$3.9 million
  • Other service charges$2.5 million
  • School tuition and transportation$111 thousand
  • School lunches$77 thousand
  • Other school charges$28 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money3.7%

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

From the federal government
3.7%$4.2 million

State tax money14%

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

From the state
14%$15.5 million

Fines and other2.5%

Interest, rents and other
2.5%$2.8 million

Where it goes

Schools and colleges55%Running the government and other costs20%Police, fire, courts and jails6.9%Roads, transit and parking6.0%Water, sewer, trash and utilities5.8%All other spending6.1%

What stands out

55%

of Bedford's spending goes to schools and colleges.Most U.S. townships and towns of 10,000 to 50,000 people spend nothing on this.

Spending by category100%

Schools and colleges
55%$64.5 million
What's in schools and collegesElementary and secondary schools
  • Elementary and secondary schools$64.5 million
Running the government and other costs
20%$22.9 million
What's in running the government and other costsOther and not broken out; government buildings and 2 more
  • Other and not broken out$16.5 million
  • Government buildings$3.3 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$2.1 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$983 thousand
Police, fire, courts and jails
6.9%$8.0 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; fire protection and 2 more
  • Police$4.2 million
  • Fire protection$2.9 million
  • Inspections and regulation$560 thousand
  • Courts and legal services$305 thousand
Roads, transit and parking
6.0%$7.0 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways
  • Roads and highways$7.0 million
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
5.8%$6.7 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesWater supply; garbage and solid waste and 1 more
  • Water supply$3.8 million
  • Garbage and solid waste$1.6 million
  • Sewer systems$1.3 million
Interest on debt
1.9%$2.2 million
What's in interest on debtInterest on general debt and interest on water supply debt
  • Interest on general debt$2.0 million
  • Interest on water supply debt$226 thousand
Health and hospitals
1.4%$1.6 million
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$1.6 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
1.3%$1.5 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesLibraries and parks and recreation
  • Libraries$1.4 million
  • Parks and recreation$147 thousand
Sent to other local governments
1.3%$1.5 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$1.2 million
  • Sent to the state government$326 thousand
Social services
0.2%$242 thousand
What's in social servicesOther public welfare
  • Other public welfare$242 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

Town of Bedford. U.S. Census Bureau, 2022 Census of Governments, Finance, individual unit file, fiscal year ended June 30, 2022. The Census record for this government is from the 2022 survey, the newest on file.

What this covers. The money of Town of Bedford 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.