Town government · Middlesex County, MA

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended June 30, 2022), Chelmsford took in $168 million and spent $173 million.

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

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Where it comes from

Town taxes72%State tax money14%Fees for services (sewer, water)6.2%Federal tax money4.7%Fines and other2.3%County and local tax money0.2%

What stands out

4.7%

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

Town taxes72%

Property tax
70%$118 million
Other taxes
2.2%$3.7 million
What's in other taxesOther selective sales taxes and other licenses
  • Other selective sales taxes$1.9 million
  • Other licenses$1.8 million

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services6.2%

Fees for services
6.2%$10.3 million
What's in fees for servicesSewer; water and 7 more
  • Sewer$6.7 million
  • Water$1.8 million
  • Other service charges$924 thousand
  • Other school charges$312 thousand
  • School lunches$226 thousand
  • Parks and recreation$137 thousand
  • Other government-run businesses$111 thousand
  • Transit fares$45 thousand
  • School tuition and transportation$13 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money4.7%

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

From the federal government
4.7%$7.9 million

State tax money14%

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

From the state
14%$23.9 million

County and local tax money0.2%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From the county and other local governments
0.2%$252 thousand

Fines and other2.3%

Interest, rents and other
2.3%$3.8 million
Fines
<0.1%$77 thousand

Where it goes

Schools and colleges53%Running the government and other costs24%Police, fire, courts and jails8.6%Water, sewer, trash and utilities5.5%Roads, transit and parking2.7%All other spending5.8%

What stands out

53%

of Chelmsford'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
53%$92.3 million
What's in schools and collegesElementary and secondary schools
  • Elementary and secondary schools$92.3 million
Running the government and other costs
24%$41.3 million
What's in running the government and other costsOther and not broken out; government buildings and 2 more
  • Other and not broken out$36.4 million
  • Government buildings$2.3 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$1.9 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$785 thousand
Police, fire, courts and jails
8.6%$14.9 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; fire protection and 2 more
  • Police$7.7 million
  • Fire protection$6.6 million
  • Inspections and regulation$494 thousand
  • Courts and legal services$119 thousand
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
5.5%$9.5 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesSewer systems; garbage and solid waste and 1 more
  • Sewer systems$4.8 million
  • Garbage and solid waste$3.1 million
  • Water supply$1.5 million
Roads, transit and parking
2.7%$4.7 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways
  • Roads and highways$4.7 million
Sent to other local governments
2.6%$4.5 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$4.2 million
  • Sent to the state government$299 thousand
Parks, recreation and libraries
1.4%$2.4 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesLibraries and parks and recreation
  • Libraries$2.2 million
  • Parks and recreation$169 thousand
Interest on debt
1.4%$2.3 million
Health and hospitals
0.3%$529 thousand
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$529 thousand
Social services
0.1%$239 thousand
What's in social servicesOther public welfare
  • Other public welfare$239 thousand
Environment and natural resources
<0.1%$58 thousand
What's in environment and natural resourcesNatural resources, farming and conservation
  • Natural resources, farming and conservation$58 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

Town of Chelmsford. 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 Chelmsford 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.