Town government · Worcester County, MA

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended June 30, 2022), Lancaster took in $28.1 million and spent $26.2 million.

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

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Where it comes from

Town taxes82%State tax money7.7%Fees for services (water, parks, land and natural resources)6.5%Federal tax money2.8%Fines and other0.8%

What stands out

6.5%

of Lancaster's money comes from fees for services such as water, sewer and parking.Most U.S. townships and towns of under 10,000 people get none.

Town taxes82%

Property tax
81%$22.8 million
Other taxes
0.9%$248 thousand
What's in other taxesOther licenses and other selective sales taxes
  • Other licenses$194 thousand
  • Other selective sales taxes$54 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services6.5%

Fees for services
6.5%$1.8 million
What's in fees for servicesWater; other service charges and 3 more
  • Water$1.3 million
  • Other service charges$510 thousand
  • Parks, land and natural resources$50 thousand
  • Other government-run businesses$2 thousand
  • Parking$1 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money2.8%

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

From the federal government
2.8%$785 thousand

State tax money7.7%

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

From the state
7.7%$2.2 million

Fines and other0.8%

Interest, rents and other
0.6%$166 thousand
Fines
0.2%$51 thousand

Where it goes

Sent to other local governments62%Running the government and other costs19%Police, fire, courts and jails7.8%Roads, transit and parking4.2%Water, sewer, trash and utilities2.2%All other spending4.4%

What stands out

62%

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

Spending by category100%

Sent to other local governments
62%$16.3 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$16.2 million
  • Sent to the state government$62 thousand
Running the government and other costs
19%$5.1 million
What's in running the government and other costsOther and not broken out; government buildings and 2 more
  • Other and not broken out$2.9 million
  • Government buildings$1.1 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$698 thousand
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$366 thousand
Police, fire, courts and jails
7.8%$2.0 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; fire protection and 2 more
  • Police$1.1 million
  • Fire protection$701 thousand
  • Courts and legal services$156 thousand
  • Inspections and regulation$130 thousand
Roads, transit and parking
4.2%$1.1 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways
  • Roads and highways$1.1 million
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
2.2%$581 thousand
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesWater supply
  • Water supply$581 thousand
Parks, recreation and libraries
1.7%$445 thousand
What's in parks, recreation and librariesLibraries and parks and recreation
  • Libraries$397 thousand
  • Parks and recreation$48 thousand
Interest on debt
1.1%$298 thousand
What's in interest on debtInterest on general debt and interest on water supply debt
  • Interest on general debt$169 thousand
  • Interest on water supply debt$129 thousand
Health and hospitals
0.9%$247 thousand
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$247 thousand
Schools and colleges
0.3%$81 thousand
What's in schools and collegesElementary and secondary schools
  • Elementary and secondary schools$81 thousand
Environment and natural resources
0.1%$38 thousand
What's in environment and natural resourcesNatural resources, farming and conservation
  • Natural resources, farming and conservation$38 thousand
Social services
0.1%$34 thousand
What's in social servicesOther public welfare
  • Other public welfare$34 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

Town of Lancaster. 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 Lancaster 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.