Town government · Middlesex County, MA

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended June 30, 2024), Littleton took in $117 million and spent $142 million.

Latest recorded year: ended June 30, 2024Estimated by the U.S. Census BureauComes fromGoes to

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Where it comes from

Town taxes45%Fees for services (electric power, water)42%State tax money7.6%Fines and other2.4%Federal tax money1.9%County and local tax money0.5%

What stands out

42%

of Littleton's money comes from fees for services such as water, sewer and parking.A typical U.S. township or town of 10,000 to 50,000 people gets 8.8%.

Town taxes45%

Property tax
44%$51.7 million
Other taxes
1.1%$1.3 million
What's in other taxesOther licenses and other selective sales taxes
  • Other licenses$675 thousand
  • Other selective sales taxes$586 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services42%

Fees for services
42%$49.0 million
What's in fees for servicesElectric power; water and 8 more
  • Electric power$38.1 million
  • Water$5.8 million
  • Other service charges$1.8 million
  • Parks and recreation$1.7 million
  • School tuition and transportation$697 thousand
  • Garbage collection$563 thousand
  • Other school charges$203 thousand
  • School lunches$96 thousand
  • Other government-run businesses$54 thousand
  • Parks, land and natural resources$5 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money1.9%

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

From the federal government
1.9%$2.3 million

State tax money7.6%

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

From the state
7.6%$8.9 million

County and local tax money0.5%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From the county and other local governments
0.5%$599 thousand

Fines and other2.4%

Interest, rents and other
2.3%$2.7 million
Fines
<0.1%$116 thousand

Where it goes

Water, sewer, trash and utilities46%Schools and colleges27%Running the government and other costs16%Police, fire, courts and jails4.7%Roads, transit and parking2.3%All other spending4.0%

What stands out

27%

of Littleton'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%

Water, sewer, trash and utilities
46%$65.6 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesElectric power; water supply and 2 more
  • Electric power$39.8 million
  • Water supply$21.0 million
  • Sewer systems$4.2 million
  • Garbage and solid waste$624 thousand
Schools and colleges
27%$37.7 million
What's in schools and collegesElementary and secondary schools
  • Elementary and secondary schools$37.7 million
Running the government and other costs
16%$23.4 million
What's in running the government and other costsOther and not broken out; government buildings and 2 more
  • Other and not broken out$15.3 million
  • Government buildings$6.1 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$1.2 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$806 thousand
Police, fire, courts and jails
4.7%$6.7 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; fire protection and 2 more
  • Police$2.6 million
  • Fire protection$2.5 million
  • Inspections and regulation$1.1 million
  • Courts and legal services$425 thousand
Roads, transit and parking
2.3%$3.2 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways
  • Roads and highways$3.2 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
1.6%$2.2 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation and libraries
  • Parks and recreation$1.3 million
  • Libraries$901 thousand
Interest on debt
1.2%$1.7 million
What's in interest on debtInterest on general debt and interest on water supply debt
  • Interest on general debt$1.6 million
  • Interest on water supply debt$138 thousand
Sent to other local governments
0.8%$1.2 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$1.1 million
  • Sent to the state government$82 thousand
Health and hospitals
0.2%$338 thousand
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$338 thousand
Social services
0.1%$148 thousand
What's in social servicesOther public welfare
  • Other public welfare$148 thousand
Environment and natural resources
<0.1%$64 thousand
What's in environment and natural resourcesNatural resources, farming and conservation
  • Natural resources, farming and conservation$64 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

Town of Littleton. U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, individual unit file, fiscal year ended June 30, 2024. Most of this government's figures were estimated by the U.S. Census Bureau from a sample; the government did not report them itself.

What this covers. The money of Town of Littleton 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.