City government · Middlesex County, MA

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended June 30, 2024), Medford took in $244 million and spent $261 million.

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

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Where it comes from

City taxes62%State tax money17%Fees for services (water, school lunches)14%Federal tax money4.9%Fines and other2.0%

What stands out

59%

of Medford's money comes from property tax.A typical U.S. city of 50,000+ people gets 20%.

City taxes62%

Property tax
59%$144 million
Other taxes
3.1%$7.5 million
What's in other taxesOther selective sales taxes and other licenses
  • Other selective sales taxes$4.1 million
  • Other licenses$3.4 million

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services14%

Fees for services
14%$34.6 million
What's in fees for servicesWater; other service charges and 2 more
  • Water$31.1 million
  • Other service charges$3.2 million
  • School lunches$189 thousand
  • Parking$148 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money4.9%

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

From the federal government
4.9%$11.8 million

State tax money17%

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

From the state
17%$40.3 million

Fines and other2.0%

Interest, rents and other
1.4%$3.5 million
Fines
0.5%$1.3 million

Where it goes

Schools and colleges44%Running the government and other costs19%Water, sewer, trash and utilities16%Police, fire, courts and jails14%Sent to other local governments1.9%All other spending5.3%

What stands out

44%

of Medford's spending goes to schools and colleges.Most U.S. cities of 50,000+ people spend nothing on this.

Spending by category100%

Schools and colleges
44%$115 million
What's in schools and collegesElementary and secondary schools
  • Elementary and secondary schools$115 million
Running the government and other costs
19%$49.9 million
What's in running the government and other costsOther and not broken out; finance, tax collection and budgeting and 2 more
  • Other and not broken out$44.3 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$2.6 million
  • Government buildings$2.0 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$991 thousand
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
16%$41.9 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesWater supply; garbage and solid waste and 1 more
  • Water supply$30.2 million
  • Garbage and solid waste$11.4 million
  • Sewer systems$346 thousand
Police, fire, courts and jails
14%$35.8 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsFire protection; police and 2 more
  • Fire protection$16.4 million
  • Police$15.7 million
  • Inspections and regulation$3.3 million
  • Courts and legal services$415 thousand
Sent to other local governments
1.9%$4.9 million
What's in sent to other local governmentsSent to the state government and sent to local governments: other and not broken out
  • Sent to the state government$4.4 million
  • Sent to local governments: other and not broken out$466 thousand
Roads, transit and parking
1.5%$3.9 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways
  • Roads and highways$3.9 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
1.4%$3.8 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesLibraries and parks and recreation
  • Libraries$2.0 million
  • Parks and recreation$1.7 million
Housing and community development
1.0%$2.7 million
Interest on debt
0.9%$2.3 million
Health and hospitals
0.3%$811 thousand
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$811 thousand
Social services
0.1%$364 thousand
What's in social servicesOther public welfare
  • Other public welfare$364 thousand
Environment and natural resources
<0.1%$7 thousand
What's in environment and natural resourcesNatural resources, farming and conservation
  • Natural resources, farming and conservation$7 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

City of Medford. 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 City of Medford 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.