City government · Middlesex County, MA

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended June 30, 2024), Melrose took in $138 million and spent $187 million.

Latest recorded year: ended June 30, 2024Comes fromGoes to

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Where it comes from

City taxes59%Fees for services (sewer, water)19%State tax money17%Fines and other3.7%Federal tax money1.8%

What stands out

59%

of Melrose's money comes from property tax.A typical U.S. city of 10,000 to 50,000 people gets 19%.

City taxes59%

Property tax
59%$81.2 million
Other taxes
0.6%$763 thousand
What's in other taxesOther selective sales taxes and other licenses
  • Other selective sales taxes$741 thousand
  • Other licenses$22 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services19%

Fees for services
19%$25.6 million
What's in fees for servicesSewer; water and 5 more
  • Sewer$9.1 million
  • Water$7.0 million
  • Other service charges$4.8 million
  • Parks and recreation$2.5 million
  • School tuition and transportation$1.8 million
  • Other school charges$315 thousand
  • School lunches$132 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money1.8%

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

From the federal government
1.8%$2.4 million

State tax money17%

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

From the state
17%$23.0 million

Fines and other3.7%

Interest, rents and other
3.7%$5.1 million
Fines
<0.1%$105 thousand

Where it goes

Schools and colleges42%Running the government and other costs33%Water, sewer, trash and utilities9.1%Police, fire, courts and jails6.8%Roads, transit and parking3.6%All other spending4.8%

What stands out

42%

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

Spending by category100%

Schools and colleges
42%$78.8 million
What's in schools and collegesElementary and secondary schools
  • Elementary and secondary schools$78.8 million
Running the government and other costs
33%$62.6 million
What's in running the government and other costsOther and not broken out; finance, tax collection and budgeting and 1 more
  • Other and not broken out$60.7 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$1.3 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$516 thousand
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
9.1%$17.0 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesSewer systems; water supply and 1 more
  • Sewer systems$8.9 million
  • Water supply$6.5 million
  • Garbage and solid waste$1.6 million
Police, fire, courts and jails
6.8%$12.6 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; fire protection and 2 more
  • Police$5.7 million
  • Fire protection$5.1 million
  • Courts and legal services$1.4 million
  • Inspections and regulation$406 thousand
Roads, transit and parking
3.6%$6.7 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways
  • Roads and highways$6.7 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
2.1%$3.9 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation and libraries
  • Parks and recreation$2.5 million
  • Libraries$1.4 million
Sent to other local governments
1.2%$2.2 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$1.4 million
  • Sent to the state government$746 thousand
Interest on debt
0.8%$1.4 million
What's in interest on debtInterest on general debt and interest on water supply debt
  • Interest on general debt$1.4 million
  • Interest on water supply debt$24 thousand
Health and hospitals
0.6%$1.2 million
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$1.2 million
Social services
0.2%$313 thousand
What's in social servicesOther public welfare
  • Other public welfare$313 thousand
Environment and natural resources
<0.1%$22 thousand
What's in environment and natural resourcesNatural resources, farming and conservation
  • Natural resources, farming and conservation$22 thousand
Housing and community development
<0.1%$7 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

City of Melrose. U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, individual unit file, fiscal year ended June 30, 2024.

What this covers. The money of City of Melrose 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.