City government · Essex County, MA

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended June 30, 2024), Methuen took in $243 million and spent $274 million.

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

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Where it comes from

City taxes49%State tax money35%Fees for services (school tuition and transportation, school lunches)9.3%Fines and other4.3%Federal tax money2.2%

What stands out

35%

of Methuen's money comes from state tax money.A typical U.S. city of 50,000+ people gets 6.4%.

City taxes49%

Property tax
48%$116 million
Other taxes
1.4%$3.5 million
What's in other taxesOther licenses and other selective sales taxes
  • Other licenses$2.2 million
  • Other selective sales taxes$1.3 million

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services9.3%

Fees for services
9.3%$22.6 million
What's in fees for servicesOther service charges; school tuition and transportation and 3 more
  • Other service charges$20.5 million
  • School tuition and transportation$1.2 million
  • School lunches$420 thousand
  • Other government-run businesses$289 thousand
  • Other school charges$210 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money2.2%

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

From the federal government
2.2%$5.4 million

State tax money35%

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

From the state
35%$85.3 million

Fines and other4.3%

Interest, rents and other
4.2%$10.2 million
Fines
0.1%$262 thousand

Where it goes

Schools and colleges53%Running the government and other costs21%Police, fire, courts and jails14%Roads, transit and parking4.5%Sent to other local governments3.0%All other spending4.8%

What stands out

53%

of Methuen'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
53%$144 million
What's in schools and collegesElementary and secondary schools
  • Elementary and secondary schools$144 million
Running the government and other costs
21%$57.8 million
What's in running the government and other costsOther and not broken out; finance, tax collection and budgeting and 3 more
  • Other and not broken out$52.8 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$3.4 million
  • Government buildings$885 thousand
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$701 thousand
  • Other government-run businesses$6 thousand
Police, fire, courts and jails
14%$37.8 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; fire protection and 2 more
  • Police$19.8 million
  • Fire protection$16.1 million
  • Inspections and regulation$1.2 million
  • Courts and legal services$676 thousand
Roads, transit and parking
4.5%$12.2 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways and ports and harbors
  • Roads and highways$12.2 million
  • Ports and harbors$12 thousand
Sent to other local governments
3.0%$8.1 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$7.2 million
  • Sent to the state government$972 thousand
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
2.5%$6.9 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesGarbage and solid waste
  • Garbage and solid waste$6.9 million
Interest on debt
0.8%$2.2 million
What's in interest on debtInterest on general debt and interest on water supply debt
  • Interest on general debt$1.8 million
  • Interest on water supply debt$463 thousand
Parks, recreation and libraries
0.6%$1.7 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesLibraries and parks and recreation
  • Libraries$1.7 million
  • Parks and recreation$54 thousand
Health and hospitals
0.4%$1.0 million
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$1.0 million
Social services
0.2%$631 thousand
What's in social servicesOther public welfare
  • Other public welfare$631 thousand
Housing and community development
0.2%$495 thousand
Environment and natural resources
<0.1%$129 thousand
What's in environment and natural resourcesNatural resources, farming and conservation
  • Natural resources, farming and conservation$129 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

City of Methuen. 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 Methuen 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.