Town government · Norfolk County, MA

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended June 30, 2024), Needham took in $265 million and spent $289 million.

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

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Where it comes from

Town taxes75%Fees for services (sewer, water)11%State tax money9.1%Federal tax money3.1%Fines and other2.6%

What stands out

73%

of Needham's money comes from property tax.A typical U.S. township or town of 10,000 to 50,000 people gets 53%.

Town taxes75%

Property tax
73%$193 million
Other taxes
1.9%$5.1 million
What's in other taxesOther licenses and other selective sales taxes
  • Other licenses$2.9 million
  • Other selective sales taxes$2.2 million

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services11%

Fees for services
11%$28.1 million
What's in fees for servicesSewer; other service charges and 8 more
  • Sewer$9.6 million
  • Other service charges$7.5 million
  • Water$6.7 million
  • School tuition and transportation$1.5 million
  • Garbage collection$1.3 million
  • Other school charges$661 thousand
  • School lunches$332 thousand
  • Parks and recreation$308 thousand
  • Parking$154 thousand
  • Parks, land and natural resources$4 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money3.1%

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

From the federal government
3.1%$8.1 million

State tax money9.1%

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

From the state
9.1%$24.1 million

Fines and other2.6%

Interest, rents and other
2.5%$6.8 million
Fines
<0.1%$84 thousand

Where it goes

Schools and colleges56%Running the government and other costs21%Police, fire, courts and jails9.1%Water, sewer, trash and utilities6.9%Roads, transit and parking3.1%All other spending4.2%

What stands out

56%

of Needham'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%

Schools and colleges
56%$161 million
What's in schools and collegesElementary and secondary schools
  • Elementary and secondary schools$161 million
Running the government and other costs
21%$61.0 million
What's in running the government and other costsOther and not broken out; government buildings and 2 more
  • Other and not broken out$41.1 million
  • Government buildings$15.5 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$3.0 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$1.4 million
Police, fire, courts and jails
9.1%$26.2 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsFire protection; police and 2 more
  • Fire protection$12.2 million
  • Police$9.5 million
  • Inspections and regulation$4.0 million
  • Courts and legal services$403 thousand
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
6.9%$20.0 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesSewer systems; water supply and 1 more
  • Sewer systems$10.6 million
  • Water supply$6.5 million
  • Garbage and solid waste$2.9 million
Roads, transit and parking
3.1%$8.8 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways
  • Roads and highways$8.8 million
Interest on debt
1.5%$4.2 million
What's in interest on debtInterest on general debt and interest on water supply debt
  • Interest on general debt$4.1 million
  • Interest on water supply debt$119 thousand
Parks, recreation and libraries
1.2%$3.4 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesLibraries and parks and recreation
  • Libraries$2.1 million
  • Parks and recreation$1.2 million
Sent to other local governments
0.9%$2.7 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$1.9 million
  • Sent to the state government$787 thousand
Health and hospitals
0.5%$1.5 million
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$1.5 million
Environment and natural resources
0.1%$305 thousand
What's in environment and natural resourcesNatural resources, farming and conservation
  • Natural resources, farming and conservation$305 thousand
Social services
<0.1%$94 thousand
What's in social servicesOther public welfare
  • Other public welfare$94 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

Town of Needham. 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 Town of Needham 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.