City government · Essex County, MA

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended June 30, 2024), Salem took in $252 million and spent $259 million.

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

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Where it comes from

City taxes51%State tax money22%Fees for services (sewer, water)16%Federal tax money5.9%Fines and other5.1%County and local tax money0.2%

What stands out

49%

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

City taxes51%

Property tax
49%$123 million
Other taxes
2.3%$5.7 million
What's in other taxesOther selective sales taxes and other licenses
  • Other selective sales taxes$4.9 million
  • Other licenses$725 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services16%

Fees for services
16%$39.6 million
What's in fees for servicesOther service charges; sewer and 5 more
  • Other service charges$17.2 million
  • Sewer$11.2 million
  • Water$6.3 million
  • Parking$4.2 million
  • School lunches$336 thousand
  • School tuition and transportation$297 thousand
  • Other school charges$140 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money5.9%

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

From the federal government
5.9%$14.8 million

State tax money22%

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

From the state
22%$55.1 million

County and local tax money0.2%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From the county and other local governments
0.2%$565 thousand

Fines and other5.1%

Interest, rents and other
4.4%$11.2 million
Fines
0.6%$1.5 million

Where it goes

Schools and colleges45%Running the government and other costs27%Police, fire, courts and jails11%Water, sewer, trash and utilities6.5%Roads, transit and parking4.5%All other spending6.1%

What stands out

45%

of Salem'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
45%$118 million
What's in schools and collegesElementary and secondary schools
  • Elementary and secondary schools$118 million
Running the government and other costs
27%$69.5 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$63.6 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$3.1 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$2.0 million
  • Government buildings$803 thousand
Police, fire, courts and jails
11%$27.6 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; fire protection and 2 more
  • Police$14.1 million
  • Fire protection$11.7 million
  • Inspections and regulation$1.3 million
  • Courts and legal services$535 thousand
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
6.5%$16.8 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesWater supply and sewer systems
  • Water supply$9.0 million
  • Sewer systems$7.8 million
Roads, transit and parking
4.5%$11.6 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways and parking
  • Roads and highways$9.8 million
  • Parking$1.8 million
Sent to other local governments
1.8%$4.8 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$3.6 million
  • Sent to the state government$1.2 million
Interest on debt
1.7%$4.4 million
What's in interest on debtInterest on general debt and interest on water supply debt
  • Interest on general debt$3.6 million
  • Interest on water supply debt$777 thousand
Parks, recreation and libraries
1.5%$4.0 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation and libraries
  • Parks and recreation$2.3 million
  • Libraries$1.7 million
Housing and community development
0.5%$1.3 million
Health and hospitals
0.3%$720 thousand
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$720 thousand
Social services
0.2%$605 thousand
What's in social servicesOther public welfare
  • Other public welfare$605 thousand
Environment and natural resources
<0.1%$33 thousand
What's in environment and natural resourcesNatural resources, farming and conservation
  • Natural resources, farming and conservation$33 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

City of Salem. 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 Salem 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.