City government · Middlesex County, MA

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended June 30, 2024), Somerville took in $449 million and spent $554 million.

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

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Where it comes from

City taxes62%Fees for services (sewer, water)16%State tax money15%Federal tax money4.0%Fines and other3.7%

What stands out

57%

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

City taxes62%

Property tax
57%$255 million
Other taxes
4.9%$22.2 million
What's in other taxesOther licenses and other selective sales taxes
  • Other licenses$16.1 million
  • Other selective sales taxes$6.1 million

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services16%

Fees for services
16%$71.5 million
What's in fees for servicesSewer; water and 7 more
  • Sewer$37.0 million
  • Water$18.7 million
  • Other service charges$12.3 million
  • Parking$2.3 million
  • Housing$522 thousand
  • School lunches$330 thousand
  • Parks and recreation$268 thousand
  • Garbage collection$101 thousand
  • Other school charges$13 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money4.0%

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

From the federal government
4.0%$18.1 million

State tax money15%

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

From the state
15%$65.9 million

Fines and other3.7%

Interest, rents and other
2.1%$9.2 million
Fines
1.6%$7.4 million

Where it goes

Schools and colleges31%Running the government and other costs28%Water, sewer, trash and utilities18%Police, fire, courts and jails12%Interest on debt2.8%All other spending7.1%

What stands out

31%

of Somerville'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
31%$173 million
What's in schools and collegesElementary and secondary schools
  • Elementary and secondary schools$173 million
Running the government and other costs
28%$158 million
What's in running the government and other costsOther and not broken out; government buildings and 2 more
  • Other and not broken out$116 million
  • Government buildings$28.2 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$9.8 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$4.1 million
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
18%$100 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesSewer systems; water supply and 1 more
  • Sewer systems$58.0 million
  • Water supply$27.3 million
  • Garbage and solid waste$14.4 million
Police, fire, courts and jails
12%$68.7 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsFire protection; police and 2 more
  • Fire protection$30.8 million
  • Police$24.2 million
  • Inspections and regulation$11.9 million
  • Courts and legal services$1.8 million
Interest on debt
2.8%$15.4 million
What's in interest on debtInterest on general debt and interest on water supply debt
  • Interest on general debt$14.9 million
  • Interest on water supply debt$446 thousand
Roads, transit and parking
2.6%$14.4 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways
  • Roads and highways$14.4 million
Sent to other local governments
1.5%$8.3 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$6.0 million
  • Sent to local governments: other and not broken out$2.3 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
1.2%$6.9 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation and libraries
  • Parks and recreation$3.4 million
  • Libraries$3.4 million
Housing and community development
1.2%$6.5 million
Health and hospitals
0.5%$2.8 million
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$2.8 million
Social services
0.1%$785 thousand
What's in social servicesOther public welfare
  • Other public welfare$785 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

City of Somerville. 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 Somerville 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.