Town government · Middlesex County, MA

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended June 30, 2024), Wakefield took in $196 million and spent $217 million.

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

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Where it comes from

Town taxes51%Fees for services (electric power, gas)37%State tax money8.3%Fines and other2.2%Federal tax money1.5%

What stands out

37%

of Wakefield's money comes from fees for services such as water, sewer and parking.A typical U.S. township or town of 10,000 to 50,000 people gets 8.8%.

Town taxes51%

Property tax
49%$96.4 million
Other taxes
1.9%$3.7 million
What's in other taxesOther licenses and other selective sales taxes
  • Other licenses$2.6 million
  • Other selective sales taxes$1.1 million

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services37%

Fees for services
37%$72.2 million
What's in fees for servicesElectric power; gas and 6 more
  • Electric power$36.8 million
  • Gas$14.0 million
  • Sewer$10.8 million
  • Water$7.6 million
  • Other service charges$1.9 million
  • School tuition and transportation$852 thousand
  • Other school charges$243 thousand
  • School lunches$179 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money1.5%

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

From the federal government
1.5%$2.9 million

State tax money8.3%

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

From the state
8.3%$16.2 million

Fines and other2.2%

Interest, rents and other
2.1%$4.2 million
Fines
<0.1%$52 thousand

Where it goes

Schools and colleges38%Water, sewer, trash and utilities30%Running the government and other costs17%Police, fire, courts and jails9.3%Sent to other local governments1.4%All other spending4.1%

What stands out

38%

of Wakefield'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
38%$82.0 million
What's in schools and collegesElementary and secondary schools
  • Elementary and secondary schools$82.0 million
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
30%$65.9 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesElectric power; gas supply and 3 more
  • Electric power$30.5 million
  • Gas supply$15.0 million
  • Sewer systems$9.8 million
  • Water supply$7.4 million
  • Garbage and solid waste$3.1 million
Running the government and other costs
17%$36.6 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$34.3 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$1.6 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$740 thousand
  • Other government-run businesses$1 thousand
Police, fire, courts and jails
9.3%$20.1 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; fire protection and 2 more
  • Police$9.9 million
  • Fire protection$9.1 million
  • Inspections and regulation$898 thousand
  • Courts and legal services$221 thousand
Sent to other local governments
1.4%$3.1 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$2.4 million
  • Sent to the state government$677 thousand
Interest on debt
1.4%$3.0 million
What's in interest on debtInterest on general debt; interest on electric power debt and 2 more
  • Interest on general debt$2.5 million
  • Interest on electric power debt$285 thousand
  • Interest on water supply debt$187 thousand
  • Interest on gas supply debt$7 thousand
Roads, transit and parking
1.3%$2.8 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways
  • Roads and highways$2.8 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
1.0%$2.3 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesLibraries and parks and recreation
  • Libraries$2.1 million
  • Parks and recreation$135 thousand
Health and hospitals
0.2%$450 thousand
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$450 thousand
Social services
0.1%$247 thousand
What's in social servicesOther public welfare
  • Other public welfare$247 thousand
Environment and natural resources
<0.1%$87 thousand
What's in environment and natural resourcesNatural resources, farming and conservation
  • Natural resources, farming and conservation$87 thousand
Housing and community development
<0.1%$50 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

Town of Wakefield. 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 Wakefield 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.