City government · Wayne County, MI

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended June 30, 2024), Detroit took in $3.22 billion and spent $3.07 billion.

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

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Where it comes from

City taxes35%Federal tax money23%Fees for services (sewer, water)22%State tax money13%Fines and other6.1%County and local tax money1.7%

What stands out

12%

of Detroit's money comes from a personal income tax.Most U.S. cities of 50,000+ people get none.

City taxes35%

Individual income tax
12%$384 million
Other taxes
11%$370 million
What's in other taxesAmusement taxes; public utility taxes and 3 more
  • Amusement taxes$289 million
  • Public utility taxes$36.4 million
  • Occupation and business licenses$28.8 million
  • Other licenses$12.5 million
  • Amusement licenses$2.8 million

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Property tax
11%$364 million

Fees for services22%

Fees for services
22%$698 million
What's in fees for servicesSewer; water and 8 more
  • Sewer$339 million
  • Water$144 million
  • Other service charges$113 million
  • Garbage collection$63.3 million
  • Road charges$10.4 million
  • Housing$8.7 million
  • Transit fares$8.5 million
  • Parking$7.4 million
  • Parks and recreation$4.4 million
  • Airport$383 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money23%

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

From the federal government
23%$736 million

State tax money13%

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

From the state
13%$420 million

County and local tax money1.7%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From the county and other local governments
1.7%$53.8 million

Fines and other6.1%

Interest, rents and other
5.6%$180 million
Fines
0.5%$15.1 million

Where it goes

Running the government and other costs36%Police, fire, courts and jails19%Water, sewer, trash and utilities18%Roads, transit and parking11%Interest on debt5.2%All other spending11%

What stands out

36%

of Detroit's spending goes to running the government and other costs.A typical U.S. city of 50,000+ people spends 16%.

Spending by category100%

Running the government and other costs
36%$1.09 billion
What's in running the government and other costsOther and not broken out; finance, tax collection and budgeting and 1 more
  • Other and not broken out$826 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$231 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$33.4 million
Police, fire, courts and jails
19%$592 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; fire protection and 2 more
  • Police$374 million
  • Fire protection$154 million
  • Inspections and regulation$32.4 million
  • Courts and legal services$31.6 million
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
18%$554 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesSewer systems; water supply and 2 more
  • Sewer systems$294 million
  • Water supply$160 million
  • Garbage and solid waste$76.2 million
  • Electric power$24.6 million
Roads, transit and parking
11%$342 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingPublic transit; roads and highways and 2 more
  • Public transit$205 million
  • Roads and highways$130 million
  • Airports$6.1 million
  • Parking$1.3 million
Interest on debt
5.2%$160 million
What's in interest on debtInterest on general debt; interest on water supply debt and 2 more
  • Interest on general debt$117 million
  • Interest on water supply debt$25.2 million
  • Interest on electric power debt$14.9 million
  • Interest on public transit debt$2.3 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
4.6%$141 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation and libraries
  • Parks and recreation$112 million
  • Libraries$28.9 million
Housing and community development
4.2%$128 million
Health and hospitals
2.0%$59.9 million
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$59.9 million
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

City of Detroit. 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 Detroit 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.