City government · Kent County, MI

Grand Rapids's money: where it comes from and where it goes

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended June 30, 2024), Grand Rapids took in $626 million and spent $630 million.

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

See every government that serves your ZIP

Where it comes from

City taxes37%Fees for services (sewer, water)33%Federal tax money12%State tax money10%Fines and other7.4%County and local tax money0.3%

What stands out

22%

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

City taxes37%

Individual income tax
22%$137 million
Property tax
13%$84.0 million
Other taxes
1.3%$8.3 million
What's in other taxesOther licenses and occupation and business licenses
  • Other licenses$6.5 million
  • Occupation and business licenses$1.8 million

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services33%

Fees for services
33%$205 million
What's in fees for servicesSewer; water and 7 more
  • Sewer$70.5 million
  • Water$59.0 million
  • Other service charges$32.7 million
  • Parking$23.2 million
  • Garbage collection$8.9 million
  • Housing$4.2 million
  • Road charges$3.9 million
  • Other government-run businesses$2.1 million
  • Parks and recreation$837 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money12%

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

From the federal government
12%$78.1 million

State tax money10%

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

From the state
10%$65.5 million

County and local tax money0.3%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From the county and other local governments
0.3%$2.0 million

Fines and other7.4%

Interest, rents and other
7.1%$44.3 million
Fines
0.3%$2.0 million

Where it goes

Running the government and other costs34%Police, fire, courts and jails22%Water, sewer, trash and utilities20%Housing and community development8.3%Parks, recreation and libraries5.7%All other spending10%

What stands out

34%

of Grand Rapids' 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
34%$213 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$148 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$42.4 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$20.0 million
  • Other government-run businesses$2.7 million
Police, fire, courts and jails
22%$137 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; fire protection and 2 more
  • Police$65.1 million
  • Fire protection$45.4 million
  • Courts and legal services$21.0 million
  • Inspections and regulation$5.1 million
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
20%$128 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesWater supply; sewer systems and 1 more
  • Water supply$63.4 million
  • Sewer systems$47.5 million
  • Garbage and solid waste$17.4 million
Housing and community development
8.3%$52.5 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
5.7%$36.1 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation and libraries
  • Parks and recreation$21.8 million
  • Libraries$14.3 million
Roads, transit and parking
5.7%$35.7 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingParking and roads and highways
  • Parking$23.2 million
  • Roads and highways$12.5 million
Interest on debt
2.6%$16.4 million
What's in interest on debtInterest on general debt and interest on water supply debt
  • Interest on general debt$11.4 million
  • Interest on water supply debt$4.9 million
Sent to other local governments
1.6%$10.2 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$10.1 million
  • Sent to the state government$134 thousand
Health and hospitals
0.1%$655 thousand
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$655 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

City of Grand Rapids. 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 Grand Rapids 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.