City government · Jackson County, MO

Kansas City's money: where it comes from and where it goes

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended April 30, 2024), Kansas City took in $2.77 billion and spent $2.25 billion.

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

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Where it comes from

City taxes43%Fees for services (sewer, airport)32%Federal tax money11%Fines and other8.4%State tax money5.3%County and local tax money0.4%

What stands out

12%

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

City taxes43%

Sales tax
16%$443 million
Individual income tax
12%$330 million
Property tax
7.2%$200 million
Other taxes
4.1%$115 million
What's in other taxesOther selective sales taxes; other licenses and 3 more
  • Other selective sales taxes$64.9 million
  • Other licenses$29.4 million
  • Pari-mutuel (betting) taxes$12.7 million
  • Motor vehicle licenses$6.3 million
  • Tobacco taxes$1.6 million

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Business income tax
3.4%$94.3 million

Fees for services32%

Fees for services
32%$892 million
What's in fees for servicesSewer; airport and 5 more
  • Sewer$291 million
  • Airport$214 million
  • Water$203 million
  • Other service charges$136 million
  • Housing$25.1 million
  • Parks and recreation$15.2 million
  • Parking$8.1 million

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money11%

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

From the federal government
11%$304 million

State tax money5.3%

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

From the state
5.3%$148 million

County and local tax money0.4%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From the county and other local governments
0.4%$11.6 million

Fines and other8.4%

Interest, rents and other
8.2%$228 million
Fines
0.1%$3.0 million

Where it goes

Police, fire, courts and jails28%Roads, transit and parking26%Water, sewer, trash and utilities15%Interest on debt8.3%Running the government and other costs7.6%All other spending14%

What stands out

26%

of Kansas City's spending goes to roads, transit and parking.A typical U.S. city of 50,000+ people spends 10%.

Spending by category100%

Police, fire, courts and jails
28%$634 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsFire protection; police and 1 more
  • Fire protection$333 million
  • Police$289 million
  • Courts and legal services$12.0 million
Roads, transit and parking
26%$590 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways; airports and 1 more
  • Roads and highways$329 million
  • Airports$253 million
  • Parking$7.3 million
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
15%$349 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesSewer systems and water supply
  • Sewer systems$245 million
  • Water supply$104 million
Interest on debt
8.3%$187 million
What's in interest on debtInterest on general debt and interest on water supply debt
  • Interest on general debt$173 million
  • Interest on water supply debt$13.6 million
Running the government and other costs
7.6%$171 million
What's in running the government and other costsCentral staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology); other and not broken out and 1 more
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$97.3 million
  • Other and not broken out$66.4 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$7.6 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
3.9%$88.6 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation
  • Parks and recreation$88.6 million
Housing and community development
3.9%$88.3 million
Sent to other local governments
3.2%$72.4 million
What's in sent to other local governmentsSent to local governments: other and not broken out
  • Sent to local governments: other and not broken out$72.4 million
Health and hospitals
3.1%$68.9 million
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$68.9 million
Social services
0.3%$5.8 million
What's in social servicesOther public welfare
  • Other public welfare$5.8 million
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

City of Kansas City. U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, individual unit file, fiscal year ended April 30, 2024.

What this covers. The money of City of Kansas City 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.