Town government · Orange County, NC

Chapel Hill's money: where it comes from and where it goes

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended June 30, 2024), Chapel Hill took in $157 million and spent $168 million.

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

See every government that serves your ZIP

Where it comes from

Town taxes52%Federal tax money14%County and local tax money11%State tax money9.1%Fees for services (sewer, parking)7.4%Fines and other5.7%

What stands out

11%

of Chapel Hill's money comes from county and other local tax money.A typical U.S. city of 50,000+ people gets 0.9%.

Town taxes52%

Property tax
35%$55.7 million
Sales tax
13%$21.2 million
Other taxes
3.5%$5.6 million
What's in other taxesOccupation and business licenses; other selective sales taxes and 2 more
  • Occupation and business licenses$2.8 million
  • Other selective sales taxes$1.8 million
  • Motor vehicle licenses$885 thousand
  • Other licenses$103 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services7.4%

Fees for services
7.4%$11.7 million
What's in fees for servicesSewer; parking and 7 more
  • Sewer$3.1 million
  • Parking$2.7 million
  • Other government-run businesses$2.2 million
  • Housing$1.4 million
  • Parks and recreation$844 thousand
  • Road charges$634 thousand
  • Transit fares$498 thousand
  • Garbage collection$306 thousand
  • Other service charges$62 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money14%

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

From the federal government
14%$22.2 million

State tax money9.1%

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

From the state
9.1%$14.3 million

County and local tax money11%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From the county and other local governments
11%$17.5 million

Fines and other5.7%

Interest, rents and other
5.7%$8.9 million
Fines
<0.1%$23 thousand

Where it goes

Roads, transit and parking42%Police, fire, courts and jails19%Running the government and other costs12%Housing and community development11%Parks, recreation and libraries8.8%All other spending7.0%

What stands out

42%

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

Spending by category100%

Roads, transit and parking
42%$71.3 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingPublic transit; parking and 1 more
  • Public transit$39.3 million
  • Parking$20.7 million
  • Roads and highways$11.3 million
Police, fire, courts and jails
19%$32.5 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; fire protection and 2 more
  • Police$17.0 million
  • Fire protection$12.4 million
  • Inspections and regulation$2.5 million
  • Courts and legal services$628 thousand
Running the government and other costs
12%$20.2 million
What's in running the government and other costsOther and not broken out; central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology) and 2 more
  • Other and not broken out$10.9 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$5.2 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$2.7 million
  • Government buildings$1.4 million
Housing and community development
11%$17.8 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
8.8%$14.8 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation and libraries
  • Parks and recreation$10.1 million
  • Libraries$4.8 million
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
4.4%$7.4 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesGarbage and solid waste and sewer systems
  • Garbage and solid waste$4.6 million
  • Sewer systems$2.7 million
Interest on debt
2.2%$3.7 million
Environment and natural resources
0.4%$702 thousand
What's in environment and natural resourcesNatural resources, farming and conservation
  • Natural resources, farming and conservation$702 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

Town of Chapel Hill. 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 Chapel Hill 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.