City government · Mecklenburg County, NC

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended June 30, 2024), Charlotte took in $3.16 billion and spent $3.48 billion.

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

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Where it comes from

Fees for services (airport, sewer)42%City taxes36%Federal tax money9.3%Fines and other7.4%State tax money4.6%County and local tax money1.3%

What stands out

9.3%

of Charlotte's money comes from federal tax money.A typical U.S. city of 50,000+ people gets 3.6%.

City taxes36%

Property tax
19%$585 million
Sales tax
11%$360 million
Other taxes
5.7%$181 million
What's in other taxesOther selective sales taxes; motor vehicle licenses and 2 more
  • Other selective sales taxes$130 million
  • Motor vehicle licenses$42.7 million
  • Occupation and business licenses$7.4 million
  • Other licenses$726 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services42%

Fees for services
42%$1.31 billion
What's in fees for servicesAirport; sewer and 8 more
  • Airport$523 million
  • Sewer$440 million
  • Water$224 million
  • Parks and recreation$45.6 million
  • Garbage collection$35.3 million
  • Transit fares$19.7 million
  • Other government-run businesses$12.1 million
  • Parks, land and natural resources$5.5 million
  • Parking$5.0 million
  • Other service charges$4.4 million

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money9.3%

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

From the federal government
9.3%$295 million

State tax money4.6%

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

From the state
4.6%$146 million

County and local tax money1.3%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From the county and other local governments
1.3%$41.7 million

Fines and other7.4%

Interest, rents and other
7.4%$235 million
Fines
<0.1%$210 thousand

Where it goes

Roads, transit and parking34%Water, sewer, trash and utilities26%Police, fire, courts and jails17%Interest on debt6.8%Running the government and other costs6.3%All other spending9.9%

What stands out

34%

of Charlotte'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
34%$1.18 billion
What's in roads, transit and parkingAirports; public transit and 2 more
  • Airports$773 million
  • Public transit$268 million
  • Roads and highways$136 million
  • Parking$556 thousand
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
26%$917 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesSewer systems; water supply and 1 more
  • Sewer systems$446 million
  • Water supply$383 million
  • Garbage and solid waste$87.9 million
Police, fire, courts and jails
17%$589 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; fire protection and 1 more
  • Police$389 million
  • Fire protection$195 million
  • Courts and legal services$5.1 million
Interest on debt
6.8%$236 million
What's in interest on debtInterest on general debt and interest on water supply debt
  • Interest on general debt$215 million
  • Interest on water supply debt$21.7 million
Running the government and other costs
6.3%$218 million
What's in running the government and other costsCentral staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology); other and not broken out and 2 more
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$88.1 million
  • Other and not broken out$71.2 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$32.5 million
  • Government buildings$26.5 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
4.9%$169 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation
  • Parks and recreation$169 million
Housing and community development
4.4%$153 million
Sent to other local governments
0.3%$11.4 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$11.2 million
  • Sent to the state government$169 thousand
Environment and natural resources
0.3%$10.7 million
What's in environment and natural resourcesNatural resources, farming and conservation
  • Natural resources, farming and conservation$10.7 million
Social services
<0.1%$397 thousand
What's in social servicesOther public welfare
  • Other public welfare$397 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

City of Charlotte. 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 Charlotte 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.