City government · Durham County, NC

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended June 30, 2024), Durham took in $639 million and spent $644 million.

Latest recorded year: ended June 30, 2024Estimated by the U.S. Census BureauComes fromGoes to

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Where it comes from

City taxes50%Fees for services (sewer, water)31%State tax money7.2%Fines and other4.7%County and local tax money3.9%Federal tax money3.5%

What stands out

37%

of Durham's money comes from property tax.A typical U.S. city of 50,000+ people gets 20%.

City taxes50%

Property tax
37%$234 million
Sales tax
12%$76.9 million
Other taxes
1.4%$8.9 million
What's in other taxesOther selective sales taxes; motor vehicle licenses and 2 more
  • Other selective sales taxes$4.5 million
  • Motor vehicle licenses$3.6 million
  • Occupation and business licenses$601 thousand
  • Other licenses$240 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services31%

Fees for services
31%$196 million
What's in fees for servicesSewer; water and 6 more
  • Sewer$87.1 million
  • Water$66.0 million
  • Other government-run businesses$11.8 million
  • Other service charges$9.6 million
  • Garbage collection$8.8 million
  • Parking$6.1 million
  • Parks and recreation$5.8 million
  • Transit fares$328 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money3.5%

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

From the federal government
3.5%$22.4 million

State tax money7.2%

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

From the state
7.2%$45.8 million

County and local tax money3.9%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From the county and other local governments
3.9%$25.2 million

Fines and other4.7%

Interest, rents and other
4.7%$29.8 million
Fines
<0.1%$3 thousand

Where it goes

Water, sewer, trash and utilities34%Police, fire, courts and jails23%Roads, transit and parking15%Running the government and other costs12%Housing and community development7.6%All other spending8.7%

What stands out

7.6%

of Durham's spending goes to housing and community development.A typical U.S. city of 50,000+ people spends 1.4%.

Spending by category100%

Water, sewer, trash and utilities
34%$221 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesSewer systems; water supply and 1 more
  • Sewer systems$107 million
  • Water supply$83.6 million
  • Garbage and solid waste$30.5 million
Police, fire, courts and jails
23%$145 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; fire protection and 2 more
  • Police$87.9 million
  • Fire protection$48.5 million
  • Inspections and regulation$6.3 million
  • Courts and legal services$2.7 million
Roads, transit and parking
15%$94.2 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways; public transit and 2 more
  • Roads and highways$46.7 million
  • Public transit$43.4 million
  • Parking$4.1 million
  • Airports$13 thousand
Running the government and other costs
12%$77.9 million
What's in running the government and other costsCentral staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology); government buildings and 2 more
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$28.7 million
  • Government buildings$22.1 million
  • Other and not broken out$15.6 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$11.5 million
Housing and community development
7.6%$48.7 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
6.0%$38.8 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation
  • Parks and recreation$38.8 million
Interest on debt
2.7%$17.1 million
What's in interest on debtInterest on general debt and interest on water supply debt
  • Interest on general debt$13.0 million
  • Interest on water supply debt$4.0 million
Environment and natural resources
<0.1%$202 thousand
What's in environment and natural resourcesNatural resources, farming and conservation
  • Natural resources, farming and conservation$202 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

City of Durham. U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, individual unit file, fiscal year ended June 30, 2024. Most of this government's figures were estimated by the U.S. Census Bureau from a sample; the government did not report them itself.

What this covers. The money of City of Durham 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.