City government · Gaston County, NC

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended June 30, 2024), Gastonia took in $274 million and spent $251 million.

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

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Where it comes from

Fees for services (electric power, sewer)57%City taxes28%State tax money7.7%Fines and other5.5%Federal tax money1.9%County and local tax money<0.1%

What stands out

57%

of Gastonia's money comes from fees for services such as water, sewer and parking.A typical U.S. city of 50,000+ people gets 30%.

City taxes28%

Property tax
19%$53.4 million
Sales tax
7.0%$19.1 million
Other taxes
1.9%$5.1 million
What's in other taxesMotor vehicle licenses; alcoholic beverage taxes and 2 more
  • Motor vehicle licenses$2.0 million
  • Alcoholic beverage taxes$1.3 million
  • Other selective sales taxes$905 thousand
  • Occupation and business licenses$889 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services57%

Fees for services
57%$155 million
What's in fees for servicesElectric power; sewer and 10 more
  • Electric power$79.0 million
  • Sewer$28.7 million
  • Water$24.3 million
  • Liquor stores$14.2 million
  • Garbage collection$4.2 million
  • Other government-run businesses$2.9 million
  • Parks and recreation$1.2 million
  • Other service charges$168 thousand
  • Airport$141 thousand
  • Housing$138 thousand
  • Road charges$129 thousand
  • Transit fares$104 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money1.9%

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

From the federal government
1.9%$5.1 million

State tax money7.7%

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

From the state
7.7%$21.0 million

County and local tax money<0.1%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From the county and other local governments
<0.1%$188 thousand

Fines and other5.5%

Interest, rents and other
5.5%$14.9 million

Where it goes

Water, sewer, trash and utilities55%Police, fire, courts and jails17%Roads, transit and parking11%Running the government and other costs6.6%Parks, recreation and libraries4.1%All other spending5.7%

What stands out

55%

of Gastonia's spending goes to water, sewer, trash and other utilities.A typical U.S. city of 50,000+ people spends 20%.

Spending by category100%

Water, sewer, trash and utilities
55%$139 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesElectric power; sewer systems and 3 more
  • Electric power$69.1 million
  • Sewer systems$28.4 million
  • Water supply$22.1 million
  • Liquor stores$12.3 million
  • Garbage and solid waste$6.9 million
Police, fire, courts and jails
17%$42.9 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; fire protection and 1 more
  • Police$25.7 million
  • Fire protection$16.9 million
  • Courts and legal services$338 thousand
Roads, transit and parking
11%$28.2 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways; public transit and 2 more
  • Roads and highways$18.6 million
  • Public transit$7.7 million
  • Parking$1.0 million
  • Airports$766 thousand
Running the government and other costs
6.6%$16.6 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$7.8 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$5.2 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$3.3 million
  • Other government-run businesses$354 thousand
Parks, recreation and libraries
4.1%$10.3 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation
  • Parks and recreation$10.3 million
Housing and community development
3.4%$8.6 million
Interest on debt
2.2%$5.5 million
What's in interest on debtInterest on general debt; interest on water supply debt and 1 more
  • Interest on general debt$4.0 million
  • Interest on water supply debt$1.5 million
  • Interest on electric power debt$9 thousand
Health and hospitals
<0.1%$90 thousand
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$90 thousand
Sent to other local governments
<0.1%$48 thousand
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$48 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

City of Gastonia. 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 Gastonia 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.