City government · Guilford County, NC

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended June 30, 2024), Greensboro took in $838 million and spent $893 million.

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

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Where it comes from

City taxes43%Fees for services (sewer, water)42%State tax money6.0%Fines and other5.2%Federal tax money2.9%County and local tax money0.5%

What stands out

42%

of Greensboro'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 taxes43%

Property tax
29%$241 million
Sales tax
10%$84.3 million
Other taxes
4.1%$34.1 million
What's in other taxesMotor vehicle licenses; other selective sales taxes and 3 more
  • Motor vehicle licenses$25.2 million
  • Other selective sales taxes$5.9 million
  • Alcoholic beverage taxes$2.8 million
  • Occupation and business licenses$131 thousand
  • Other licenses$24 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services42%

Fees for services
42%$355 million
What's in fees for servicesSewer; water and 7 more
  • Sewer$81.9 million
  • Water$81.1 million
  • Parks and recreation$80.9 million
  • Liquor stores$63.3 million
  • Garbage collection$25.0 million
  • Transit fares$10.3 million
  • Other government-run businesses$5.6 million
  • Parking$3.9 million
  • Other service charges$3.3 million

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money2.9%

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

From the federal government
2.9%$24.4 million

State tax money6.0%

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

From the state
6.0%$49.9 million

County and local tax money0.5%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From the county and other local governments
0.5%$4.5 million

Fines and other5.2%

Interest, rents and other
5.2%$43.6 million
Fines
<0.1%$363 thousand

Where it goes

Water, sewer, trash and utilities40%Police, fire, courts and jails22%Parks, recreation and libraries15%Roads, transit and parking9.5%Running the government and other costs6.4%All other spending7.3%

What stands out

40%

of Greensboro'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
40%$358 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesSewer systems; water supply and 2 more
  • Sewer systems$130 million
  • Water supply$127 million
  • Liquor stores$54.5 million
  • Garbage and solid waste$46.8 million
Police, fire, courts and jails
22%$195 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; fire protection and 2 more
  • Police$112 million
  • Fire protection$74.2 million
  • Inspections and regulation$7.1 million
  • Courts and legal services$1.8 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
15%$132 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation and libraries
  • Parks and recreation$121 million
  • Libraries$11.2 million
Roads, transit and parking
9.5%$84.7 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways; public transit and 1 more
  • Roads and highways$42.7 million
  • Public transit$35.7 million
  • Parking$6.2 million
Running the government and other costs
6.4%$57.0 million
What's in running the government and other costsGovernment buildings; central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology) and 3 more
  • Government buildings$18.5 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$16.5 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$11.8 million
  • Other and not broken out$9.3 million
  • Other government-run businesses$1.0 million
Housing and community development
3.9%$34.8 million
Interest on debt
3.2%$28.4 million
What's in interest on debtInterest on general debt and interest on water supply debt
  • Interest on general debt$22.9 million
  • Interest on water supply debt$5.5 million
Sent to other local governments
0.2%$2.0 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$1.4 million
  • Sent to the state government$606 thousand
Health and hospitals
<0.1%$193 thousand
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$193 thousand
Environment and natural resources
<0.1%$66 thousand
What's in environment and natural resourcesNatural resources, farming and conservation
  • Natural resources, farming and conservation$66 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

City of Greensboro. 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 Greensboro 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.