City government · Wake County, NC

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended June 30, 2024), Raleigh took in $1.32 billion and spent $1.29 billion.

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

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Where it comes from

City taxes41%Fees for services (sewer, water)35%Federal tax money6.6%Fines and other6.5%County and local tax money5.8%State tax money4.7%

What stands out

5.8%

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

City taxes41%

Property tax
27%$360 million
Sales tax
12%$154 million
Other taxes
2.1%$27.8 million
What's in other taxesOccupation and business licenses; motor vehicle licenses and 2 more
  • Occupation and business licenses$15.3 million
  • Motor vehicle licenses$11.5 million
  • Other selective sales taxes$680 thousand
  • Other licenses$282 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services35%

Fees for services
35%$466 million
What's in fees for servicesSewer; water and 6 more
  • Sewer$214 million
  • Water$133 million
  • Garbage collection$42.4 million
  • Parks and recreation$25.7 million
  • Other government-run businesses$20.0 million
  • Other service charges$15.7 million
  • Parking$14.0 million
  • Transit fares$1.6 million

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money6.6%

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

From the federal government
6.6%$86.8 million

State tax money4.7%

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

From the state
4.7%$62.2 million

County and local tax money5.8%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From the county and other local governments
5.8%$76.5 million

Fines and other6.5%

Interest, rents and other
6.5%$85.7 million

Where it goes

Water, sewer, trash and utilities37%Police, fire, courts and jails19%Roads, transit and parking12%Parks, recreation and libraries11%Running the government and other costs10%All other spending11%

What stands out

37%

of Raleigh'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
37%$483 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesSewer systems; water supply and 1 more
  • Sewer systems$260 million
  • Water supply$177 million
  • Garbage and solid waste$45.1 million
Police, fire, courts and jails
19%$243 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; fire protection and 2 more
  • Police$143 million
  • Fire protection$80.2 million
  • Inspections and regulation$14.0 million
  • Courts and legal services$5.6 million
Roads, transit and parking
12%$160 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingPublic transit; roads and highways and 1 more
  • Public transit$88.9 million
  • Roads and highways$62.2 million
  • Parking$9.1 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
11%$136 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation
  • Parks and recreation$136 million
Running the government and other costs
10%$131 million
What's in running the government and other costsOther and not broken out; government buildings and 3 more
  • Other and not broken out$68.2 million
  • Government buildings$34.8 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$14.8 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$12.6 million
  • Other government-run businesses$401 thousand
Housing and community development
4.7%$60.8 million
Interest on debt
4.6%$59.6 million
What's in interest on debtInterest on general debt and interest on water supply debt
  • Interest on general debt$45.6 million
  • Interest on water supply debt$14.0 million
Environment and natural resources
1.3%$16.2 million
What's in environment and natural resourcesNatural resources, farming and conservation
  • Natural resources, farming and conservation$16.2 million
Sent to other local governments
<0.1%$135 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$135 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

City of Raleigh. 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 Raleigh 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.