City government · Cuyahoga County, OH

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended December 31, 2023), Cleveland took in $2.00 billion and spent $1.59 billion.

Latest recorded year: ended December 31, 2023Comes fromGoes to

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Where it comes from

Fees for services (water, electric power)40%City taxes37%State tax money16%Fines and other7.3%County and local tax money0.5%Federal tax money<0.1%

What stands out

27%

of Cleveland's money comes from a personal income tax.Most U.S. cities of 50,000+ people get none.

City taxes37%

Individual income tax
27%$535 million
Other taxes
6.4%$128 million
What's in other taxesOther taxes not classified elsewhere; amusement taxes and 4 more
  • Other taxes not classified elsewhere$52.2 million
  • Amusement taxes$23.6 million
  • Motor vehicle licenses$18.1 million
  • Other licenses$14.3 million
  • Occupation and business licenses$12.6 million
  • Other selective sales taxes$7.2 million

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Property tax
3.4%$68.8 million

Fees for services40%

Fees for services
40%$794 million
What's in fees for servicesWater; electric power and 9 more
  • Water$306 million
  • Electric power$189 million
  • Airport$153 million
  • Other service charges$39.9 million
  • Sewer$32.8 million
  • Housing$28.8 million
  • Road charges$18.8 million
  • Garbage collection$13.5 million
  • Parking$7.8 million
  • Other government-run businesses$2.6 million
  • Parks and recreation$2.0 million

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money<0.1%

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

From the federal government
<0.1%$1.3 million

State tax money16%

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

From the state
16%$319 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%$9.9 million

Fines and other7.3%

Interest, rents and other
6.7%$134 million
Fines
0.7%$13.1 million

Where it goes

Police, fire, courts and jails38%Water, sewer, trash and utilities32%Running the government and other costs21%Interest on debt4.7%Parks, recreation and libraries2.3%All other spending2.1%

What stands out

0.4%

of Cleveland's spending goes to roads, transit and parking.A typical U.S. city of 50,000+ people spends 10%.

Spending by category100%

Police, fire, courts and jails
38%$609 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; fire protection and 3 more
  • Police$385 million
  • Fire protection$149 million
  • Courts and legal services$62.2 million
  • Inspections and regulation$9.7 million
  • Prisons and jails$3.2 million
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
32%$500 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesWater supply; electric power and 2 more
  • Water supply$267 million
  • Electric power$173 million
  • Garbage and solid waste$36.4 million
  • Sewer systems$23.9 million
Running the government and other costs
21%$331 million
What's in running the government and other costsOther and not broken out; finance, tax collection and budgeting and 3 more
  • Other and not broken out$263 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$31.9 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$28.5 million
  • Other government-run businesses$4.7 million
  • Government buildings$3.1 million
Interest on debt
4.7%$74.8 million
What's in interest on debtInterest on general debt; interest on water supply debt and 1 more
  • Interest on general debt$52.6 million
  • Interest on water supply debt$16.3 million
  • Interest on electric power debt$5.9 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
2.3%$36.9 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation
  • Parks and recreation$36.9 million
Health and hospitals
1.4%$21.5 million
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$21.5 million
Roads, transit and parking
0.4%$6.9 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways
  • Roads and highways$6.9 million
Housing and community development
0.3%$5.3 million
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

City of Cleveland. U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, individual unit file, fiscal year ended December 31, 2023.

What this covers. The money of City of Cleveland 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.