County government · Allegheny County, PA

Allegheny County's money: where it comes from and where it goes

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended December 31, 2023), Allegheny County took in $2.14 billion and spent $2.20 billion.

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

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Where it comes from

State tax money44%County taxes24%Federal tax money19%Fees for services (parks and recreation, parks, land and natural resources)7.7%Fines and other3.4%Local tax money1.5%

What stands out

19%

of Allegheny County's money comes from federal tax money.A typical U.S. county of 250,000+ people gets 4.5%.

County taxes24%

Property tax
18%$387 million
Other taxes
3.2%$68.9 million
What's in other taxesAlcoholic beverage taxes; other selective sales taxes and 2 more
  • Alcoholic beverage taxes$51.5 million
  • Other selective sales taxes$13.8 million
  • Other licenses$3.5 million
  • Amusement licenses$105 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Sales tax
3.1%$67.1 million

Fees for services7.7%

Fees for services
7.7%$165 million
What's in fees for servicesOther service charges; parks and recreation and 1 more
  • Other service charges$156 million
  • Parks and recreation$7.1 million
  • Parks, land and natural resources$1.2 million

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money19%

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

From the federal government
19%$397 million

State tax money44%

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

From the state
44%$950 million

Local tax money1.5%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From other local governments
1.5%$32.6 million

Fines and other3.4%

Interest, rents and other
3.3%$69.9 million
Fines
0.1%$3.2 million

Where it goes

Social services45%Health and hospitals20%Police, fire, courts and jails15%Running the government and other costs8.9%Housing and community development2.6%All other spending8.8%

What stands out

45%

of Allegheny County's spending goes to social services.A typical U.S. county of 250,000+ people spends 4.3%.

Spending by category100%

Social services
45%$980 million
What's in social servicesOther public welfare and welfare institutions
  • Other public welfare$878 million
  • Welfare institutions$102 million
Health and hospitals
20%$447 million
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$447 million
Police, fire, courts and jails
15%$325 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsCourts and legal services; prisons and jails and 1 more
  • Courts and legal services$150 million
  • Prisons and jails$100 million
  • Police$74.2 million
Running the government and other costs
8.9%$195 million
What's in running the government and other costsOther and not broken out; government buildings and 2 more
  • Other and not broken out$135 million
  • Government buildings$25.9 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$25.3 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$9.2 million
Housing and community development
2.6%$58.0 million
Roads, transit and parking
2.1%$47.1 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways
  • Roads and highways$47.1 million
Interest on debt
1.8%$38.7 million
Sent to other local governments
1.7%$37.8 million
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$37.8 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
1.7%$36.6 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation
  • Parks and recreation$36.6 million
Schools and colleges
1.4%$31.3 million
What's in schools and collegesElementary and secondary schools
  • Elementary and secondary schools$31.3 million
Environment and natural resources
<0.1%$2.2 million
What's in environment and natural resourcesNatural resources, farming and conservation
  • Natural resources, farming and conservation$2.2 million
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

Allegheny County. 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 Allegheny County 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.