City government · Lehigh County, PA

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended December 31, 2023), Allentown took in $228 million and spent $216 million.

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

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Where it comes from

City taxes48%Fees for services (garbage collection, parks and recreation)26%Federal tax money13%State tax money8.6%Fines and other3.7%County and local tax money0.2%

What stands out

21%

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

City taxes48%

Individual income tax
21%$47.6 million
Property tax
17%$39.4 million
Other taxes
9.5%$21.6 million
What's in other taxesOccupation and business licenses; real estate and stock transfer taxes and 1 more
  • Occupation and business licenses$18.4 million
  • Real estate and stock transfer taxes$2.3 million
  • Public utility licenses$891 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services26%

Fees for services
26%$60.0 million
What's in fees for servicesOther service charges; garbage collection and 2 more
  • Other service charges$41.6 million
  • Garbage collection$14.2 million
  • Parks and recreation$3.1 million
  • Road charges$1.1 million

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money13%

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

From the federal government
13%$30.6 million

State tax money8.6%

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

From the state
8.6%$19.6 million

County and local tax money0.2%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From the county and other local governments
0.2%$361 thousand

Fines and other3.7%

Interest, rents and other
3.5%$7.9 million
Fines
0.3%$604 thousand

Where it goes

Police, fire, courts and jails34%Running the government and other costs27%Water, sewer, trash and utilities9.9%Roads, transit and parking8.2%Parks, recreation and libraries6.4%All other spending15%

What stands out

5.3%

of Allentown's spending goes to health services and hospitals.Most U.S. cities of 50,000+ people spend nothing on this.

Spending by category100%

Police, fire, courts and jails
34%$73.5 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; fire protection and 2 more
  • Police$44.9 million
  • Fire protection$26.0 million
  • Inspections and regulation$1.6 million
  • Courts and legal services$1.1 million
Running the government and other costs
27%$58.0 million
What's in running the government and other costsOther and not broken out; government buildings and 2 more
  • Other and not broken out$34.3 million
  • Government buildings$10.1 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$9.5 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$4.2 million
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
9.9%$21.5 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesGarbage and solid waste and water supply
  • Garbage and solid waste$15.3 million
  • Water supply$6.2 million
Roads, transit and parking
8.2%$17.8 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways
  • Roads and highways$17.8 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
6.4%$13.8 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation
  • Parks and recreation$13.8 million
Housing and community development
5.7%$12.3 million
Health and hospitals
5.3%$11.5 million
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$11.5 million
Environment and natural resources
2.5%$5.5 million
What's in environment and natural resourcesNatural resources, farming and conservation
  • Natural resources, farming and conservation$5.5 million
Interest on debt
1.2%$2.6 million
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

City of Allentown. 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 Allentown 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.