City government · Blair County, PA

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended December 31, 2021), Altoona took in $41.4 million and spent $46.7 million.

Latest recorded year: ended December 31, 2021Comes fromGoes to

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Where it comes from

City taxes61%County and local tax money15%Federal tax money9.6%State tax money8.1%Fines and other3.0%Fees for services (road charges, sewer)2.8%

What stands out

25%

of Altoona's money comes from a personal income tax.Most U.S. cities of 10,000 to 50,000 people get none.

City taxes61%

Property tax
26%$10.6 million
Individual income tax
25%$10.5 million
Other taxes
10%$4.2 million
What's in other taxesOccupation and business licenses; public utility licenses and 1 more
  • Occupation and business licenses$3.2 million
  • Public utility licenses$504 thousand
  • Real estate and stock transfer taxes$493 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services2.8%

Fees for services
2.8%$1.1 million
What's in fees for servicesOther service charges; road charges and 2 more
  • Other service charges$684 thousand
  • Road charges$410 thousand
  • Sewer$41 thousand
  • Housing$15 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money9.6%

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

From the federal government
9.6%$4.0 million

State tax money8.1%

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

From the state
8.1%$3.3 million

County and local tax money15%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From the county and other local governments
15%$6.3 million

Fines and other3.0%

Interest, rents and other
2.7%$1.1 million
Fines
0.3%$124 thousand

Where it goes

Police, fire, courts and jails39%Running the government and other costs23%Roads, transit and parking21%Interest on debt6.4%Housing and community development4.7%All other spending5.9%

What stands out

0.6%

of Altoona's spending goes to water, sewer, trash and other utilities.A typical U.S. city of 10,000 to 50,000 people spends 24%.

Spending by category100%

Police, fire, courts and jails
39%$18.0 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsFire protection; police and 2 more
  • Fire protection$10.8 million
  • Police$6.4 million
  • Inspections and regulation$647 thousand
  • Courts and legal services$163 thousand
Running the government and other costs
23%$10.7 million
What's in running the government and other costsFinance, tax collection and budgeting; other and not broken out and 3 more
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$6.3 million
  • Other and not broken out$2.1 million
  • Government buildings$1.3 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$1.1 million
  • Other government-run businesses-$1 thousand
Roads, transit and parking
21%$10.0 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways; public transit and 1 more
  • Roads and highways$9.8 million
  • Public transit$144 thousand
  • Parking$74 thousand
Interest on debt
6.4%$3.0 million
Housing and community development
4.7%$2.2 million
Environment and natural resources
3.9%$1.8 million
What's in environment and natural resourcesNatural resources, farming and conservation
  • Natural resources, farming and conservation$1.8 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
1.3%$626 thousand
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation
  • Parks and recreation$626 thousand
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
0.6%$271 thousand
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesSewer systems and garbage and solid waste
  • Sewer systems$158 thousand
  • Garbage and solid waste$113 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

City of Altoona. U.S. Census Bureau, 2022 Census of Governments, Finance, individual unit file, fiscal year ended December 31, 2021. The Census record for this government is from the 2022 survey, the newest on file.

What this covers. The money of City of Altoona 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.