City government · Northampton County, PA

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended December 31, 2023), Bethlehem took in $158 million and spent $135 million.

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

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Where it comes from

Fees for services (water, sewer)41%City taxes36%State tax money15%Federal tax money6.0%Fines and other2.1%County and local tax money0.5%

What stands out

7.5%

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

City taxes36%

Property tax
21%$32.9 million
Individual income tax
7.5%$11.9 million
Other taxes
7.5%$11.8 million
What's in other taxesOccupation and business licenses; real estate and stock transfer taxes and 2 more
  • Occupation and business licenses$8.7 million
  • Real estate and stock transfer taxes$1.9 million
  • Public utility licenses$719 thousand
  • Amusement taxes$502 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services41%

Fees for services
41%$64.2 million
What's in fees for servicesWater; sewer and 5 more
  • Water$27.3 million
  • Sewer$22.3 million
  • Other service charges$8.4 million
  • Garbage collection$2.9 million
  • Parks and recreation$2.8 million
  • Parking$422 thousand
  • Road charges$1 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money6.0%

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

From the federal government
6.0%$9.6 million

State tax money15%

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

From the state
15%$23.6 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%$870 thousand

Fines and other2.1%

Interest, rents and other
1.9%$3.1 million
Fines
0.2%$321 thousand

Where it goes

Running the government and other costs26%Police, fire, courts and jails21%Water, sewer, trash and utilities20%Health and hospitals8.5%Interest on debt7.6%All other spending16%

What stands out

8.5%

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

Spending by category100%

Running the government and other costs
26%$35.7 million
What's in running the government and other costsOther and not broken out; finance, tax collection and budgeting and 2 more
  • Other and not broken out$18.1 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$12.2 million
  • Government buildings$3.5 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$2.0 million
Police, fire, courts and jails
21%$29.1 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; fire protection and 2 more
  • Police$17.9 million
  • Fire protection$10.2 million
  • Inspections and regulation$601 thousand
  • Courts and legal services$330 thousand
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
20%$27.3 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesWater supply; sewer systems and 2 more
  • Water supply$12.6 million
  • Sewer systems$6.9 million
  • Garbage and solid waste$5.9 million
  • Electric power$1.8 million
Health and hospitals
8.5%$11.5 million
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$11.5 million
Interest on debt
7.6%$10.3 million
Roads, transit and parking
6.6%$9.0 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways
  • Roads and highways$9.0 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
4.2%$5.7 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation and libraries
  • Parks and recreation$4.3 million
  • Libraries$1.4 million
Housing and community development
3.6%$4.9 million
Environment and natural resources
1.4%$1.9 million
What's in environment and natural resourcesNatural resources, farming and conservation
  • Natural resources, farming and conservation$1.9 million
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

City of Bethlehem. 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 Bethlehem 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.