Borough government · Chester County, PA

West Chester's money: where it comes from and where it goes

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended December 31, 2023), West Chester took in $36.7 million and spent $33.6 million.

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

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Where it comes from

Fees for services (sewer, parking)43%Borough taxes40%State tax money10%Fines and other5.1%County and local tax money2.1%

What stands out

17%

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

Borough taxes40%

Individual income tax
17%$6.3 million
Property tax
16%$5.9 million
Other taxes
6.5%$2.4 million
What's in other taxesOccupation and business licenses and real estate and stock transfer taxes
  • Occupation and business licenses$1.8 million
  • Real estate and stock transfer taxes$524 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services43%

Fees for services
43%$15.8 million
What's in fees for servicesSewer; parking and 4 more
  • Sewer$8.0 million
  • Parking$4.9 million
  • Other service charges$2.6 million
  • Parks and recreation$144 thousand
  • Road charges$95 thousand
  • Garbage collection$42 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

State tax money10%

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

From the state
10%$3.7 million

County and local tax money2.1%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From the county and other local governments
2.1%$761 thousand

Fines and other5.1%

Interest, rents and other
4.2%$1.5 million
Fines
0.8%$310 thousand

Where it goes

Running the government and other costs33%Roads, transit and parking24%Police, fire, courts and jails24%Water, sewer, trash and utilities13%Interest on debt2.1%All other spending3.1%

What stands out

24%

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

Spending by category100%

Running the government and other costs
33%$11.2 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$5.8 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$2.7 million
  • Government buildings$1.3 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$1.3 million
Roads, transit and parking
24%$8.1 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways and parking
  • Roads and highways$5.9 million
  • Parking$2.2 million
Police, fire, courts and jails
24%$8.0 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; fire protection and 2 more
  • Police$6.8 million
  • Fire protection$797 thousand
  • Inspections and regulation$231 thousand
  • Courts and legal services$159 thousand
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
13%$4.5 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesSewer systems and garbage and solid waste
  • Sewer systems$4.2 million
  • Garbage and solid waste$282 thousand
Interest on debt
2.1%$715 thousand
Parks, recreation and libraries
1.9%$623 thousand
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation and libraries
  • Parks and recreation$500 thousand
  • Libraries$123 thousand
Health and hospitals
1.0%$338 thousand
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$338 thousand
Housing and community development
0.3%$85 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

Borough of West Chester. 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 Borough of West Chester 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.