Town government · Bristol County, RI

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended June 30, 2024), Bristol took in $72.9 million and spent $74.9 million.

Latest recorded year: ended June 30, 2024Comes fromGoes to

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Where it comes from

Town taxes72%State tax money10%Fees for services (sewer)9.4%Fines and other7.3%Federal tax money0.3%

What stands out

67%

of Bristol's money comes from property tax.A typical U.S. township or town of 10,000 to 50,000 people gets 53%.

Town taxes72%

Property tax
67%$48.7 million
Other taxes
5.7%$4.1 million
What's in other taxesOther licenses
  • Other licenses$4.1 million

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services9.4%

Fees for services
9.4%$6.8 million
What's in fees for servicesSewer
  • Sewer$6.8 million

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money0.3%

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

From the federal government
0.3%$242 thousand

State tax money10%

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

From the state
10%$7.6 million

Fines and other7.3%

Interest, rents and other
7.3%$5.3 million

Where it goes

Schools and colleges40%Water, sewer, trash and utilities20%Police, fire, courts and jails17%Running the government and other costs10%Social services3.6%All other spending9.0%

What stands out

40%

of Bristol's spending goes to schools and colleges.Most U.S. townships and towns of 10,000 to 50,000 people spend nothing on this.

Spending by category100%

Schools and colleges
40%$29.7 million
What's in schools and collegesElementary and secondary schools
  • Elementary and secondary schools$29.7 million
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
20%$15.1 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesSewer systems and garbage and solid waste
  • Sewer systems$9.1 million
  • Garbage and solid waste$5.9 million
Police, fire, courts and jails
17%$13.0 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; fire protection and 2 more
  • Police$10.1 million
  • Fire protection$2.5 million
  • Inspections and regulation$283 thousand
  • Courts and legal services$22 thousand
Running the government and other costs
10%$7.8 million
What's in running the government and other costsOther and not broken out; central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology) and 2 more
  • Other and not broken out$4.8 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$1.6 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$758 thousand
  • Government buildings$630 thousand
Social services
3.6%$2.7 million
What's in social servicesOther public welfare
  • Other public welfare$2.7 million
Roads, transit and parking
3.2%$2.4 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways; ports and harbors and 1 more
  • Roads and highways$1.5 million
  • Ports and harbors$831 thousand
  • Parking$80 thousand
Interest on debt
3.1%$2.4 million
Health and hospitals
1.7%$1.3 million
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$1.3 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
0.5%$352 thousand
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation and libraries
  • Parks and recreation$316 thousand
  • Libraries$36 thousand
Housing and community development
0.4%$291 thousand
Environment and natural resources
<0.1%$42 thousand
What's in environment and natural resourcesNatural resources, farming and conservation
  • Natural resources, farming and conservation$42 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

Town of Bristol. U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, individual unit file, fiscal year ended June 30, 2024.

What this covers. The money of Town of Bristol 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.