City government · Providence County, RI

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended June 30, 2024), Providence took in $1.29 billion and spent $1.24 billion.

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

See every government that serves your ZIP

Where it comes from

State tax money32%City taxes30%Fees for services (water, school lunches)17%County and local tax money11%Federal tax money4.7%Fines and other4.3%

What stands out

32%

of Providence's money comes from state tax money.A typical U.S. city of 50,000+ people gets 6.4%.

City taxes30%

Property tax
29%$373 million
Other taxes
1.3%$17.0 million
What's in other taxesOther selective sales taxes; other licenses and 1 more
  • Other selective sales taxes$10.4 million
  • Other licenses$5.0 million
  • Occupation and business licenses$1.6 million

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services17%

Fees for services
17%$217 million
What's in fees for servicesOther service charges; water and 7 more
  • Other service charges$122 million
  • Water$88.0 million
  • School lunches$3.4 million
  • Parks and recreation$2.9 million
  • Other government-run businesses$427 thousand
  • Road charges$331 thousand
  • Parks, land and natural resources$54 thousand
  • Sewer$23 thousand
  • Other school charges$1 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money4.7%

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

From the federal government
4.7%$60.4 million

State tax money32%

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

From the state
32%$416 million

County and local tax money11%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From the county and other local governments
11%$147 million

Fines and other4.3%

Interest, rents and other
4.0%$51.8 million
Fines
0.3%$3.7 million

Where it goes

Schools and colleges50%Police, fire, courts and jails18%Running the government and other costs16%Water, sewer, trash and utilities9.1%Interest on debt3.1%All other spending4.1%

What stands out

50%

of Providence's spending goes to schools and colleges.Most U.S. cities of 50,000+ people spend nothing on this.

Spending by category100%

Schools and colleges
50%$617 million
What's in schools and collegesElementary and secondary schools
  • Elementary and secondary schools$617 million
Police, fire, courts and jails
18%$225 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; fire protection and 2 more
  • Police$111 million
  • Fire protection$94.7 million
  • Courts and legal services$15.7 million
  • Inspections and regulation$4.1 million
Running the government and other costs
16%$192 million
What's in running the government and other costsOther and not broken out; government buildings and 3 more
  • Other and not broken out$130 million
  • Government buildings$40.3 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$12.2 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$8.5 million
  • Other government-run businesses$900 thousand
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
9.1%$112 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesWater supply; garbage and solid waste and 1 more
  • Water supply$93.8 million
  • Garbage and solid waste$17.3 million
  • Sewer systems$1.3 million
Interest on debt
3.1%$38.7 million
What's in interest on debtInterest on general debt and interest on water supply debt
  • Interest on general debt$35.3 million
  • Interest on water supply debt$3.5 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
1.8%$21.9 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation and libraries
  • Parks and recreation$17.9 million
  • Libraries$4.0 million
Housing and community development
0.9%$10.8 million
Roads, transit and parking
0.9%$10.7 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways and parking
  • Roads and highways$9.7 million
  • Parking$921 thousand
Environment and natural resources
0.4%$5.2 million
What's in environment and natural resourcesNatural resources, farming and conservation
  • Natural resources, farming and conservation$5.2 million
Social services
0.2%$2.0 million
What's in social servicesOther public welfare
  • Other public welfare$2.0 million
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

City of Providence. 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 City of Providence 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.