City government · Lancaster County, SC

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended June 30, 2024), Lancaster took in $33.1 million and spent $37.3 million.

Latest recorded year: ended June 30, 2024Estimated by the U.S. Census BureauComes fromGoes to

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Where it comes from

City taxes42%Fees for services (sewer, garbage collection)34%Fines and other22%State tax money2.0%County and local tax money0.2%

What stands out

12%

of Lancaster's money comes from sales tax.Most U.S. cities, towns and villages of under 10,000 people get none.

City taxes42%

Other taxes
17%$5.6 million
What's in other taxesOccupation and business licenses; other selective sales taxes and 1 more
  • Occupation and business licenses$3.3 million
  • Other selective sales taxes$1.3 million
  • Public utility licenses$1.1 million

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Sales tax
12%$4.1 million
Property tax
12%$4.0 million

Fees for services34%

Fees for services
34%$11.2 million
What's in fees for servicesSewer; garbage collection and 3 more
  • Sewer$4.7 million
  • Garbage collection$3.2 million
  • Water$3.1 million
  • Other service charges$169 thousand
  • Parks and recreation$116 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

State tax money2.0%

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

From the state
2.0%$666 thousand

County and local tax money0.2%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From the county and other local governments
0.2%$71 thousand

Fines and other22%

Interest, rents and other
21%$6.9 million
Fines
1.3%$419 thousand

Where it goes

Water, sewer, trash and utilities64%Police, fire, courts and jails18%Running the government and other costs10%Parks, recreation and libraries3.9%Roads, transit and parking2.7%All other spending1.4%

What stands out

64%

of Lancaster's spending goes to water, sewer, trash and other utilities.A typical U.S. city, town or village of under 10,000 people spends 32%.

Spending by category100%

Water, sewer, trash and utilities
64%$23.9 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesSewer systems; garbage and solid waste and 1 more
  • Sewer systems$16.8 million
  • Garbage and solid waste$4.1 million
  • Water supply$3.0 million
Police, fire, courts and jails
18%$6.6 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; fire protection and 1 more
  • Police$3.8 million
  • Fire protection$2.4 million
  • Courts and legal services$484 thousand
Running the government and other costs
10%$3.7 million
What's in running the government and other costsCentral staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology); other and not broken out and 2 more
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$1.6 million
  • Other and not broken out$1.4 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$479 thousand
  • Government buildings$176 thousand
Parks, recreation and libraries
3.9%$1.4 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation
  • Parks and recreation$1.4 million
Roads, transit and parking
2.7%$991 thousand
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways
  • Roads and highways$991 thousand
Housing and community development
1.2%$441 thousand
Interest on debt
0.3%$94 thousand
What's in interest on debtInterest on general debt and interest on water supply debt
  • Interest on general debt$75 thousand
  • Interest on water supply debt$19 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

City of Lancaster. U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, individual unit file, fiscal year ended June 30, 2024. Most of this government's figures were estimated by the U.S. Census Bureau from a sample; the government did not report them itself.

What this covers. The money of City of Lancaster 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.