City government · Charleston County, SC

North Charleston's money: where it comes from and where it goes

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended June 30, 2024), North Charleston took in $252 million and spent $216 million.

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

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Where it comes from

City taxes73%County and local tax money10%Fines and other9.2%Fees for services (parking, parks and recreation)5.6%State tax money2.1%Federal tax money0.5%

What stands out

27%

of North Charleston's money comes from taxes other than property, sales and income taxes.A typical U.S. city of 50,000+ people gets 7.2%.

City taxes73%

Property tax
38%$95.8 million
Other taxes
27%$69.1 million
What's in other taxesOther licenses; other selective sales taxes and 2 more
  • Other licenses$49.7 million
  • Other selective sales taxes$11.3 million
  • Other taxes not classified elsewhere$7.9 million
  • Alcoholic beverage taxes$258 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Sales tax
7.2%$18.0 million

Fees for services5.6%

Fees for services
5.6%$14.0 million
What's in fees for servicesOther service charges; parking and 1 more
  • Other service charges$10.5 million
  • Parking$2.8 million
  • Parks and recreation$628 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money0.5%

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

From the federal government
0.5%$1.3 million

State tax money2.1%

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

From the state
2.1%$5.2 million

County and local tax money10%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From the county and other local governments
10%$25.1 million

Fines and other9.2%

Interest, rents and other
8.9%$22.3 million
Fines
0.3%$686 thousand

Where it goes

Police, fire, courts and jails40%Running the government and other costs39%Parks, recreation and libraries5.9%Roads, transit and parking5.8%Interest on debt5.0%All other spending4.3%

What stands out

39%

of North Charleston's spending goes to running the government and other costs.A typical U.S. city of 50,000+ people spends 16%.

Spending by category100%

Police, fire, courts and jails
40%$85.8 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; fire protection and 2 more
  • Police$47.0 million
  • Fire protection$31.2 million
  • Courts and legal services$4.3 million
  • Inspections and regulation$3.3 million
Running the government and other costs
39%$85.2 million
What's in running the government and other costsGovernment buildings; finance, tax collection and budgeting and 2 more
  • Government buildings$49.6 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$17.3 million
  • Other and not broken out$12.6 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$5.7 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
5.9%$12.7 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation
  • Parks and recreation$12.7 million
Roads, transit and parking
5.8%$12.6 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways and parking
  • Roads and highways$11.4 million
  • Parking$1.2 million
Interest on debt
5.0%$10.7 million
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
3.7%$8.0 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesGarbage and solid waste
  • Garbage and solid waste$8.0 million
Housing and community development
0.6%$1.3 million
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

City of North Charleston. 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 North Charleston 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.