City government · Harris County, TX

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended June 30, 2024), Houston took in $7.59 billion and spent $6.83 billion.

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

See every government that serves your ZIP

Where it comes from

City taxes42%Fees for services (water, sewer)35%Fines and other8.7%Federal tax money5.8%State tax money5.0%County and local tax money3.8%

What stands out

12%

of Houston's money comes from sales tax.A typical U.S. city of 50,000+ people gets 7.8%.

City taxes42%

Property tax
24%$1.82 billion
Sales tax
12%$902 million
Other taxes
5.8%$444 million
What's in other taxesPublic utility taxes; other licenses and 4 more
  • Public utility taxes$151 million
  • Other licenses$147 million
  • Other selective sales taxes$106 million
  • Occupation and business licenses$36.9 million
  • Alcoholic beverage licenses$1.8 million
  • Amusement taxes$213 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services35%

Fees for services
35%$2.65 billion
What's in fees for servicesWater; sewer and 7 more
  • Water$888 million
  • Sewer$809 million
  • Airport$728 million
  • Other service charges$180 million
  • Parks and recreation$30.3 million
  • Parking$9.4 million
  • Garbage collection$8.4 million
  • Housing$1.6 million
  • Parks, land and natural resources$19 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money5.8%

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

From the federal government
5.8%$438 million

State tax money5.0%

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

From the state
5.0%$379 million

County and local tax money3.8%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From the county and other local governments
3.8%$288 million

Fines and other8.7%

Interest, rents and other
8.3%$631 million
Fines
0.4%$27.0 million

Where it goes

Police, fire, courts and jails35%Water, sewer, trash and utilities18%Roads, transit and parking17%Running the government and other costs13%Interest on debt9.2%All other spending7.8%

What stands out

9.2%

of Houston's spending goes to interest on debt.A typical U.S. city of 50,000+ people spends 2.5%.

Spending by category100%

Police, fire, courts and jails
35%$2.41 billion
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsFire protection; police and 2 more
  • Fire protection$1.20 billion
  • Police$1.05 billion
  • Inspections and regulation$93.0 million
  • Courts and legal services$68.6 million
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
18%$1.26 billion
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesSewer systems; water supply and 1 more
  • Sewer systems$700 million
  • Water supply$417 million
  • Garbage and solid waste$144 million
Roads, transit and parking
17%$1.14 billion
What's in roads, transit and parkingAirports; roads and highways and 1 more
  • Airports$791 million
  • Roads and highways$335 million
  • Parking$11.4 million
Running the government and other costs
13%$864 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)$419 million
  • Other and not broken out$314 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$77.5 million
  • Government buildings$53.1 million
Interest on debt
9.2%$631 million
Health and hospitals
2.6%$174 million
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$174 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
2.5%$172 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation and libraries
  • Parks and recreation$110 million
  • Libraries$61.7 million
Housing and community development
2.0%$136 million
Sent to other local governments
0.7%$48.7 million
What's in sent to other local governmentsSent to local governments: other and not broken out and sent to the state government
  • Sent to local governments: other and not broken out$44.3 million
  • Sent to the state government$4.4 million
Environment and natural resources
<0.1%$392 thousand
What's in environment and natural resourcesNatural resources, farming and conservation
  • Natural resources, farming and conservation$392 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

City of Houston. 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 Houston 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.