City government · King County, WA

Des Moines's money: where it comes from and where it goes

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended December 31, 2023), Des Moines took in $43.6 million and spent $43.8 million.

Latest recorded year: ended December 31, 2023Comes fromGoes to

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Where it comes from

City taxes53%Fees for services (parks and recreation, sewer)32%Fines and other7.7%State tax money5.6%County and local tax money1.5%Federal tax money0.2%

What stands out

13%

of Des Moines' money comes from sales tax.Most U.S. cities of 10,000 to 50,000 people get none.

City taxes53%

Other taxes
28%$12.2 million
What's in other taxesPublic utility taxes; occupation and business licenses and 5 more
  • Public utility taxes$6.8 million
  • Occupation and business licenses$1.5 million
  • Real estate and stock transfer taxes$1.3 million
  • Other licenses$1.2 million
  • Motor vehicle licenses$953 thousand
  • Other selective sales taxes$327 thousand
  • Amusement taxes$20 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Sales tax
13%$5.6 million
Property tax
12%$5.4 million

Fees for services32%

Fees for services
32%$13.9 million
What's in fees for servicesParks and recreation; sewer and 2 more
  • Parks and recreation$5.5 million
  • Sewer$5.4 million
  • Other service charges$2.6 million
  • Road charges$450 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money0.2%

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

From the federal government
0.2%$76 thousand

State tax money5.6%

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

From the state
5.6%$2.4 million

County and local tax money1.5%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From the county and other local governments
1.5%$646 thousand

Fines and other7.7%

Interest, rents and other
4.0%$1.8 million
Fines
3.6%$1.6 million

Where it goes

Police, fire, courts and jails36%Running the government and other costs17%Parks, recreation and libraries16%Roads, transit and parking12%Water, sewer, trash and utilities12%All other spending6.9%

What stands out

16%

of Des Moines' spending goes to parks, recreation and libraries.A typical U.S. city of 10,000 to 50,000 people spends 5.6%.

Spending by category100%

Police, fire, courts and jails
36%$15.6 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; courts and legal services and 3 more
  • Police$12.6 million
  • Courts and legal services$1.6 million
  • Prisons and jails$1.0 million
  • Probation, parole and other corrections$285 thousand
  • Fire protection$46 thousand
Running the government and other costs
17%$7.6 million
What's in running the government and other costsFinance, tax collection and budgeting; central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology) and 2 more
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$3.1 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$2.1 million
  • Other and not broken out$1.8 million
  • Government buildings$501 thousand
Parks, recreation and libraries
16%$7.2 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation
  • Parks and recreation$7.2 million
Roads, transit and parking
12%$5.3 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways
  • Roads and highways$5.3 million
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
12%$5.1 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesSewer systems
  • Sewer systems$5.1 million
Housing and community development
2.8%$1.2 million
Environment and natural resources
2.3%$998 thousand
What's in environment and natural resourcesNatural resources, farming and conservation
  • Natural resources, farming and conservation$998 thousand
Interest on debt
0.8%$352 thousand
Health and hospitals
0.7%$307 thousand
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$307 thousand
Social services
0.3%$146 thousand
What's in social servicesOther public welfare
  • Other public welfare$146 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

City of Des Moines. U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, individual unit file, fiscal year ended December 31, 2023.

What this covers. The money of City of Des Moines 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.