City government · Outagamie County, WI

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended December 31, 2023), Appleton took in $176 million and spent $165 million.

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

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Where it comes from

City taxes36%Fees for services (water, sewer)28%State tax money15%Fines and other9.6%County and local tax money8.3%Federal tax money4.3%

What stands out

8.3%

of Appleton's money comes from county and other local tax money.A typical U.S. city of 50,000+ people gets 0.9%.

City taxes36%

Property tax
33%$58.7 million
Other taxes
2.2%$3.9 million
What's in other taxesMotor vehicle licenses; other licenses and 3 more
  • Motor vehicle licenses$1.3 million
  • Other licenses$1.3 million
  • Occupation and business licenses$1.1 million
  • Other selective sales taxes$251 thousand
  • Other taxes not classified elsewhere$13 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services28%

Fees for services
28%$49.0 million
What's in fees for servicesWater; sewer and 8 more
  • Water$14.4 million
  • Sewer$14.1 million
  • Road charges$11.7 million
  • Parking$2.6 million
  • Parks and recreation$2.5 million
  • Garbage collection$1.7 million
  • Transit fares$1.2 million
  • Other service charges$535 thousand
  • Housing$265 thousand
  • Parks, land and natural resources$11 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money4.3%

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

From the federal government
4.3%$7.6 million

State tax money15%

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

From the state
15%$25.6 million

County and local tax money8.3%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From the county and other local governments
8.3%$14.6 million

Fines and other9.6%

Interest, rents and other
9.5%$16.7 million
Fines
0.1%$264 thousand

Where it goes

Roads, transit and parking24%Police, fire, courts and jails23%Water, sewer, trash and utilities20%Parks, recreation and libraries12%Running the government and other costs11%All other spending9.6%

What stands out

24%

of Appleton's spending goes to roads, transit and parking.A typical U.S. city of 50,000+ people spends 10%.

Spending by category100%

Roads, transit and parking
24%$40.0 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways; public transit and 1 more
  • Roads and highways$27.7 million
  • Public transit$10.4 million
  • Parking$1.8 million
Police, fire, courts and jails
23%$38.3 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; fire protection and 2 more
  • Police$21.7 million
  • Fire protection$14.8 million
  • Inspections and regulation$1.1 million
  • Courts and legal services$581 thousand
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
20%$32.5 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesWater supply; sewer systems and 1 more
  • Water supply$15.7 million
  • Sewer systems$12.7 million
  • Garbage and solid waste$4.1 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
12%$19.2 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesLibraries and parks and recreation
  • Libraries$11.2 million
  • Parks and recreation$8.0 million
Running the government and other costs
11%$18.9 million
What's in running the government and other costsOther and not broken out; central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology) and 2 more
  • Other and not broken out$9.9 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$5.6 million
  • Government buildings$1.8 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$1.6 million
Interest on debt
6.7%$11.0 million
Health and hospitals
1.9%$3.2 million
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$3.2 million
Social services
0.5%$873 thousand
What's in social servicesOther public welfare
  • Other public welfare$873 thousand
Housing and community development
0.4%$693 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

City of Appleton. 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 Appleton 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.