City government · Waukesha County, WI

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended December 31, 2023), Waukesha took in $205 million and spent $318 million.

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

See every government that serves your ZIP

Where it comes from

City taxes41%Fees for services (sewer, water)31%Fines and other11%State tax money9.1%County and local tax money4.1%Federal tax money3.2%

What stands out

39%

of Waukesha's money comes from property tax.A typical U.S. city of 50,000+ people gets 20%.

City taxes41%

Property tax
39%$79.6 million
Other taxes
2.2%$4.6 million
What's in other taxesOther licenses; other selective sales taxes and 2 more
  • Other licenses$2.2 million
  • Other selective sales taxes$1.0 million
  • Occupation and business licenses$770 thousand
  • Other taxes not classified elsewhere$533 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services31%

Fees for services
31%$64.3 million
What's in fees for servicesSewer; water and 6 more
  • Sewer$28.6 million
  • Water$27.5 million
  • Other service charges$3.3 million
  • Parks and recreation$3.0 million
  • Parking$727 thousand
  • Transit fares$627 thousand
  • Other government-run businesses$588 thousand
  • Parks, land and natural resources$9 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money3.2%

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

From the federal government
3.2%$6.6 million

State tax money9.1%

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

From the state
9.1%$18.7 million

County and local tax money4.1%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From the county and other local governments
4.1%$8.4 million

Fines and other11%

Interest, rents and other
11%$22.5 million
Fines
0.3%$648 thousand

Where it goes

Water, sewer, trash and utilities49%Police, fire, courts and jails13%Running the government and other costs12%Roads, transit and parking11%Parks, recreation and libraries6.2%All other spending7.7%

What stands out

49%

of Waukesha's spending goes to water, sewer, trash and other utilities.A typical U.S. city of 50,000+ people spends 20%.

Spending by category100%

Water, sewer, trash and utilities
49%$157 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesWater supply; sewer systems and 1 more
  • Water supply$137 million
  • Sewer systems$16.4 million
  • Garbage and solid waste$3.4 million
Police, fire, courts and jails
13%$42.5 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; fire protection and 2 more
  • Police$23.1 million
  • Fire protection$17.3 million
  • Inspections and regulation$1.0 million
  • Courts and legal services$1.0 million
Running the government and other costs
12%$38.0 million
What's in running the government and other costsOther and not broken out; central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology) and 3 more
  • Other and not broken out$28.9 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$4.9 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$2.3 million
  • Government buildings$984 thousand
  • Other government-run businesses$920 thousand
Roads, transit and parking
11%$36.3 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways; public transit and 1 more
  • Roads and highways$25.6 million
  • Public transit$9.7 million
  • Parking$1.1 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
6.2%$19.7 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation and libraries
  • Parks and recreation$14.1 million
  • Libraries$5.6 million
Interest on debt
5.4%$17.3 million
What's in interest on debtInterest on general debt and interest on water supply debt
  • Interest on general debt$14.6 million
  • Interest on water supply debt$2.7 million
Health and hospitals
1.0%$3.3 million
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$3.3 million
Sent to other local governments
0.8%$2.5 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$2.4 million
  • Sent to the state government$140 thousand
Housing and community development
0.4%$1.2 million
Environment and natural resources
<0.1%$17 thousand
What's in environment and natural resourcesNatural resources, farming and conservation
  • Natural resources, farming and conservation$17 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

City of Waukesha. 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 Waukesha 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.