ZIP 14210 · Buffalo, NY

Three governments run on your community's money

From the state down to your schools: where each one's money comes from and goes.

Yearly budgets from each government's latest fiscal year on record. Tap one to jump to it.

Your state

New York State

$266.8 billion budget in the latest fiscal year on record, which ended March 31, 2024.

Where the money comes from

State taxes45%Federal tax money38%Fees for services (hospital bills, electric power)9.1%Fines and other6.6%Local tax money0.5%
Full New York State breakdown

What stands out

8.9%

of New York State's money comes from business income taxes.A typical state government gets 3.8%.

State taxes45%

Individual income tax
21%$53.8 billion
Business income tax
8.9%$23.2 billion
Other taxes
8.4%$22.0 billion
What's in other taxesOther selective sales taxes; other taxes not classified elsewhere and 16 more
  • Other selective sales taxes$8.06 billion
  • Other taxes not classified elsewhere$2.61 billion
  • Insurance premium taxes$2.49 billion
  • Estate and gift taxes$1.86 billion
  • Motor fuel taxes$1.60 billion
  • Motor vehicle licenses$1.42 billion
  • Real estate and stock transfer taxes$1.32 billion
  • Tobacco taxes$837 million
  • Public utility taxes$781 million
  • Alcoholic beverage taxes$276 million
  • Driver's licenses$179 million
  • Amusement taxes$163 million
  • Occupation and business licenses$149 million
  • Alcoholic beverage licenses$80.7 million
  • Hunting and fishing licenses$57.3 million
  • Corporation licenses$46.2 million
  • Public utility licenses$46.0 million
  • Other licenses$1.8 million

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Sales tax
7.6%$20.0 billion

Fees for services9.1%

Fees for services
9.1%$23.9 billion
What's in fees for servicesHospital bills; electric power and 13 more
  • Hospital bills$8.13 billion
  • Electric power$6.73 billion
  • College tuition$3.04 billion
  • Other service charges$1.93 billion
  • Transit fares$1.76 billion
  • Tolls on roads and bridges$1.03 billion
  • University housing and dining$691 million
  • Parks and recreation$357 million
  • Airport$72.5 million
  • Parks, land and natural resources$72.3 million
  • Other education charges$43.4 million
  • Road charges$12.2 million
  • Ports and waterways$11.8 million
  • Housing$1.8 million
  • Garbage collection$61 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money38%

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

From the federal government
38%$100.4 billion

Local tax money0.5%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From local governments
0.5%$1.26 billion

Fines and other6.6%

Interest, rents and other
6.4%$16.8 billion
Fines
0.2%$393 million
New York State page →

Where the money goes

Social services37%Sent to local governments34%Running the government and other costs6.6%Schools and colleges5.6%Health and hospitals4.8%All other spending13%

What stands out

5.6%

of New York State's spending goes to schools and colleges.A typical state government spends 15%.

Full New York State breakdown

Spending by category100%

Social services
37%$97.6 billion
What's in social servicesOther public welfare; unemployment and social insurance offices and 2 more
  • Other public welfare$97.3 billion
  • Unemployment and social insurance offices$258 million
  • Welfare institutions$108 million
  • Veterans' services$8.5 million
Sent to local governments
34%$89.9 billion
What's in sent to local governmentsSent to school districts; sent to local governments: elementary and secondary schools and 22 more
  • Sent to school districts$24.1 billion
  • Sent to local governments: elementary and secondary schools$21.2 billion
  • Sent to local governments: other public welfare$15.3 billion
  • Sent to local governments: other and not broken out$8.93 billion
  • Sent to local governments: public health$8.74 billion
  • Sent to local governments: housing and community development$4.04 billion
  • Sent to local governments: roads and highways$2.55 billion
  • Sent to local governments: general support$1.27 billion
  • Sent to local governments: other education$1.00 billion
  • Sent to local governments: sewer systems$616 million
  • Sent to local governments: courts and legal services$608 million
  • Sent to local governments: colleges and universities$420 million
  • Sent to local governments: police$321 million
  • Sent to local governments: finance, tax collection and budgeting$280 million
  • Sent to local governments: parks and recreation$157 million
  • Sent to local governments: inspections and regulation$132 million
  • Sent to local governments: natural resources, farming and conservation$122 million
  • Sent to local governments: prisons and jails$80.4 million
  • Sent to local governments: libraries$49.5 million
  • Sent to local governments: garbage and solid waste$21.1 million
  • Sent to local governments: probation, parole and other corrections$17.9 million
  • Sent to local governments: airports$9.4 million
  • Sent to local governments: hospitals$8.2 million
  • Sent to local governments: other government administration$4.2 million
Running the government and other costs
6.6%$17.6 billion
What's in running the government and other costsOther and not broken out; finance, tax collection and budgeting and 4 more
  • Other and not broken out$12.6 billion
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$4.24 billion
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$339 million
  • Other government administration$247 million
  • Government buildings$201 million
  • Other government-run businesses$6 thousand
Schools and colleges
5.6%$15.0 billion
What's in schools and collegesColleges and universities; scholarships and other education subsidies and 3 more
  • Colleges and universities$12.1 billion
  • Scholarships and other education subsidies$1.86 billion
  • College housing, dining and bookstores$1.01 billion
  • Other education$113 million
  • Elementary and secondary schools$992 thousand
Health and hospitals
4.8%$12.8 billion
What's in health and hospitalsHospitals and public health
  • Hospitals$8.73 billion
  • Public health$4.06 billion
Roads, transit and parking
4.4%$11.8 billion
What's in roads, transit and parkingPublic transit; roads and highways and 3 more
  • Public transit$5.81 billion
  • Roads and highways$4.37 billion
  • Toll roads and bridges$1.36 billion
  • Airports$204 million
  • Ports and harbors$14.6 million
Police, fire, courts and jails
3.0%$7.90 billion
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsCourts and legal services; prisons and jails and 3 more
  • Courts and legal services$3.37 billion
  • Prisons and jails$3.03 billion
  • Police$1.10 billion
  • Inspections and regulation$199 million
  • Probation, parole and other corrections$196 million
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
2.5%$6.60 billion
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesElectric power; water supply and 2 more
  • Electric power$6.51 billion
  • Water supply$51.6 million
  • Garbage and solid waste$29.6 million
  • Sewer systems$4.0 million
Interest on debt
2.0%$5.31 billion
What's in interest on debtInterest on general debt; interest on public transit debt and 1 more
  • Interest on general debt$3.59 billion
  • Interest on public transit debt$1.14 billion
  • Interest on electric power debt$571 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
0.3%$884 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation and libraries
  • Parks and recreation$881 million
  • Libraries$3.1 million
Housing and community development
0.3%$803 million
Environment and natural resources
0.2%$617 million
What's in environment and natural resourcesNatural resources, farming and conservation
  • Natural resources, farming and conservation$617 million
New York State page →

Your county

Erie County

$3.29 billion budget in the latest fiscal year on record, which ended December 31, 2023.

Where the money comes from

County taxes52%Fees for services (hospital bills, sewer)26%State tax money15%Fines and other3.8%Federal tax money2.5%Local tax money0.8%
Full Erie County breakdown

What stands out

41%

of Erie County's money comes from sales tax.A typical U.S. county of 250,000+ people gets 2.7%.

County taxes52%

Sales tax
41%$1.27 billion
Property tax
11%$341 million
Other taxes
1.0%$30.1 million
What's in other taxesOther selective sales taxes; motor vehicle licenses and 2 more
  • Other selective sales taxes$13.6 million
  • Motor vehicle licenses$9.9 million
  • Other taxes not classified elsewhere$4.1 million
  • Other licenses$2.6 million

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services26%

Fees for services
26%$804 million
What's in fees for servicesHospital bills; other service charges and 5 more
  • Hospital bills$690 million
  • Other service charges$47.7 million
  • Sewer$31.5 million
  • College tuition$22.8 million
  • Electric power$7.8 million
  • Gas$2.5 million
  • Parks and recreation$1.9 million

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money2.5%

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

From the federal government
2.5%$78.8 million

State tax money15%

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

From the state
15%$468 million

Local tax money0.8%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From other local governments
0.8%$25.0 million

Fines and other3.8%

Interest, rents and other
3.8%$120 million
Fines
<0.1%$519 thousand
Erie County page →

Where the money goes

Health and hospitals32%Sent to other local governments26%Social services13%Police, fire, courts and jails8.7%Running the government and other costs4.7%All other spending15%

What stands out

26%

of Erie County's spending goes to local governments.Most U.S. counties of 250,000+ people spend nothing on this.

Full Erie County breakdown

Spending by category100%

Health and hospitals
32%$1.07 billion
What's in health and hospitalsHospitals and public health
  • Hospitals$861 million
  • Public health$205 million
Sent to other local governments
26%$867 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$665 million
  • Sent to the state government$202 million
Social services
13%$427 million
What's in social servicesOther public welfare
  • Other public welfare$427 million
Police, fire, courts and jails
8.7%$285 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPrisons and jails; police and 3 more
  • Prisons and jails$114 million
  • Police$79.6 million
  • Courts and legal services$59.1 million
  • Probation, parole and other corrections$32.2 million
  • Fire protection$342 thousand
Running the government and other costs
4.7%$153 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$103 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$22.7 million
  • Government buildings$19.3 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$8.6 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
3.5%$115 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation and libraries
  • Parks and recreation$115 million
  • Libraries$196 thousand
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
3.4%$111 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesSewer systems; electric power and 1 more
  • Sewer systems$85.4 million
  • Electric power$21.3 million
  • Gas supply$4.3 million
Roads, transit and parking
3.3%$110 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways and public transit
  • Roads and highways$78.6 million
  • Public transit$31.0 million
Schools and colleges
2.4%$79.6 million
What's in schools and collegesColleges and universities and scholarships and other education subsidies
  • Colleges and universities$72.9 million
  • Scholarships and other education subsidies$6.7 million
Interest on debt
2.0%$67.3 million
Housing and community development
0.2%$6.3 million
Erie County page →

Your city

Public schools here are run by City of Buffalo, so school money is part of its budget.

City of Buffalo

$2.05 billion budget in the latest fiscal year on record, which ended June 30, 2024.

About 93% of this ZIP is in Buffalo.

Where the money comes from

State tax money67%Fees for services (sewer, water)9.5%County and local tax money7.4%City taxes6.4%Federal tax money6.3%Fines and other3.8%

What stands out

67%

of Buffalo's money comes from state tax money.A typical U.S. city of 50,000+ people gets 6.4%.

Full Buffalo breakdown

City taxes6.4%

Property tax
5.1%$87.6 million
Other taxes
1.3%$22.7 million
What's in other taxesPublic utility taxes; other licenses and 2 more
  • Public utility taxes$12.1 million
  • Other licenses$8.8 million
  • Occupation and business licenses$1.9 million
  • Amusement licenses$30 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services9.5%

Fees for services
9.5%$164 million
What's in fees for servicesSewer; water and 6 more
  • Sewer$63.2 million
  • Water$49.2 million
  • Garbage collection$25.9 million
  • Other service charges$17.1 million
  • Parking$7.5 million
  • School lunches$1.0 million
  • Parks and recreation$339 thousand
  • Other school charges$11 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money6.3%

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

From the federal government
6.3%$109 million

State tax money67%

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

From the state
67%$1.15 billion

County and local tax money7.4%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From the county and other local governments
7.4%$127 million

Fines and other3.8%

Interest, rents and other
3.4%$58.3 million
Fines
0.4%$6.9 million
Buffalo page →

Where the money goes

Schools and colleges57%Running the government and other costs17%Police, fire, courts and jails10%Water, sewer, trash and utilities8.0%Roads, transit and parking3.4%All other spending3.9%

What stands out

57%

of Buffalo's spending goes to schools and colleges.Most U.S. cities of 50,000+ people spend nothing on this.

Full Buffalo breakdown

Spending by category100%

Schools and colleges
57%$1.17 billion
What's in schools and collegesElementary and secondary schools
  • Elementary and secondary schools$1.17 billion
Running the government and other costs
17%$353 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$313 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$17.3 million
  • Government buildings$13.3 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$9.2 million
Police, fire, courts and jails
10%$212 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; fire protection and 2 more
  • Police$115 million
  • Fire protection$86.2 million
  • Inspections and regulation$6.2 million
  • Courts and legal services$4.9 million
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
8.0%$164 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesGarbage and solid waste; sewer systems and 1 more
  • Garbage and solid waste$66.2 million
  • Sewer systems$65.2 million
  • Water supply$32.6 million
Roads, transit and parking
3.4%$69.3 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways and parking
  • Roads and highways$66.1 million
  • Parking$3.2 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
2.0%$41.9 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation and libraries
  • Parks and recreation$41.3 million
  • Libraries$569 thousand
Interest on debt
1.6%$33.2 million
Sent to other local governments
0.2%$3.5 million
What's in sent to other local governmentsSent to local governments: other and not broken out
  • Sent to local governments: other and not broken out$3.5 million
Health and hospitals
0.1%$2.1 million
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$2.1 million
Buffalo page →
Sources and moreEach government's source, fiscal year and how a ZIP is matched

New York State. U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, individual unit file, fiscal year ended March 31, 2024.

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

City of Buffalo. U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, individual unit file, fiscal year ended June 30, 2024.

How a ZIP is matched. A ZIP code is not a government boundary, so we match it to the cities, counties and school districts that overlap it, using Census Bureau geography. Where a ZIP crosses several, each one is shown with its share of the ZIP. Each government's money covers its own operations only; the others listed here are separate.

Latest recorded year. The year differs by government: each block shows the newest fiscal year on file. A Census survey year covers fiscal years ending July 1 of the year before through June 30 of that year.