ZIP 35233 · Birmingham, AL

Four 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

State of Alabama

$44.6 billion budget in the latest fiscal year on record, which ended September 30, 2023.

Where the money comes from

Federal tax money37%State taxes37%Fees for services (hospital bills, college tuition)19%Fines and other6.2%Local tax money0.5%

What stands out

19%

of Alabama's money comes from fees for services such as water, sewer and parking.A typical state government gets 10%.

Full Alabama breakdown

State taxes37%

Individual income tax
12%$5.28 billion
Sales tax
10%$4.59 billion
Other taxes
9.2%$4.18 billion
What's in other taxesMotor fuel taxes; public utility taxes and 14 more
  • Motor fuel taxes$972 million
  • Public utility taxes$773 million
  • Other selective sales taxes$705 million
  • Insurance premium taxes$613 million
  • Alcoholic beverage taxes$284 million
  • Motor vehicle licenses$230 million
  • Corporation licenses$219 million
  • Tobacco taxes$132 million
  • Occupation and business licenses$71.1 million
  • Real estate and stock transfer taxes$54.7 million
  • Driver's licenses$47.9 million
  • Severance taxes$38.3 million
  • Hunting and fishing licenses$25.4 million
  • Public utility licenses$14.7 million
  • Alcoholic beverage licenses$4.6 million
  • Other licenses$1 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Business income tax
4.8%$2.18 billion
Property tax
1.4%$621 million

Fees for services19%

Fees for services
19%$8.53 billion
What's in fees for servicesHospital bills; college tuition and 11 more
  • Hospital bills$4.46 billion
  • College tuition$2.37 billion
  • University housing and dining$680 million
  • Liquor stores$530 million
  • Ports and waterways$197 million
  • Other service charges$141 million
  • Parks and recreation$59.2 million
  • Housing$46.4 million
  • Other education charges$29.7 million
  • Parks, land and natural resources$10.9 million
  • Garbage collection$9.0 million
  • Road charges$1.1 million
  • Parking$580 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money37%

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

From the federal government
37%$16.9 billion

Local tax money0.5%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From local governments
0.5%$224 million

Fines and other6.2%

Interest, rents and other
5.9%$2.66 billion
Fines
0.3%$148 million
Alabama page →

Where the money goes

Sent to local governments29%Schools and colleges22%Social services22%Health and hospitals12%Roads, transit and parking4.9%All other spending10%

What stands out

12%

of Alabama's spending goes to health services and hospitals.A typical state government spends 5.7%.

Full Alabama breakdown

Spending by category100%

Sent to local governments
29%$12.7 billion
What's in sent to local governmentsSent to school districts; sent to local governments: hospitals and 17 more
  • Sent to school districts$8.98 billion
  • Sent to local governments: hospitals$1.00 billion
  • Sent to local governments: other and not broken out$847 million
  • Sent to local governments: general support$476 million
  • Sent to local governments: public health$310 million
  • Sent to local governments: other education$210 million
  • Sent to local governments: other public welfare$206 million
  • Sent to local governments: roads and highways$190 million
  • Sent to local governments: inspections and regulation$173 million
  • Sent to local governments: other government administration$131 million
  • Sent to local governments: natural resources, farming and conservation$50.8 million
  • Sent to local governments: airports$44.0 million
  • Sent to local governments: housing and community development$37.4 million
  • Sent to local governments: prisons and jails$28.9 million
  • Sent to local governments: parks and recreation$12.9 million
  • Sent to local governments: police$10.7 million
  • Sent to local governments: libraries$8.0 million
  • Sent to local governments: courts and legal services$3.2 million
  • Sent to local governments: probation, parole and other corrections$2.7 million
Schools and colleges
22%$10.0 billion
What's in schools and collegesColleges and universities; scholarships and other education subsidies and 2 more
  • Colleges and universities$7.33 billion
  • Scholarships and other education subsidies$1.13 billion
  • College housing, dining and bookstores$964 million
  • Other education$577 million
Social services
22%$9.87 billion
What's in social servicesOther public welfare; unemployment and social insurance offices and 2 more
  • Other public welfare$9.66 billion
  • Unemployment and social insurance offices$118 million
  • Welfare institutions$81.3 million
  • Veterans' services$12.8 million
Health and hospitals
12%$5.21 billion
What's in health and hospitalsHospitals and public health
  • Hospitals$4.64 billion
  • Public health$570 million
Roads, transit and parking
4.9%$2.18 billion
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways; ports and harbors and 1 more
  • Roads and highways$1.97 billion
  • Ports and harbors$207 million
  • Airports$813 thousand
Police, fire, courts and jails
3.7%$1.65 billion
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPrisons and jails; courts and legal services and 3 more
  • Prisons and jails$808 million
  • Courts and legal services$361 million
  • Police$240 million
  • Inspections and regulation$142 million
  • Probation, parole and other corrections$104 million
Running the government and other costs
3.5%$1.56 billion
What's in running the government and other costsOther and not broken out; finance, tax collection and budgeting and 3 more
  • Other and not broken out$723 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$599 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$144 million
  • Other government administration$87.8 million
  • Government buildings$7.7 million
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
1.5%$657 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesLiquor stores and water supply
  • Liquor stores$657 million
  • Water supply$95 thousand
Interest on debt
0.7%$327 million
Environment and natural resources
0.6%$266 million
What's in environment and natural resourcesNatural resources, farming and conservation
  • Natural resources, farming and conservation$266 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
0.2%$89.2 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation and libraries
  • Parks and recreation$79.9 million
  • Libraries$9.3 million
Housing and community development
0.1%$47.3 million
Alabama page →

Your county

Jefferson County

$693 million budget in the latest fiscal year on record, which ended September 30, 2023.

Where the money comes from

County taxes59%Fees for services (sewer, hospital bills)32%Federal tax money5.0%State tax money2.9%Fines and other1.2%Local tax money0.1%
Full Jefferson County breakdown

What stands out

38%

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

County taxes59%

Sales tax
38%$375 million
Property tax
17%$165 million
Other taxes
4.5%$44.9 million
What's in other taxesMotor fuel taxes; occupation and business licenses and 7 more
  • Motor fuel taxes$11.9 million
  • Occupation and business licenses$10.2 million
  • Alcoholic beverage taxes$9.6 million
  • Other licenses$8.1 million
  • Motor vehicle licenses$4.0 million
  • Pari-mutuel (betting) taxes$627 thousand
  • Alcoholic beverage licenses$309 thousand
  • Tobacco taxes$97 thousand
  • Other selective sales taxes$2 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services32%

Fees for services
32%$314 million
What's in fees for servicesSewer; other service charges and 3 more
  • Sewer$263 million
  • Other service charges$47.5 million
  • Hospital bills$2.6 million
  • Parking$534 thousand
  • Parks, land and natural resources$330 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money5.0%

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

From the federal government
5.0%$49.2 million

State tax money2.9%

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

From the state
2.9%$28.4 million

Local tax money0.1%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From other local governments
0.1%$1.1 million

Fines and other1.2%

Interest, rents and other
1.2%$12.1 million
Fines
<0.1%$174 thousand
Jefferson County page →

Where the money goes

Water, sewer, trash and utilities31%Health and hospitals20%Police, fire, courts and jails19%Interest on debt14%Roads, transit and parking11%All other spending5.2%

What stands out

31%

of Jefferson County's spending goes to water, sewer, trash and other utilities.A typical U.S. county of 250,000+ people spends 2.6%.

Full Jefferson County breakdown

Spending by category100%

Water, sewer, trash and utilities
31%$215 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesSewer systems and garbage and solid waste
  • Sewer systems$214 million
  • Garbage and solid waste$993 thousand
Health and hospitals
20%$138 million
What's in health and hospitalsHospitals and public health
  • Hospitals$73.7 million
  • Public health$64.2 million
Police, fire, courts and jails
19%$134 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; courts and legal services and 2 more
  • Police$95.3 million
  • Courts and legal services$26.8 million
  • Prisons and jails$6.5 million
  • Fire protection$5.7 million
Interest on debt
14%$94.8 million
Roads, transit and parking
11%$75.3 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways
  • Roads and highways$75.3 million
Running the government and other costs
4.9%$33.6 million
What's in running the government and other costsFinance, tax collection and budgeting and central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$24.5 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$9.2 million
Housing and community development
0.3%$2.1 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
<0.1%$49 thousand
What's in parks, recreation and librariesLibraries
  • Libraries$49 thousand
Jefferson County page →

Your city

City of Birmingham

$780 million budget in the latest fiscal year on record, which ended June 30, 2024.

Where the money comes from

City taxes61%Fees for services (water, parking)25%Fines and other5.6%Federal tax money4.1%State tax money2.4%County and local tax money1.1%
Full Birmingham breakdown

What stands out

13%

of Birmingham's money comes from a personal income tax.Most U.S. cities of 50,000+ people get none.

City taxes61%

Sales tax
25%$221 million
Individual income tax
13%$121 million
Other taxes
13%$115 million
What's in other taxesOccupation and business licenses; public utility taxes and 4 more
  • Occupation and business licenses$66.4 million
  • Public utility taxes$18.0 million
  • Other licenses$14.7 million
  • Other selective sales taxes$11.4 million
  • Alcoholic beverage licenses$2.5 million
  • Alcoholic beverage taxes$2.3 million

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Property tax
11%$96.6 million

Fees for services25%

Fees for services
25%$230 million
What's in fees for servicesWater; other service charges and 3 more
  • Water$207 million
  • Other service charges$15.7 million
  • Parking$3.3 million
  • Parks and recreation$2.2 million
  • Road charges$973 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money4.1%

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

From the federal government
4.1%$36.8 million

State tax money2.4%

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

From the state
2.4%$21.5 million

County and local tax money1.1%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From the county and other local governments
1.1%$9.8 million

Fines and other5.6%

Interest, rents and other
5.4%$48.8 million
Fines
0.2%$1.4 million
Birmingham page →

Where the money goes

Police, fire, courts and jails29%Water, sewer, trash and utilities26%Running the government and other costs25%Roads, transit and parking6.5%Interest on debt5.8%All other spending7.9%

What stands out

25%

of Birmingham's spending goes to running the government and other costs.A typical U.S. city of 50,000+ people spends 16%.

Full Birmingham breakdown

Spending by category100%

Police, fire, courts and jails
29%$226 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; fire protection and 2 more
  • Police$109 million
  • Fire protection$88.7 million
  • Courts and legal services$15.5 million
  • Inspections and regulation$11.9 million
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
26%$204 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesWater supply and garbage and solid waste
  • Water supply$164 million
  • Garbage and solid waste$39.9 million
Running the government and other costs
25%$192 million
What's in running the government and other costsOther and not broken out; finance, tax collection and budgeting and 2 more
  • Other and not broken out$135 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$26.3 million
  • Government buildings$15.8 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$15.2 million
Roads, transit and parking
6.5%$51.0 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways and public transit
  • Roads and highways$38.2 million
  • Public transit$12.8 million
Interest on debt
5.8%$45.5 million
What's in interest on debtInterest on water supply debt and interest on general debt
  • Interest on water supply debt$28.7 million
  • Interest on general debt$16.8 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
4.2%$32.7 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation and libraries
  • Parks and recreation$18.7 million
  • Libraries$14.1 million
Housing and community development
3.7%$29.1 million
Birmingham page →

Your schools

Birmingham City School District

$441 million budget in the latest fiscal year on record, which ended September 30, 2023.

Where the money comes from

State tax money66%School district taxes26%Fines and other5.6%County and local tax money1.6%Fees for services (school lunches, school tuition and transportation)0.6%Federal tax money<0.1%

What stands out

66%

of Birmingham City School District's money comes from state tax money.A typical school district with 5,000 to 25,000 students gets 59%.

Full Birmingham City School District breakdown

School district taxes26%

Property tax
26%$124 million
Other taxes
<0.1%$13 thousand
What's in other taxesOther taxes not classified elsewhere
  • Other taxes not classified elsewhere$13 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services0.6%

Fees for services
0.6%$3.0 million
What's in fees for servicesOther school charges; school lunches and 1 more
  • Other school charges$2.2 million
  • School lunches$724 thousand
  • School tuition and transportation$59 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money<0.1%

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

From the federal government
<0.1%$431 thousand

State tax money66%

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

From the state
66%$309 million

County and local tax money1.6%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From the county and other local governments
1.6%$7.4 million

Fines and other5.6%

Interest, rents and other
5.6%$26.4 million
Fines
<0.1%$19 thousand
Birmingham City School District page →

Where the money goes

Schools and colleges100%Sent to other local governments<0.1%

What stands out

100%

of Birmingham City School District's spending goes to schools and colleges.A typical school district with 5,000 to 25,000 students spends 96%.

Full Birmingham City School District breakdown

Spending by category100%

Schools and colleges
100%$441 million
What's in schools and collegesElementary and secondary schools
  • Elementary and secondary schools$441 million
Sent to other local governments
<0.1%$317 thousand
What's in sent to other local governmentsSent to school districts
  • Sent to school districts$317 thousand
Interest on debt
<0.1%$110 thousand
Birmingham City School District page →
Sources and moreEach government's source, fiscal year and how a ZIP is matched

State of Alabama. U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, individual unit file, fiscal year ended September 30, 2023.

Jefferson County. U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, individual unit file, fiscal year ended September 30, 2023.

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

Birmingham City School District. U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, individual unit file, fiscal year ended September 30, 2023.

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.