ZIP 35901 · Gadsden, AL

Five governments run on your community's money

This page shows every government that serves ZIP 35901: the state, county, city or town and school district, and where each one's money comes from and goes.

Each government is shown for its own newest fiscal year on file, so the years differ. Figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau's Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, the government's own report or, for Alabama governments, the Alabama Department of Examiners of Public Accounts, as named under Sources and more.

Where do my taxes go in 35901?
35901 is served by the State of Alabama, Etowah County, Etowah County Board of Education, the City of Gadsden and Gadsden City School District. In each one's latest recorded fiscal year, State of Alabama spent $44.6 billion (fiscal year ended September 30, 2023), Etowah County spent $52.4 million (fiscal year ended September 30, 2023), Etowah County Board of Education spent $119 million (fiscal year ended September 30, 2025), City of Gadsden spent $105 million (fiscal year ended September 30, 2023) and Gadsden City School District spent $76.2 million (fiscal year ended September 30, 2023). Each government's money is separate.

Which governments collect property tax in 35901?
Of the governments serving 35901, State of Alabama collected $621 million (fiscal year ended September 30, 2023), City of Gadsden collected $28.1 million (fiscal year ended September 30, 2023), Etowah County collected $14.4 million (fiscal year ended September 30, 2023) and Gadsden City School District collected $10.2 million (fiscal year ended September 30, 2023) in property tax. These are each government's total collections, not a bill for 35901.

See another ZIP code

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

See the full budget for: Etowah County, Gadsden, Etowah County Board of Education and Gadsden City School District

Why not this year? Alabama governments with newer filings show school system figures from the Alabama Department of Examiners of Public Accounts (for 2025). Each other figure is the newest year the U.S. Census Bureau has published for that government, so the years differ and are not the current year. Most governments post their current budget on their own website.

Where property tax goes in 35901

State of Alabama$621 million

1.4% of its $45.4 billion in revenue · fiscal year ended September 30, 2023

City of Gadsden$28.1 million

18% of its $154 million in revenue · fiscal year ended September 30, 2023

Etowah County$14.4 million

24% of its $60.0 million in revenue · fiscal year ended September 30, 2023 · estimated by the U.S. Census Bureau

Gadsden City School District$10.2 million

12% of its $84.0 million in revenue · fiscal year ended September 30, 2023

These are each government's total property tax collections, not your bill. Your own bill is split by each government's tax rate, shown on your property tax bill.

Your county

Etowah County

$52.4 million budget in the latest fiscal year on record, which ended September 30, 2023. Estimated by the U.S. Census Bureau

About 96% of this ZIP is in Etowah County.

Where the money comes from

County taxes35%State tax money25%Fees for services (road charges)21%Federal tax money7.5%Local tax money6.0%Fines and other5.7%

What stands out

6%

of Etowah County's money comes from county and other local tax money.A typical U.S. county of 50,000 to 250,000 people gets 1.1%.

Full Etowah County breakdown

County taxes35%

Property tax
24%$14.4 million
Sales tax
9.2%$5.5 million
Other taxes
1.6%$975 thousand
What's in other taxesOther selective sales taxes and other taxes not classified elsewhere
  • Other selective sales taxes$534 thousand
  • Other taxes not classified elsewhere$441 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services21%

Fees for services
21%$12.4 million
What's in fees for servicesOther service charges and road charges
  • Other service charges$10.8 million
  • Road charges$1.6 million

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money7.5%

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

From the federal government
7.5%$4.5 million

State tax money25%

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

From the state
25%$15.2 million

Local tax money6.0%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From other local governments
6.0%$3.6 million

Fines and other5.7%

Interest, rents and other
5.7%$3.4 million
Etowah County page →

Where the money goes

Police, fire, courts and jails50%Running the government and other costs31%Roads, transit and parking16%Interest on debt1.5%Social services1.4%All other spending0.8%

What stands out

50%

of Etowah County's spending goes to police, fire, courts and jails.A typical U.S. county of 50,000 to 250,000 people spends 25%.

Full Etowah County breakdown

Spending by category100%

Police, fire, courts and jails
50%$26.0 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; prisons and jails and 2 more
  • Police$14.0 million
  • Prisons and jails$5.5 million
  • Courts and legal services$3.8 million
  • Fire protection$2.7 million
Running the government and other costs
31%$16.4 million
What's in running the government and other costsOther and not broken out; central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology) and 1 more
  • Other and not broken out$9.9 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$3.4 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$3.1 million
Roads, transit and parking
16%$8.1 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways
  • Roads and highways$8.1 million
Interest on debt
1.5%$761 thousand
Social services
1.4%$745 thousand
What's in social servicesOther public welfare
  • Other public welfare$745 thousand
Health and hospitals
0.7%$369 thousand
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$369 thousand
Parks, recreation and libraries
<0.1%$29 thousand
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation
  • Parks and recreation$29 thousand
Etowah County page →

Your city

City of Gadsden

$105 million budget in the latest fiscal year on record, which ended September 30, 2023.

About 18% of this ZIP is in Gadsden.

Where the money comes from

City taxes64%Fees for services (water, sewer)18%State tax money6.8%Federal tax money5.8%Fines and other5.3%
Full Gadsden breakdown

What stands out

28%

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

City taxes64%

Sales tax
28%$43.0 million
Property tax
18%$28.1 million
Other taxes
18%$27.0 million
What's in other taxesOccupation and business licenses; other licenses and 4 more
  • Occupation and business licenses$16.0 million
  • Other licenses$7.4 million
  • Other selective sales taxes$2.0 million
  • Alcoholic beverage taxes$628 thousand
  • Motor fuel taxes$617 thousand
  • Tobacco taxes$335 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services18%

Fees for services
18%$28.1 million
What's in fees for servicesWater; sewer and 6 more
  • Water$10.7 million
  • Sewer$9.0 million
  • Other service charges$3.6 million
  • Garbage collection$3.4 million
  • Parks and recreation$1.2 million
  • Airport$110 thousand
  • Transit fares$19 thousand
  • Housing$18 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money5.8%

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

From the federal government
5.8%$8.9 million

State tax money6.8%

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

From the state
6.8%$10.5 million

Fines and other5.3%

Interest, rents and other
4.9%$7.6 million
Fines
0.3%$506 thousand
Gadsden page →

Where the money goes

Running the government and other costs34%Police, fire, courts and jails22%Water, sewer, trash and utilities20%Parks, recreation and libraries8.5%Roads, transit and parking5.4%All other spending10%

What stands out

34%

of Gadsden's spending goes to running the government and other costs.A typical U.S. city of 10,000 to 50,000 people spends 18%.

Full Gadsden breakdown

Spending by category100%

Running the government and other costs
34%$36.0 million
What's in running the government and other costsOther and not broken out; central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology) and 1 more
  • Other and not broken out$31.6 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$2.4 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$2.0 million
Police, fire, courts and jails
22%$22.9 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsFire protection; police and 2 more
  • Fire protection$11.3 million
  • Police$10.8 million
  • Courts and legal services$658 thousand
  • Probation, parole and other corrections$42 thousand
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
20%$20.8 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesWater supply; garbage and solid waste and 1 more
  • Water supply$16.5 million
  • Garbage and solid waste$2.7 million
  • Sewer systems$1.5 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
8.5%$8.9 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation and libraries
  • Parks and recreation$8.8 million
  • Libraries$127 thousand
Roads, transit and parking
5.4%$5.7 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways and airports
  • Roads and highways$5.6 million
  • Airports$145 thousand
Housing and community development
4.1%$4.4 million
Sent to other local governments
3.3%$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
Interest on debt
2.7%$2.8 million
What's in interest on debtInterest on general debt and interest on water supply debt
  • Interest on general debt$1.7 million
  • Interest on water supply debt$1.1 million
Health and hospitals
0.2%$219 thousand
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$219 thousand
Social services
0.1%$122 thousand
What's in social servicesOther public welfare
  • Other public welfare$122 thousand
Gadsden page →

Your schools

Etowah County Board of Education

$119 million budget in fiscal year 2025 (ended September 30, 2025), from the Alabama Department of Examiners of Public Accounts.

About 78% of this ZIP is in Etowah County Board of Education.

Where the money comes from

State tax money71%School district taxes19%Federal tax money10%
Full Etowah County Board of Education breakdown

School district taxes19%

Local taxes and other local revenue
19%$23.7 million

Federal tax money10%

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

From the federal government
10%$12.4 million

State tax money71%

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

From the state
71%$86.6 million
Etowah County Board of Education page →

Where the money goes

Schools and colleges96%Debt payments (principal and interest)3.7%
Full Etowah County Board of Education breakdown

Spending by category100%

Schools and colleges
96%$115 million
Debt payments (principal and interest)
3.7%$4.4 million
Etowah County Board of Education page →

Gadsden City School District

$76.2 million budget in the latest fiscal year on record, which ended September 30, 2023.

About 18% of this ZIP is in Gadsden City School District.

Where the money comes from

State tax money81%School district taxes12%County and local tax money3.7%Fees for services (school lunches)1.7%Fines and other1.6%Federal tax money<0.1%
Full Gadsden City School District breakdown

What stands out

12%

of Gadsden City School District's money comes from property tax.A typical school district with fewer than 5,000 students gets 28%.

School district taxes12%

Property tax
12%$10.2 million
Other taxes
<0.1%$7 thousand
What's in other taxesOther taxes not classified elsewhere
  • Other taxes not classified elsewhere$7 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services1.7%

Fees for services
1.7%$1.4 million
What's in fees for servicesOther school charges and school lunches
  • Other school charges$1.0 million
  • School lunches$404 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%$75 thousand

State tax money81%

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

From the state
81%$67.9 million

County and local tax money3.7%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From the county and other local governments
3.7%$3.1 million

Fines and other1.6%

Interest, rents and other
1.6%$1.4 million
Fines
<0.1%$3 thousand
Gadsden City School District page →

Where the money goes

Schools and colleges99%Interest on debt1.1%
Full Gadsden City School District breakdown

Spending by category100%

Schools and colleges
99%$75.3 million
What's in schools and collegesElementary and secondary schools
  • Elementary and secondary schools$75.3 million
Interest on debt
1.1%$821 thousand
Gadsden City School District page →

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 →
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.

Etowah County. U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, individual unit file, fiscal year ended September 30, 2023. Most of this government's figures were estimated by the U.S. Census Bureau from a sample; the government did not report them itself.

Etowah County Board of Education. Alabama Department of Examiners of Public Accounts, audited Board of Education financial statements, fiscal year ended September 30, 2025, fiscal year ended September 30, 2025. The earlier Census figures are from U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, individual unit file, fiscal year ended September 30, 2023.

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

Gadsden 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 these figures are counted. Alabama school system figures are from each system's audited financial statements, as published by the Alabama Department of Examiners of Public Accounts, for the fiscal year ended September 30 (2025 for most systems). They cover governmental funds. The audit reports local taxes and other local revenue as one amount, so it is shown here as one line. Transfers between funds and borrowing are not counted, and spending includes construction. Spending is grouped as education and debt payments.

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.