ZIP 53204 · Milwaukee, WI

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 Wisconsin

$53.8 billion budget in the latest fiscal year on record, which ended June 30, 2024.

Where the money comes from

State taxes48%Federal tax money30%Fees for services (hospital bills, college tuition)12%Fines and other9.6%Local tax money0.6%
Full Wisconsin breakdown

What stands out

19%

of Wisconsin's money comes from a personal income tax.A typical state government gets 14%.

State taxes48%

Individual income tax
19%$9.49 billion
Sales tax
15%$7.59 billion
Other taxes
8.6%$4.35 billion
What's in other taxesMotor fuel taxes; motor vehicle licenses and 18 more
  • Motor fuel taxes$1.17 billion
  • Motor vehicle licenses$722 million
  • Tobacco taxes$495 million
  • Other selective sales taxes$435 million
  • Public utility taxes$410 million
  • Occupation and business licenses$360 million
  • Insurance premium taxes$275 million
  • Hunting and fishing licenses$96.8 million
  • Real estate and stock transfer taxes$94.7 million
  • Alcoholic beverage taxes$76.3 million
  • Public utility licenses$60.3 million
  • Other licenses$59.6 million
  • Driver's licenses$39.8 million
  • Corporation licenses$33.7 million
  • Other taxes not classified elsewhere$19.3 million
  • Alcoholic beverage licenses$2.5 million
  • Severance taxes$1.1 million
  • Amusement taxes$166 thousand
  • Amusement licenses$77 thousand
  • Estate and gift taxes$8 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Business income tax
5.3%$2.66 billion
Property tax
0.2%$91.2 million

Fees for services12%

Fees for services
12%$5.90 billion
What's in fees for servicesHospital bills; college tuition and 8 more
  • Hospital bills$2.46 billion
  • College tuition$2.06 billion
  • Other service charges$752 million
  • University housing and dining$471 million
  • Parks, land and natural resources$74.2 million
  • Road charges$38.7 million
  • Housing$20.0 million
  • Parks and recreation$7.0 million
  • Other education charges$5.4 million
  • Sewer$101 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money30%

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

From the federal government
30%$15.3 billion

Local tax money0.6%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From local governments
0.6%$283 million

Fines and other9.6%

Interest, rents and other
9.5%$4.78 billion
Fines
0.1%$60.2 million
Wisconsin page →

Where the money goes

Social services31%Sent to local governments27%Schools and colleges15%Running the government and other costs7.6%Health and hospitals7.2%All other spending13%

What stands out

27%

of Wisconsin's spending goes to local governments.A typical state government spends 24%.

Full Wisconsin breakdown

Spending by category100%

Social services
31%$16.4 billion
What's in social servicesOther public welfare; unemployment and social insurance offices and 2 more
  • Other public welfare$16.1 billion
  • Unemployment and social insurance offices$134 million
  • Welfare institutions$128 million
  • Veterans' services$28.6 million
Sent to local governments
27%$14.6 billion
What's in sent to local governmentsSent to school districts; sent to local governments: general support and 17 more
  • Sent to school districts$8.52 billion
  • Sent to local governments: general support$3.19 billion
  • Sent to local governments: roads and highways$978 million
  • Sent to school districts (colleges)$601 million
  • Sent to local governments: other public welfare$376 million
  • Sent to local governments: public health$364 million
  • Sent to local governments: other and not broken out$346 million
  • Sent to local governments: natural resources, farming and conservation$137 million
  • Sent to local governments: courts and legal services$55.4 million
  • Sent to local governments: inspections and regulation$32.2 million
  • Sent to local governments: hospitals$12.4 million
  • Sent to local governments: ports and harbors$6.8 million
  • Sent to local governments: police$6.5 million
  • Sent to local governments: probation, parole and other corrections$3.3 million
  • Sent to local governments: airports$1.1 million
  • Sent to local governments: finance, tax collection and budgeting$543 thousand
  • Sent to local governments: parks and recreation$443 thousand
  • Sent to local governments: sewer systems$177 thousand
  • Sent to local governments: other government administration$58 thousand
Schools and colleges
15%$7.84 billion
What's in schools and collegesColleges and universities; scholarships and other education subsidies and 2 more
  • Colleges and universities$5.64 billion
  • Scholarships and other education subsidies$1.23 billion
  • College housing, dining and bookstores$671 million
  • Other education$289 million
Running the government and other costs
7.6%$4.10 billion
What's in running the government and other costsFinance, tax collection and budgeting; other and not broken out and 3 more
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$2.86 billion
  • Other and not broken out$627 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$550 million
  • Government buildings$52.1 million
  • Other government administration$9.4 million
Health and hospitals
7.2%$3.90 billion
What's in health and hospitalsHospitals and public health
  • Hospitals$2.99 billion
  • Public health$912 million
Roads, transit and parking
5.0%$2.68 billion
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways; airports and 3 more
  • Roads and highways$2.46 billion
  • Airports$188 million
  • Public transit$24.6 million
  • Ports and harbors$2.9 million
  • Parking$1.3 million
Police, fire, courts and jails
4.5%$2.42 billion
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPrisons and jails; courts and legal services and 3 more
  • Prisons and jails$1.41 billion
  • Courts and legal services$477 million
  • Inspections and regulation$285 million
  • Probation, parole and other corrections$195 million
  • Police$57.6 million
Environment and natural resources
1.2%$633 million
What's in environment and natural resourcesNatural resources, farming and conservation
  • Natural resources, farming and conservation$633 million
Interest on debt
1.1%$569 million
Housing and community development
1.0%$565 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
0.1%$57.6 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation
  • Parks and recreation$57.6 million
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
<0.1%$5.8 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesSewer systems
  • Sewer systems$5.8 million
Wisconsin page →

Your county

Milwaukee County

$1.42 billion budget in the latest fiscal year on record, which ended December 31, 2023.

Where the money comes from

Fees for services (airport, parks and recreation)29%County taxes29%State tax money23%Federal tax money13%Fines and other5.7%Local tax money0.7%

What stands out

29%

of Milwaukee County's money comes from fees for services such as water, sewer and parking.A typical U.S. county of 250,000+ people gets 14%.

Full Milwaukee County breakdown

County taxes29%

Property tax
21%$305 million
Sales tax
6.8%$98.7 million
Other taxes
1.1%$15.8 million
What's in other taxesMotor vehicle licenses and other licenses
  • Motor vehicle licenses$14.4 million
  • Other licenses$1.4 million

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services29%

Fees for services
29%$427 million
What's in fees for servicesOther service charges; airport and 5 more
  • Other service charges$230 million
  • Airport$69.9 million
  • Parks and recreation$68.8 million
  • Parking$33.2 million
  • Transit fares$24.9 million
  • Parks, land and natural resources$58 thousand
  • Garbage collection$26 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money13%

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

From the federal government
13%$188 million

State tax money23%

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

From the state
23%$331 million

Local tax money0.7%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From other local governments
0.7%$10.2 million

Fines and other5.7%

Interest, rents and other
5.6%$81.4 million
Fines
0.1%$2.2 million
Milwaukee County page →

Where the money goes

Police, fire, courts and jails26%Roads, transit and parking20%Health and hospitals16%Running the government and other costs14%Parks, recreation and libraries11%All other spending12%

What stands out

20%

of Milwaukee County's spending goes to roads, transit and parking.A typical U.S. county of 250,000+ people spends 6.3%.

Full Milwaukee County breakdown

Spending by category100%

Police, fire, courts and jails
26%$374 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPrisons and jails; courts and legal services and 1 more
  • Prisons and jails$221 million
  • Courts and legal services$82.2 million
  • Police$70.7 million
Roads, transit and parking
20%$282 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingPublic transit; airports and 1 more
  • Public transit$147 million
  • Airports$110 million
  • Roads and highways$25.2 million
Health and hospitals
16%$233 million
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$233 million
Running the government and other costs
14%$204 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$114 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$63.0 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$19.0 million
  • Government buildings$7.9 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
11%$158 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation and libraries
  • Parks and recreation$158 million
  • Libraries$67 thousand
Social services
8.7%$123 million
What's in social servicesOther public welfare
  • Other public welfare$123 million
Interest on debt
1.7%$23.7 million
Sent to other local governments
1.4%$19.6 million
What's in sent to other local governmentsSent to the state government
  • Sent to the state government$19.6 million
Schools and colleges
<0.1%$509 thousand
What's in schools and collegesElementary and secondary schools
  • Elementary and secondary schools$509 thousand
Milwaukee County page →

Your city

City of Milwaukee

$1.37 billion budget in the latest fiscal year on record, which ended December 31, 2023.

Where the money comes from

City taxes27%Fees for services (sewer, water)27%State tax money20%Federal tax money14%Fines and other6.2%County and local tax money5.8%

What stands out

20%

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

Full Milwaukee breakdown

City taxes27%

Property tax
25%$364 million
Other taxes
2.0%$29.1 million
What's in other taxesOther licenses; motor vehicle licenses and 2 more
  • Other licenses$14.4 million
  • Motor vehicle licenses$8.9 million
  • Occupation and business licenses$5.3 million
  • Other taxes not classified elsewhere$539 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services27%

Fees for services
27%$388 million
What's in fees for servicesSewer; water and 9 more
  • Sewer$93.1 million
  • Water$91.4 million
  • Road charges$65.6 million
  • Garbage collection$52.3 million
  • Other service charges$35.1 million
  • Parking$34.9 million
  • Ports and waterways$6.7 million
  • Parks, land and natural resources$4.1 million
  • Parks and recreation$2.8 million
  • Transit fares$1.4 million
  • Housing$669 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money14%

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

From the federal government
14%$210 million

State tax money20%

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

From the state
20%$295 million

County and local tax money5.8%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From the county and other local governments
5.8%$84.2 million

Fines and other6.2%

Interest, rents and other
6.1%$88.7 million
Fines
0.2%$2.5 million
Milwaukee page →

Where the money goes

Police, fire, courts and jails39%Running the government and other costs16%Water, sewer, trash and utilities16%Roads, transit and parking15%Interest on debt4.4%All other spending9.3%

What stands out

39%

of Milwaukee's spending goes to police, fire, courts and jails.A typical U.S. city of 50,000+ people spends 25%.

Full Milwaukee breakdown

Spending by category100%

Police, fire, courts and jails
39%$534 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; fire protection and 3 more
  • Police$347 million
  • Fire protection$138 million
  • Inspections and regulation$24.9 million
  • Courts and legal services$17.0 million
  • Prisons and jails$7.2 million
Running the government and other costs
16%$224 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$121 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$62.4 million
  • Government buildings$23.2 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$17.8 million
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
16%$213 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesWater supply; sewer systems and 1 more
  • Water supply$91.3 million
  • Sewer systems$70.5 million
  • Garbage and solid waste$51.6 million
Roads, transit and parking
15%$207 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways; parking and 2 more
  • Roads and highways$172 million
  • Parking$23.9 million
  • Public transit$6.7 million
  • Ports and harbors$4.6 million
Interest on debt
4.4%$60.8 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
3.4%$46.9 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesLibraries and parks and recreation
  • Libraries$42.1 million
  • Parks and recreation$4.8 million
Health and hospitals
3.1%$41.9 million
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$41.9 million
Housing and community development
2.7%$37.1 million
Environment and natural resources
<0.1%$766 thousand
What's in environment and natural resourcesNatural resources, farming and conservation
  • Natural resources, farming and conservation$766 thousand
Milwaukee page →

Your schools

Milwaukee Public School District

$1.69 billion budget in the latest fiscal year on record, which ended June 30, 2024.

Where the money comes from

State tax money82%School district taxes14%County and local tax money1.4%Fines and other1.1%Federal tax money1.0%Fees for services (school lunches, school tuition and transportation)0.8%

What stands out

82%

of Milwaukee Public School District's money comes from state tax money.A typical school district with 25,000+ students gets 55%.

Full Milwaukee Public School District breakdown

School district taxes14%

Property tax
14%$241 million

Fees for services0.8%

Fees for services
0.8%$14.2 million
What's in fees for servicesOther school charges; school lunches and 1 more
  • Other school charges$13.5 million
  • School lunches$450 thousand
  • School tuition and transportation$164 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money1.0%

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

From the federal government
1.0%$17.2 million

State tax money82%

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

From the state
82%$1.41 billion

County and local tax money1.4%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From the county and other local governments
1.4%$24.4 million

Fines and other1.1%

Interest, rents and other
1.1%$19.2 million
Milwaukee Public School District page →

Where the money goes

Schools and colleges96%Sent to other local governments3.6%Interest on debt0.8%

What stands out

3.6%

of Milwaukee Public School District's spending goes to local governments.Most school districts with 25,000+ students spend nothing on this.

Full Milwaukee Public School District breakdown

Spending by category100%

Schools and colleges
96%$1.61 billion
What's in schools and collegesElementary and secondary schools
  • Elementary and secondary schools$1.61 billion
Sent to other local governments
3.6%$61.5 million
What's in sent to other local governmentsSent to school districts; sent to the state government and 1 more
  • Sent to school districts$46.9 million
  • Sent to the state government$13.3 million
  • Sent to local governments: other and not broken out$1.3 million
Interest on debt
0.8%$13.5 million
Milwaukee Public School District page →
Sources and moreEach government's source, fiscal year and how a ZIP is matched

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

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

Milwaukee Public School District. 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.