ZIP 53715 · Madison, 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

Dane County

$770 million budget in the latest fiscal year on record, which ended December 31, 2023.

Where the money comes from

County taxes42%State tax money28%Fees for services (airport, garbage collection)13%Fines and other7.0%Federal tax money6.7%Local tax money2.4%
Full Dane County breakdown

What stands out

11%

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

County taxes42%

Property tax
29%$222 million
Sales tax
11%$83.8 million
Other taxes
2.1%$15.6 million
What's in other taxesMotor vehicle licenses; real estate and stock transfer taxes and 1 more
  • Motor vehicle licenses$12.1 million
  • Real estate and stock transfer taxes$2.6 million
  • Other licenses$964 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services13%

Fees for services
13%$102 million
What's in fees for servicesAirport; garbage collection and 5 more
  • Airport$35.4 million
  • Garbage collection$29.1 million
  • Other service charges$24.1 million
  • Parks and recreation$12.6 million
  • Parking$920 thousand
  • Parks, land and natural resources$134 thousand
  • Road charges$4 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money6.7%

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

From the federal government
6.7%$51.1 million

State tax money28%

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

From the state
28%$214 million

Local tax money2.4%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From other local governments
2.4%$18.1 million

Fines and other7.0%

Interest, rents and other
6.8%$51.6 million
Fines
0.2%$1.6 million
Dane County page →

Where the money goes

Social services39%Police, fire, courts and jails20%Running the government and other costs17%Parks, recreation and libraries8.2%Roads, transit and parking7.2%All other spending8.0%

What stands out

39%

of Dane County's spending goes to social services.A typical U.S. county of 250,000+ people spends 4.3%.

Full Dane County breakdown

Spending by category100%

Social services
39%$302 million
What's in social servicesOther public welfare and welfare institutions
  • Other public welfare$274 million
  • Welfare institutions$28.8 million
Police, fire, courts and jails
20%$157 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; prisons and jails and 1 more
  • Police$59.3 million
  • Prisons and jails$54.8 million
  • Courts and legal services$43.3 million
Running the government and other costs
17%$130 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$84.7 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$26.0 million
  • Government buildings$14.9 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$4.9 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
8.2%$62.8 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation and libraries
  • Parks and recreation$55.9 million
  • Libraries$6.9 million
Roads, transit and parking
7.2%$55.6 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingAirports; roads and highways and 1 more
  • Airports$36.5 million
  • Roads and highways$15.8 million
  • Parking$3.3 million
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
3.8%$29.0 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesGarbage and solid waste
  • Garbage and solid waste$29.0 million
Interest on debt
2.4%$18.6 million
Health and hospitals
1.6%$12.4 million
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$12.4 million
Schools and colleges
0.2%$1.5 million
What's in schools and collegesElementary and secondary schools
  • Elementary and secondary schools$1.5 million
Dane County page →

Your city

City of Madison

$755 million budget in the latest fiscal year on record, which ended December 31, 2023.

Where the money comes from

City taxes40%Fees for services (water, sewer)24%State tax money15%Federal tax money10%Fines and other8.0%County and local tax money3.4%
Full Madison breakdown

What stands out

35%

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

City taxes40%

Property tax
35%$305 million
Other taxes
4.5%$39.3 million
What's in other taxesOther selective sales taxes; other taxes not classified elsewhere and 2 more
  • Other selective sales taxes$21.1 million
  • Other taxes not classified elsewhere$7.1 million
  • Other licenses$7.0 million
  • Occupation and business licenses$4.1 million

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services24%

Fees for services
24%$206 million
What's in fees for servicesWater; sewer and 9 more
  • Water$56.7 million
  • Sewer$49.6 million
  • Road charges$22.1 million
  • Parks and recreation$18.0 million
  • Other service charges$17.0 million
  • Parking$13.4 million
  • Transit fares$11.5 million
  • Housing$7.1 million
  • Parks, land and natural resources$6.2 million
  • Garbage collection$4.1 million
  • Other government-run businesses$421 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money10%

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

From the federal government
10%$87.9 million

State tax money15%

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

From the state
15%$133 million

County and local tax money3.4%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From the county and other local governments
3.4%$29.6 million

Fines and other8.0%

Interest, rents and other
7.4%$64.0 million
Fines
0.6%$5.3 million
Madison page →

Where the money goes

Roads, transit and parking28%Police, fire, courts and jails22%Running the government and other costs14%Water, sewer, trash and utilities13%Parks, recreation and libraries9.9%All other spending13%

What stands out

28%

of Madison's spending goes to roads, transit and parking.A typical U.S. city of 50,000+ people spends 10%.

Full Madison breakdown

Spending by category100%

Roads, transit and parking
28%$209 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingPublic transit; roads and highways and 1 more
  • Public transit$101 million
  • Roads and highways$92.6 million
  • Parking$15.7 million
Police, fire, courts and jails
22%$169 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; fire protection and 2 more
  • Police$90.4 million
  • Fire protection$70.5 million
  • Inspections and regulation$4.5 million
  • Courts and legal services$3.7 million
Running the government and other costs
14%$103 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$64.7 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$24.2 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$7.7 million
  • Government buildings$5.9 million
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
13%$97.6 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesSewer systems; water supply and 1 more
  • Sewer systems$50.0 million
  • Water supply$30.4 million
  • Garbage and solid waste$17.2 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
9.9%$74.6 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation and libraries
  • Parks and recreation$52.8 million
  • Libraries$21.7 million
Housing and community development
8.6%$64.8 million
Interest on debt
2.9%$22.0 million
What's in interest on debtInterest on general debt and interest on public transit debt
  • Interest on general debt$21.8 million
  • Interest on public transit debt$230 thousand
Health and hospitals
1.3%$10.1 million
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$10.1 million
Social services
0.6%$4.3 million
What's in social servicesOther public welfare
  • Other public welfare$4.3 million
Environment and natural resources
<0.1%$104 thousand
What's in environment and natural resourcesNatural resources, farming and conservation
  • Natural resources, farming and conservation$104 thousand
Madison page →

Your schools

Madison Metropolitan School District

$641 million budget in the latest fiscal year on record, which ended June 30, 2024.

Where the money comes from

School district taxes50%State tax money43%County and local tax money3.2%Fines and other2.7%Fees for services (school lunches, school tuition and transportation)1.6%
Full Madison Metropolitan School District breakdown

What stands out

50%

of Madison Metropolitan School District's money comes from property tax.A typical school district with 25,000+ students gets 33%.

School district taxes50%

Property tax
50%$304 million

Fees for services1.6%

Fees for services
1.6%$10.0 million
What's in fees for servicesOther school charges; school lunches and 1 more
  • Other school charges$8.4 million
  • School lunches$1.6 million
  • School tuition and transportation$12 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%$119 thousand

State tax money43%

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

From the state
43%$259 million

County and local tax money3.2%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From the county and other local governments
3.2%$19.3 million

Fines and other2.7%

Interest, rents and other
2.7%$16.5 million
Fines
<0.1%$43 thousand
Madison Metropolitan School District page →

Where the money goes

Schools and colleges95%Sent to other local governments4.1%Interest on debt1.4%

What stands out

4.1%

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

Full Madison Metropolitan School District breakdown

Spending by category100%

Schools and colleges
95%$606 million
What's in schools and collegesElementary and secondary schools
  • Elementary and secondary schools$606 million
Sent to other local governments
4.1%$26.2 million
What's in sent to other local governmentsSent to school districts; sent to the state government and 1 more
  • Sent to school districts$13.1 million
  • Sent to the state government$12.5 million
  • Sent to local governments: other and not broken out$498 thousand
Interest on debt
1.4%$8.8 million
Madison Metropolitan 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.

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

Madison Metropolitan 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.