ZIP 98225 · Bellingham, WA

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 Washington

$80.4 billion budget in the latest fiscal year on record, which ended June 30, 2024.

Where the money comes from

State taxes51%Federal tax money30%Fees for services (hospital bills, college tuition)11%Fines and other7.7%Local tax money0.7%
Full Washington breakdown

What stands out

31%

of Washington's money comes from sales tax.A typical state government gets 14%.

State taxes51%

Sales tax
31%$22.8 billion
Other taxes
13%$9.57 billion
What's in other taxesOther selective sales taxes; motor fuel taxes and 18 more
  • Other selective sales taxes$1.54 billion
  • Motor fuel taxes$1.53 billion
  • Real estate and stock transfer taxes$1.22 billion
  • Motor vehicle licenses$1.00 billion
  • Insurance premium taxes$888 million
  • Public utility taxes$808 million
  • Alcoholic beverage taxes$478 million
  • Occupation and business licenses$438 million
  • Estate and gift taxes$406 million
  • Tobacco taxes$292 million
  • Alcoholic beverage licenses$211 million
  • Other taxes not classified elsewhere$207 million
  • Other licenses$190 million
  • Driver's licenses$136 million
  • Corporation licenses$62.8 million
  • Hunting and fishing licenses$44.7 million
  • Severance taxes$41.0 million
  • Public utility licenses$37.9 million
  • Amusement taxes$21.9 million
  • Amusement licenses$16.7 million

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Property tax
6.2%$4.61 billion
Individual income tax
0.5%$350 million

Fees for services11%

Fees for services
11%$8.03 billion
What's in fees for servicesHospital bills; college tuition and 9 more
  • Hospital bills$3.05 billion
  • College tuition$2.70 billion
  • University housing and dining$968 million
  • Other service charges$591 million
  • Tolls on roads and bridges$359 million
  • Parks, land and natural resources$195 million
  • Housing$72.0 million
  • Other education charges$47.7 million
  • Road charges$45.5 million
  • Electric power$5.3 million
  • Parks and recreation$5.0 million

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%$22.3 billion

Local tax money0.7%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From local governments
0.7%$527 million

Fines and other7.7%

Interest, rents and other
7.4%$5.46 billion
Fines
0.3%$203 million
Washington page →

Where the money goes

Sent to local governments29%Social services25%Schools and colleges15%Health and hospitals14%Roads, transit and parking5.0%All other spending12%

What stands out

14%

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

Full Washington breakdown

Spending by category100%

Sent to local governments
29%$23.6 billion
What's in sent to local governmentsSent to school districts; sent to local governments: other and not broken out and 19 more
  • Sent to school districts$17.3 billion
  • Sent to local governments: other and not broken out$2.33 billion
  • Sent to local governments: public health$1.48 billion
  • Sent to local governments: roads and highways$794 million
  • Sent to local governments: other government administration$331 million
  • Sent to local governments: parks and recreation$241 million
  • Sent to local governments: natural resources, farming and conservation$193 million
  • Sent to local governments: police$185 million
  • Sent to local governments: general support$180 million
  • Sent to local governments: finance, tax collection and budgeting$169 million
  • Sent to local governments: other public welfare$139 million
  • Sent to local governments: other education$49.4 million
  • Sent to local governments: courts and legal services$49.4 million
  • Sent to local governments: housing and community development$30.3 million
  • Sent to local governments: inspections and regulation$22.2 million
  • Sent to local governments: sewer systems$19.9 million
  • Sent to local governments: garbage and solid waste$16.7 million
  • Sent to local governments: central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$5.0 million
  • Sent to local governments: airports$4.9 million
  • Sent to local governments: libraries$197 thousand
  • Sent to local governments: hospitals$1 thousand
Social services
25%$20.0 billion
What's in social servicesOther public welfare; unemployment and social insurance offices and 2 more
  • Other public welfare$19.5 billion
  • Unemployment and social insurance offices$308 million
  • Welfare institutions$96.7 million
  • Veterans' services$45.8 million
Schools and colleges
15%$11.9 billion
What's in schools and collegesColleges and universities; other education and 2 more
  • Colleges and universities$7.95 billion
  • Other education$1.50 billion
  • Scholarships and other education subsidies$1.50 billion
  • College housing, dining and bookstores$954 million
Health and hospitals
14%$11.1 billion
What's in health and hospitalsHospitals and public health
  • Hospitals$6.73 billion
  • Public health$4.39 billion
Roads, transit and parking
5.0%$4.00 billion
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways; toll roads and bridges and 2 more
  • Roads and highways$3.12 billion
  • Toll roads and bridges$834 million
  • Public transit$45.8 million
  • Airports$2.7 million
Running the government and other costs
4.8%$3.84 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$2.17 billion
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$932 million
  • Other government administration$382 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$206 million
  • Government buildings$150 million
Police, fire, courts and jails
4.0%$3.25 billion
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPrisons and jails; courts and legal services and 3 more
  • Prisons and jails$1.29 billion
  • Courts and legal services$584 million
  • Inspections and regulation$568 million
  • Police$475 million
  • Probation, parole and other corrections$335 million
Interest on debt
1.5%$1.20 billion
Environment and natural resources
1.5%$1.20 billion
What's in environment and natural resourcesNatural resources, farming and conservation
  • Natural resources, farming and conservation$1.20 billion
Parks, recreation and libraries
0.3%$249 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation and libraries
  • Parks and recreation$239 million
  • Libraries$10.7 million
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
<0.1%$32.2 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesGarbage and solid waste; electric power and 1 more
  • Garbage and solid waste$24.3 million
  • Electric power$7.9 million
  • Water supply$9 thousand
Housing and community development
<0.1%$27.7 million
Washington page →

Your county

Whatcom County

$228 million budget in the latest fiscal year on record, which ended December 31, 2023.

Where the money comes from

County taxes56%State tax money19%Federal tax money9.0%Fees for services (tolls, road charges)7.7%Fines and other7.3%Local tax money1.1%
Full Whatcom County breakdown

What stands out

20%

of Whatcom County's money comes from sales tax.A typical U.S. county of 50,000 to 250,000 people gets 4.2%.

County taxes56%

Property tax
30%$79.6 million
Sales tax
20%$55.1 million
Other taxes
5.9%$16.0 million
What's in other taxesReal estate and stock transfer taxes; other selective sales taxes and 6 more
  • Real estate and stock transfer taxes$5.3 million
  • Other selective sales taxes$4.4 million
  • Other licenses$1.9 million
  • Motor vehicle licenses$1.6 million
  • Occupation and business licenses$1.2 million
  • Public utility taxes$903 thousand
  • Severance taxes$653 thousand
  • Amusement taxes$29 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services7.7%

Fees for services
7.7%$20.6 million
What's in fees for servicesOther service charges; tolls on roads and bridges and 4 more
  • Other service charges$17.1 million
  • Tolls on roads and bridges$1.5 million
  • Road charges$819 thousand
  • Parks, land and natural resources$790 thousand
  • Garbage collection$399 thousand
  • Parks and recreation$10 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money9.0%

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

From the federal government
9.0%$24.2 million

State tax money19%

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

From the state
19%$51.4 million

Local tax money1.1%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From other local governments
1.1%$3.1 million

Fines and other7.3%

Interest, rents and other
6.8%$18.4 million
Fines
0.4%$1.2 million
Whatcom County page →

Where the money goes

Police, fire, courts and jails44%Running the government and other costs16%Health and hospitals14%Roads, transit and parking13%Environment and natural resources5.5%All other spending7.6%

What stands out

5.5%

of Whatcom County's spending goes to the environment and natural resources.Most U.S. counties of 50,000 to 250,000 people spend nothing on this.

Full Whatcom County breakdown

Spending by category100%

Police, fire, courts and jails
44%$99.1 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsFire protection; police and 4 more
  • Fire protection$25.9 million
  • Police$22.6 million
  • Prisons and jails$22.0 million
  • Courts and legal services$20.2 million
  • Inspections and regulation$5.8 million
  • Probation, parole and other corrections$2.6 million
Running the government and other costs
16%$36.8 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$21.8 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$8.8 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$4.7 million
  • Government buildings$1.4 million
Health and hospitals
14%$31.7 million
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$31.7 million
Roads, transit and parking
13%$30.3 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways and toll roads and bridges
  • Roads and highways$26.8 million
  • Toll roads and bridges$3.5 million
Environment and natural resources
5.5%$12.6 million
What's in environment and natural resourcesNatural resources, farming and conservation
  • Natural resources, farming and conservation$12.6 million
Social services
4.2%$9.6 million
What's in social servicesOther public welfare
  • Other public welfare$9.6 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
2.0%$4.6 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation and libraries
  • Parks and recreation$4.5 million
  • Libraries$137 thousand
Housing and community development
1.3%$3.0 million
Interest on debt
<0.1%$72 thousand
Sent to other local governments
<0.1%$13 thousand
What's in sent to other local governmentsSent to the state government and sent to local governments: other and not broken out
  • Sent to the state government$10 thousand
  • Sent to local governments: other and not broken out$3 thousand
Whatcom County page →

Your city

City of Bellingham

$274 million budget in the latest fiscal year on record, which ended December 31, 2023.

About 77% of this ZIP is in Bellingham.

Where the money comes from

City taxes48%Fees for services (sewer, water)39%Fines and other5.9%State tax money4.5%Federal tax money2.0%County and local tax money0.9%
Full Bellingham breakdown

What stands out

20%

of Bellingham's money comes from taxes other than property, sales and income taxes.A typical U.S. city of 50,000+ people gets 7.2%.

City taxes48%

Other taxes
20%$57.2 million
What's in other taxesPublic utility taxes; occupation and business licenses and 4 more
  • Public utility taxes$22.5 million
  • Occupation and business licenses$21.3 million
  • Other licenses$5.0 million
  • Real estate and stock transfer taxes$4.6 million
  • Other selective sales taxes$3.0 million
  • Amusement taxes$716 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Sales tax
18%$51.5 million
Property tax
10%$29.6 million

Fees for services39%

Fees for services
39%$112 million
What's in fees for servicesSewer; water and 5 more
  • Sewer$42.8 million
  • Water$34.4 million
  • Other service charges$29.4 million
  • Parking$2.6 million
  • Parks and recreation$2.6 million
  • Other government-run businesses$508 thousand
  • Road charges$90 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money2.0%

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

From the federal government
2.0%$5.8 million

State tax money4.5%

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

From the state
4.5%$13.1 million

County and local tax money0.9%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From the county and other local governments
0.9%$2.5 million

Fines and other5.9%

Interest, rents and other
5.7%$16.4 million
Fines
0.2%$684 thousand
Bellingham page →

Where the money goes

Water, sewer, trash and utilities28%Police, fire, courts and jails26%Running the government and other costs15%Parks, recreation and libraries12%Roads, transit and parking9.4%All other spending11%
Full Bellingham breakdown

What stands out

5.7%

of Bellingham's spending goes to health services and hospitals.Most U.S. cities of 50,000+ people spend nothing on this.

Spending by category100%

Water, sewer, trash and utilities
28%$75.6 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesSewer systems and water supply
  • Sewer systems$47.9 million
  • Water supply$27.7 million
Police, fire, courts and jails
26%$70.2 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsFire protection; police and 4 more
  • Fire protection$32.1 million
  • Police$30.0 million
  • Prisons and jails$3.6 million
  • Courts and legal services$3.3 million
  • Inspections and regulation$612 thousand
  • Probation, parole and other corrections$579 thousand
Running the government and other costs
15%$40.0 million
What's in running the government and other costsOther and not broken out; central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology) and 3 more
  • Other and not broken out$29.0 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$6.2 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$3.9 million
  • Other government-run businesses$516 thousand
  • Government buildings$461 thousand
Parks, recreation and libraries
12%$33.6 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation and libraries
  • Parks and recreation$25.9 million
  • Libraries$7.7 million
Roads, transit and parking
9.4%$25.7 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways and parking
  • Roads and highways$22.3 million
  • Parking$3.4 million
Health and hospitals
5.7%$15.6 million
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$15.6 million
Housing and community development
2.5%$6.9 million
Sent to other local governments
1.4%$3.8 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$3.8 million
Interest on debt
0.9%$2.4 million
What's in interest on debtInterest on general debt and interest on water supply debt
  • Interest on general debt$2.3 million
  • Interest on water supply debt$189 thousand
Social services
0.2%$475 thousand
What's in social servicesOther public welfare
  • Other public welfare$475 thousand
Bellingham page →

Your schools

Bellingham School District 501

$268 million budget in the latest fiscal year on record, which ended August 31, 2023.

Where the money comes from

State tax money64%School district taxes32%Fines and other3.7%Fees for services (school lunches, school tuition and transportation)0.8%Federal tax money0.2%

What stands out

64%

of Bellingham School District 501's money comes from state tax money.A typical school district with 5,000 to 25,000 students gets 59%.

Full Bellingham School District 501 breakdown

School district taxes32%

Property tax
32%$83.8 million

Fees for services0.8%

Fees for services
0.8%$2.2 million
What's in fees for servicesOther school charges; school lunches and 1 more
  • Other school charges$1.2 million
  • School lunches$666 thousand
  • School tuition and transportation$394 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money0.2%

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

From the federal government
0.2%$595 thousand

State tax money64%

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

From the state
64%$169 million

County and local tax money<0.1%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From the county and other local governments
<0.1%$34 thousand

Fines and other3.7%

Interest, rents and other
3.7%$9.9 million
Fines
<0.1%$11 thousand
Bellingham School District 501 page →

Where the money goes

Schools and colleges93%Interest on debt5.7%Sent to other local governments1.2%

What stands out

5.7%

of Bellingham School District 501's spending goes to interest on debt.A typical school district with 5,000 to 25,000 students spends 2.3%.

Full Bellingham School District 501 breakdown

Spending by category100%

Schools and colleges
93%$250 million
What's in schools and collegesElementary and secondary schools
  • Elementary and secondary schools$250 million
Interest on debt
5.7%$15.4 million
Sent to other local governments
1.2%$3.1 million
What's in sent to other local governmentsSent to the state government
  • Sent to the state government$3.1 million
Bellingham School District 501 page →
Sources and moreEach government's source, fiscal year and how a ZIP is matched

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

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

Bellingham School District 501. U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, individual unit file, fiscal year ended August 31, 2023.

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