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Government budget and revenue in Chesapeake, Virginia: official figures

Chesapeake's city government took in $1.4 billion in total revenue in the fiscal year ended 30 June 2024, or $5,556 for each of its 252,488 residents (2024 figure in the finance file); per resident that is the 78th highest of 582 US cities of 50,000 or more with reported figures in the 2024 Census survey.

City government revenue per resident
$5,556
2024
City government spending per resident
$5,873
2024
City long-term debt per resident
$2,817
2024

How much does Chesapeake spend and on what?

It spent $1.5 billion in the same year, $5,873 per resident, the 81st highest of 582 US cities of 50,000 or more with reported figures in the 2024 Census survey. The largest identified functions were elementary and secondary schools (48.8%), police (6.3%) and fire protection (5.2%) of the total.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How much tax does Chesapeake collect per resident?

Taxes raised $680.24 million ($2,694 per resident, the 32nd highest of 582) in the fiscal year ended 30 June 2024, 50.1% of general revenue, compared with 49.3% for all US city governments combined in 2022.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

What taxes does Chesapeake rely on?

Of Chesapeake's tax revenue in the fiscal year ended 30 June 2024, property tax made up 72.5%, general sales tax 8.5%, selective sales taxes (on utilities, fuel, alcohol, tobacco, hotels and others) 11.2%. Across all US city governments in 2022, property tax made up 48.1% and general sales tax 19.8%; Chesapeake's property tax share is the 158th highest of 580 US cities of 50,000 or more with reported figures in the 2024 Census survey.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How much federal and state money does Chesapeake get?

Payments from other governments made up 33.2% of Chesapeake's city government's general revenue in the fiscal year ended 30 June 2024: 2.2% from the federal government ($118 per resident), 30.0% from the state and 1.0% from other local governments. For all US city governments in 2022 the aid share was 24.3%.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How much does Chesapeake raise from fees and utilities?

Fees and charges for services such as sewerage, trash, parks and airports brought in $145.16 million, 10.7% of general revenue (all US city governments in 2022: 20.0%). Revenue of government-owned utilities (water, electricity, gas or transit) added $45.52 million.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How much does Chesapeake spend on police?

Chesapeake's city government spent $92.92 million on police in the fiscal year ended 30 June 2024, $368 per resident (the 274th highest of 582) and 6.3% of its total spending; police took 10.3% of spending across all US city governments in 2022.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How much does Chesapeake spend on fire protection?

Fire protection cost $77.22 million, $306 per resident, in the fiscal year ended 30 June 2024.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Does Chesapeake city government run the schools?

Chesapeake's city government also pays for public schools: elementary and secondary education took $722.95 million, 48.8% of its spending in the fiscal year ended 30 June 2024, which in most US cities is spent by a separate school district instead.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How much debt does Chesapeake have?

At the end of the fiscal year ended 30 June 2024, Chesapeake's city government owed $711.37 million in long-term debt, $2,817 per resident (the 210th highest of 582). During the year it issued $7.07 million of new long-term debt and repaid $12.72 million.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How much does Chesapeake pay in interest on its debt?

Interest on debt cost $19.98 million in the fiscal year ended 30 June 2024, 1.3% of total spending.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How has the Chesapeake city budget changed?

Between the Census survey years 2022 and 2024 (not adjusted for inflation), total revenue per resident rose 18.5% from $4,688 to $5,556, spending per resident rose 19.5% to $5,873, taxes per resident rose 14.4% to $2,694.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How Chesapeake compares with other cities in the United States

City government total revenue per resident, 2022 (Survey year 2022 (fiscal years ended July 2021 to June 2022))

Chesapeake ranks 94 of 731, highest first. City government only: in many cities schools, transit, water or other services are run by separate governments or the county, so totals are not like-for-like. Per resident figures use the population the Census finance file gives each government. Governments whose figures were mostly imputed by the Census Bureau are left out. The government of Washington, DC, also carries out the functions of a state.

RankCityCity government total revenue per resident, 2022
91Berkeley$4,782
92Virginia Beach$4,759
93Hampton$4,699
94Chesapeake$4,688
95Jacksonville$4,684
96Bristol$4,683
97Kansas City$4,679
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

City government total spending per resident, 2022 (Survey year 2022 (fiscal years ended July 2021 to June 2022))

Chesapeake ranks 97 of 731, highest first. City government only: in many cities schools, transit, water or other services are run by separate governments or the county, so totals are not like-for-like. Per resident figures use the population the Census finance file gives each government. Governments whose figures were mostly imputed by the Census Bureau are left out. The government of Washington, DC, also carries out the functions of a state.

RankCityCity government total spending per resident, 2022
94West New York$4,967
95Nashua$4,926
96Virginia Beach$4,920
97Chesapeake$4,917
98Bayonne$4,908
99Warwick$4,893
100Kansas City$4,887
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

City taxes collected per resident, 2022 (Survey year 2022 (fiscal years ended July 2021 to June 2022))

Chesapeake ranks 49 of 731, highest first. City government only: in many cities schools, transit, water or other services are run by separate governments or the county, so totals are not like-for-like. Per resident figures use the population the Census finance file gives each government. Governments whose figures were mostly imputed by the Census Bureau are left out. The government of Washington, DC, also carries out the functions of a state.

RankCityCity taxes collected per resident, 2022
46St. Louis$2,403
47Newport News$2,398
48Weymouth Town$2,363
49Chesapeake$2,355
50Cranston$2,351
51Broomfield$2,329
52Medford$2,304
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

City spending on police per resident, 2022 (Survey year 2022 (fiscal years ended July 2021 to June 2022))

Chesapeake ranks 307 of 731, highest first. City government only: in many cities schools, transit, water or other services are run by separate governments or the county, so totals are not like-for-like. Per resident figures use the population the Census finance file gives each government. Governments whose figures were mostly imputed by the Census Bureau are left out. The government of Washington, DC, also carries out the functions of a state.

RankCityCity spending on police per resident, 2022
304Medford$339
305Thornton$339
306Olympia$338
307Chesapeake$338
308Shreveport$338
309Edina$337
310Bakersfield$337
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

City long-term debt outstanding per resident, end of fiscal 2022 (Survey year 2022 (fiscal years ended July 2021 to June 2022))

Chesapeake ranks 204 of 731, highest first. City government only: in many cities schools, transit, water or other services are run by separate governments or the county, so totals are not like-for-like. Per resident figures use the population the Census finance file gives each government. Governments whose figures were mostly imputed by the Census Bureau are left out. The government of Washington, DC, also carries out the functions of a state.

RankCityCity long-term debt outstanding per resident, end of fiscal 2022
201Longmont$3,178
202Oxnard$3,174
203Orlando$3,146
204Chesapeake$3,138
205Stockton$3,121
206White Plains$3,115
207Broken Arrow$3,097
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Property tax as a share of city tax revenue, 2022 (Survey year 2022 (fiscal years ended July 2021 to June 2022))

Chesapeake ranks 172 of 730, highest first. City government only: in many cities schools, transit, water or other services are run by separate governments or the county, so totals are not like-for-like. Per resident figures use the population the Census finance file gives each government. Governments whose figures were mostly imputed by the Census Bureau are left out. The government of Washington, DC, also carries out the functions of a state.

RankCityProperty tax as a share of city tax revenue, 2022
169Mount Prospect71.2%
170Richmond71.0%
171Palatine70.9%
172Chesapeake70.7%
173West Palm Beach70.7%
174Davenport70.5%
175Lancaster70.4%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Federal, state and local aid as a share of city general revenue, 2022 (Survey year 2022 (fiscal years ended July 2021 to June 2022))

Chesapeake ranks 96 of 730, highest first. City government only: in many cities schools, transit, water or other services are run by separate governments or the county, so totals are not like-for-like. Per resident figures use the population the Census finance file gives each government. Governments whose figures were mostly imputed by the Census Bureau are left out. The government of Washington, DC, also carries out the functions of a state.

RankCityFederal, state and local aid as a share of city general revenue, 2022
93Columbus36.0%
94Richmond35.8%
95Battle Creek35.8%
96Chesapeake35.4%
97La Crosse34.9%
98Baltimore34.9%
99Paterson34.7%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

City government total revenue per resident, 2024 (Survey year 2024 (fiscal years ended July 2023 to June 2024))

Chesapeake ranks 78 of 582, highest first. City government only: in many cities schools, transit, water or other services are run by separate governments or the county, so totals are not like-for-like. Per resident figures use the population the Census finance file gives each government. Governments whose figures were mostly imputed by the Census Bureau are left out. The government of Washington, DC, also carries out the functions of a state.

RankCityCity government total revenue per resident, 2024
75Fall River$5,649
76Somerville$5,634
77Revere$5,587
78Chesapeake$5,556
79Cleveland$5,538
80Brockton$5,511
81New Haven$5,483
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

City government total spending per resident, 2024 (Survey year 2024 (fiscal years ended July 2023 to June 2024))

Chesapeake ranks 81 of 582, highest first. City government only: in many cities schools, transit, water or other services are run by separate governments or the county, so totals are not like-for-like. Per resident figures use the population the Census finance file gives each government. Governments whose figures were mostly imputed by the Census Bureau are left out. The government of Washington, DC, also carries out the functions of a state.

RankCityCity government total spending per resident, 2024
78Los Angeles$5,919
79Long Beach$5,916
80Bayonne$5,896
81Chesapeake$5,873
82Chicago$5,825
83Hampton$5,824
84Warwick$5,747
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

City taxes collected per resident, 2024 (Survey year 2024 (fiscal years ended July 2023 to June 2024))

Chesapeake ranks 32 of 582, highest first. City government only: in many cities schools, transit, water or other services are run by separate governments or the county, so totals are not like-for-like. Per resident figures use the population the Census finance file gives each government. Governments whose figures were mostly imputed by the Census Bureau are left out. The government of Washington, DC, also carries out the functions of a state.

RankCityCity taxes collected per resident, 2024
29Suffolk$2,789
30Nashua$2,777
31Palo Alto$2,716
32Chesapeake$2,694
33Hartford$2,681
34Norfolk$2,654
35Peabody$2,621
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

City spending on police per resident, 2024 (Survey year 2024 (fiscal years ended July 2023 to June 2024))

Chesapeake ranks 274 of 582, highest first. City government only: in many cities schools, transit, water or other services are run by separate governments or the county, so totals are not like-for-like. Per resident figures use the population the Census finance file gives each government. Governments whose figures were mostly imputed by the Census Bureau are left out. The government of Washington, DC, also carries out the functions of a state.

RankCityCity spending on police per resident, 2024
271Temecula$369
272Tuscaloosa$369
273Royal Oak$369
274Chesapeake$368
275Irvine$367
276New Brunswick$367
277Visalia$366
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

City long-term debt outstanding per resident, end of fiscal 2024 (Survey year 2024 (fiscal years ended July 2023 to June 2024))

Chesapeake ranks 210 of 582, highest first. City government only: in many cities schools, transit, water or other services are run by separate governments or the county, so totals are not like-for-like. Per resident figures use the population the Census finance file gives each government. Governments whose figures were mostly imputed by the Census Bureau are left out. The government of Washington, DC, also carries out the functions of a state.

RankCityCity long-term debt outstanding per resident, end of fiscal 2024
207Conway$2,849
208Amarillo$2,837
209Port St. Lucie$2,827
210Chesapeake$2,817
211Richland$2,817
212Kannapolis$2,816
213Flint$2,816
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Property tax as a share of city tax revenue, 2024 (Survey year 2024 (fiscal years ended July 2023 to June 2024))

Chesapeake ranks 158 of 580, highest first. City government only: in many cities schools, transit, water or other services are run by separate governments or the county, so totals are not like-for-like. Per resident figures use the population the Census finance file gives each government. Governments whose figures were mostly imputed by the Census Bureau are left out. The government of Washington, DC, also carries out the functions of a state.

RankCityProperty tax as a share of city tax revenue, 2024
155Eugene72.8%
156Cedar Rapids72.7%
157Gulfport72.6%
158Chesapeake72.5%
159Homestead72.0%
160Davenport71.9%
161Boynton Beach71.9%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Federal, state and local aid as a share of city general revenue, 2024 (Survey year 2024 (fiscal years ended July 2023 to June 2024))

Chesapeake ranks 113 of 582, highest first. City government only: in many cities schools, transit, water or other services are run by separate governments or the county, so totals are not like-for-like. Per resident figures use the population the Census finance file gives each government. Governments whose figures were mostly imputed by the Census Bureau are left out. The government of Washington, DC, also carries out the functions of a state.

RankCityFederal, state and local aid as a share of city general revenue, 2024
110Wheaton33.7%
111Athens33.6%
112Harrisburg33.5%
113Chesapeake33.2%
114Lorain33.1%
115Anchorage33.0%
116Jersey City32.7%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

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Sources

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