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Government budget and revenue in Evanston, Illinois: official figures

Evanston's city government took in $235.30 million in total revenue in the fiscal year ended 31 December 2023, or $3,115 for each of its 75,544 residents (2024 figure in the finance file); per resident that is the 246th highest of 582 US cities of 50,000 or more with reported figures in the 2024 Census survey.

City government revenue per resident
$3,115
2024
City government spending per resident
$3,571
2024
City long-term debt per resident
$5,734
2024

How much does Evanston spend and on what?

It spent $269.80 million in the same year, $3,571 per resident, the 186th highest of 582 US cities of 50,000 or more with reported figures in the 2024 Census survey. The largest identified functions were police (21.4%), central administration (9.4%) and solid waste (9.3%) of the total.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How much tax does Evanston collect per resident?

Taxes raised $100.92 million ($1,336 per resident, the 181st highest of 582) in the fiscal year ended 31 December 2023, 47.5% 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 Evanston rely on?

Of Evanston's tax revenue in the fiscal year ended 31 December 2023, property tax made up 63.4%, selective sales taxes (on utilities, fuel, alcohol, tobacco, hotels and others) 26.8%. Across all US city governments in 2022, property tax made up 48.1% and general sales tax 19.8%; Evanston's property tax share is the 223rd 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 Evanston get?

Payments from other governments made up 27.1% of Evanston's city government's general revenue in the fiscal year ended 31 December 2023: 3.5% from the federal government ($98 per resident), 13.2% from the state and 10.4% 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 Evanston raise from fees and utilities?

Fees and charges for services such as sewerage, trash, parks and airports brought in $37.53 million, 17.7% of general revenue (all US city governments in 2022: 20.0%). Revenue of government-owned utilities (water, electricity, gas or transit) added $22.85 million.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How much does Evanston spend on police?

Evanston's city government spent $57.86 million on police in the fiscal year ended 31 December 2023, $766 per resident (the 29th highest of 582) and 21.4% 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 Evanston spend on fire protection?

Fire protection cost $21.24 million, $281 per resident, in the fiscal year ended 31 December 2023.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How much debt does Evanston have?

At the end of the fiscal year ended 31 December 2023, Evanston's city government owed $433.15 million in long-term debt, $5,734 per resident (the 65th highest of 582). During the year it issued $15.69 million of new long-term debt and repaid $47.99 million.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How much does Evanston pay in interest on its debt?

Interest on debt cost $18.62 million in the fiscal year ended 31 December 2023, 6.9% of total spending.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How has the Evanston city budget changed?

Between the Census survey years 2022 and 2024 (not adjusted for inflation), total revenue per resident rose 3.5% from $3,011 to $3,115, spending per resident rose 27.8% to $3,571, taxes per resident fell 2.5% to $1,336.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How Evanston 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))

Evanston ranks 228 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
225Sacramento$3,024
226Herriman$3,018
227Asheville$3,014
228Evanston$3,011
229Richmond$3,004
230West Des Moines$2,994
231Colton$2,982
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))

Evanston ranks 249 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
246Brownsville$2,825
247Cincinnati$2,823
248Waukesha$2,819
249Evanston$2,794
250Stillwater$2,787
251Miami$2,780
252San Jose$2,776
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

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

Evanston ranks 169 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
166Carson$1,383
167Cedar Rapids$1,376
168Sioux Falls$1,374
169Evanston$1,370
170Rapid City$1,362
171Oklahoma City$1,361
172Bellingham$1,361
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))

Evanston ranks 60 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
57Grand Junction$548
58Daytona Beach$546
59Jacksonville$545
60Evanston$543
61Yonkers$541
62San Rafael$536
63Santa Barbara$535
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))

Evanston ranks 66 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
63Portsmouth$5,868
64West Sacramento$5,769
65Columbus$5,734
66Evanston$5,703
67New Brunswick$5,681
68Perris$5,615
69New Haven$5,577
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))

Evanston ranks 244 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
241High Point63.0%
242Burlington62.8%
243Des Moines62.8%
244Evanston62.7%
245Pleasanton62.7%
246Highland62.6%
247Corvallis62.3%
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))

Evanston ranks 209 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
206Union City26.6%
207Madison26.4%
208Loveland26.4%
209Evanston26.4%
210Fresno26.4%
211Cambridge26.3%
212Jacksonville26.3%
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))

Evanston ranks 246 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
243Oceanside$3,129
244Greeley$3,128
245Bloomington$3,122
246Evanston$3,115
247Little Rock$3,112
248West Des Moines$3,111
249Renton$3,107
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))

Evanston ranks 186 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
183Savannah$3,615
184High Point$3,607
185Columbia$3,595
186Evanston$3,571
187Kalamazoo$3,561
188Vallejo$3,556
189St. Paul$3,553
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

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

Evanston ranks 181 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
178Lee's Summit$1,337
179Denton$1,336
180Perth Amboy$1,336
181Evanston$1,336
182Tampa$1,336
183Decatur$1,336
184Ann Arbor$1,335
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))

Evanston ranks 29 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
26Richmond$776
27Berwyn$770
28Berkeley$769
29Evanston$766
30Baton Rouge$755
31Miami$748
32Delray Beach$707
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))

Evanston ranks 65 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
62Garland$5,818
63White Plains$5,766
64Charlotte$5,740
65Evanston$5,734
66Louisville/Jefferson County metro government$5,708
67Bridgeport$5,658
68Oshkosh$5,621
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))

Evanston ranks 223 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
220Davie63.6%
221Arlington Heights63.6%
222Urban Honolulu63.5%
223Evanston63.4%
224Coral Springs63.4%
225Hillsboro63.3%
226Fort Lauderdale63.0%
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))

Evanston ranks 169 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
166Medford27.4%
167Chattanooga27.4%
168Eau Claire27.1%
169Evanston27.1%
170Buckeye26.9%
171Idaho Falls26.9%
172Muncie26.8%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

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Sources

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