Government budget and revenue in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania: official figures
Harrisburg's city government took in $14.09 million in total revenue in the fiscal year ended 31 December 2023, or $281 for each of its 50,183 residents (2024 figure in the finance file); per resident that is the 2nd lowest of 582 US cities of 50,000 or more with reported figures in the 2024 Census survey.
How much does Harrisburg spend and on what?
It spent $8.54 million in the same year, $170 per resident, the 6th lowest of 582 US cities of 50,000 or more with reported figures in the 2024 Census survey. The largest identified functions were housing and community development (75.7%) of the total.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow much federal and state money does Harrisburg get?
Payments from other governments made up 33.5% of Harrisburg's city government's general revenue in the fiscal year ended 31 December 2023: 33.5% from the federal government ($94 per resident), 0.0% from the state. For all US city governments in 2022 the aid share was 24.3%.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow much does Harrisburg raise from fees and utilities?
Fees and charges for services such as sewerage, trash, parks and airports brought in $9.15 million, 64.9% of general revenue (all US city governments in 2022: 20.0%).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow much debt does Harrisburg have?
At the end of the fiscal year ended 31 December 2023, Harrisburg's city government owed $18.69 million in long-term debt, $372 per resident (the 35th lowest of 582). During the year it issued $1.28 million of new long-term debt and repaid $2.11 million.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow much does Harrisburg pay in interest on its debt?
Interest on debt cost $2.07 million in the fiscal year ended 31 December 2023, 24.3% of total spending.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow Harrisburg compares with other cities in the United States
City government total revenue per resident, 2024 (Survey year 2024 (fiscal years ended July 2023 to June 2024))
Harrisburg ranks 581 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.
| Rank | City | City government total revenue per resident, 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| 576 | Spokane Valley | $1,010 |
| 577 | Eagle Mountain | $888 |
| 578 | Millcreek | $846 |
| 579 | Baytown | $797 |
| 580 | Florissant | $432 |
| 581 | Harrisburg | $281 |
| 582 | Reading | $3 |
City government total spending per resident, 2024 (Survey year 2024 (fiscal years ended July 2023 to June 2024))
Harrisburg ranks 577 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.
| Rank | City | City government total spending per resident, 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| 574 | Dunwoody | $600 |
| 575 | Florissant | $422 |
| 576 | Eagle Mountain | $398 |
| 577 | Harrisburg | $170 |
| 578 | Columbus | $107 |
| 579 | Reading | $83 |
| 580 | Wichita Falls | $63 |
City taxes collected per resident, 2024 (Survey year 2024 (fiscal years ended July 2023 to June 2024))
Harrisburg ranks 582 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.
| Rank | City | City taxes collected per resident, 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| 576 | Homestead | $413 |
| 577 | Kenner | $401 |
| 578 | Buffalo | $399 |
| 579 | Florissant | $390 |
| 580 | Casper | $254 |
| 581 | Reading | $0 |
| 582 | Harrisburg | $0 |
City spending on police per resident, 2024 (Survey year 2024 (fiscal years ended July 2023 to June 2024))
Harrisburg ranks 581 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.
| Rank | City | City spending on police per resident, 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| 576 | Canton | $0 |
| 577 | Eagle Mountain | $0 |
| 578 | Millcreek | $0 |
| 579 | Meriden | $0 |
| 580 | Columbus | $0 |
| 581 | Harrisburg | $0 |
| 582 | Downers Grove | $0 |
City long-term debt outstanding per resident, end of fiscal 2024 (Survey year 2024 (fiscal years ended July 2023 to June 2024))
Harrisburg ranks 548 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.
| Rank | City | City long-term debt outstanding per resident, end of fiscal 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| 545 | Joplin | $392 |
| 546 | Lakewood | $386 |
| 547 | Brooklyn Park | $377 |
| 548 | Harrisburg | $372 |
| 549 | Federal Way | $371 |
| 550 | Goose Creek | $347 |
| 551 | Corvallis | $341 |
Federal, state and local aid as a share of city general revenue, 2024 (Survey year 2024 (fiscal years ended July 2023 to June 2024))
Harrisburg ranks 112 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.
| Rank | City | Federal, state and local aid as a share of city general revenue, 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| 109 | Philadelphia | 33.8% |
| 110 | Wheaton | 33.7% |
| 111 | Athens | 33.6% |
| 112 | Harrisburg | 33.5% |
| 113 | Chesapeake | 33.2% |
| 114 | Lorain | 33.1% |
| 115 | Anchorage | 33.0% |
More on Harrisburg: overview · economy and jobs · health · education and schools · poverty and living standards · all cities in the United States
Sources
- U.S. Census Bureau: 2024 Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, individual unit files (item amounts for every sampled government, directory with population and fiscal year end, state estimates by type of government), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 0967c4d30466…)
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