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Government budget and revenue in Harrisonburg, Virginia: official figures

Harrisonburg's city government took in $349.82 million in total revenue in the fiscal year ended 30 June 2024, or $6,838 for each of its 51,158 residents (2024 figure in the finance file); per resident that is the 36th highest of 582 US cities of 50,000 or more with reported figures in the 2024 Census survey.

City government revenue per resident
$6,838
2024
City government spending per resident
$7,247
2024
City long-term debt per resident
$4,826
2024

How much does Harrisonburg spend and on what?

It spent $370.75 million in the same year, $7,247 per resident, the 43rd 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 (35.7%), the electric utility (18.3%) and police (4.5%) of the total.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How much tax does Harrisonburg collect per resident?

Taxes raised $128.24 million ($2,507 per resident, the 42nd highest of 582) in the fiscal year ended 30 June 2024, 49.2% 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 Harrisonburg rely on?

Of Harrisonburg's tax revenue in the fiscal year ended 30 June 2024, property tax made up 57.7%, general sales tax 14.5%, selective sales taxes (on utilities, fuel, alcohol, tobacco, hotels and others) 20.1%. Across all US city governments in 2022, property tax made up 48.1% and general sales tax 19.8%; Harrisonburg's property tax share is the 264th 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 Harrisonburg get?

Payments from other governments made up 34.9% of Harrisonburg's city government's general revenue in the fiscal year ended 30 June 2024: 3.2% from the federal government ($163 per resident), 30.8% from the state and 0.9% 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 Harrisonburg raise from fees and utilities?

Fees and charges for services such as sewerage, trash, parks and airports brought in $23.47 million, 9.0% of general revenue (all US city governments in 2022: 20.0%). Revenue of government-owned utilities (water, electricity, gas or transit) added $89.06 million.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How much does Harrisonburg spend on police?

Harrisonburg's city government spent $16.71 million on police in the fiscal year ended 30 June 2024, $327 per resident (the 233rd lowest of 582) and 4.5% 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 Harrisonburg spend on fire protection?

Fire protection cost $11.93 million, $233 per resident, in the fiscal year ended 30 June 2024.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Does Harrisonburg city government run the schools?

Harrisonburg's city government also pays for public schools: elementary and secondary education took $132.37 million, 35.7% 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 Harrisonburg have?

At the end of the fiscal year ended 30 June 2024, Harrisonburg's city government owed $246.88 million in long-term debt, $4,826 per resident (the 94th highest of 582). During the year it issued no new long-term debt and repaid $5.15 million.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How much does Harrisonburg pay in interest on its debt?

Interest on debt cost $8.73 million in the fiscal year ended 30 June 2024, 2.4% of total spending.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How has the Harrisonburg city budget changed?

Between the Census survey years 2022 and 2024 (not adjusted for inflation), total revenue per resident fell 0.2% from $6,851 to $6,838, spending per resident rose 16.0% to $7,247, taxes per resident fell 26.8% to $2,507.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How Harrisonburg 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))

Harrisonburg ranks 22 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
19Newton$7,010
20Alexandria$6,996
21Denver$6,871
22Harrisonburg$6,851
23Seattle$6,816
24Taunton$6,757
25Portland$6,629
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))

Harrisonburg ranks 44 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
41Bristol$6,390
42Quincy$6,309
43Waltham$6,251
44Harrisonburg$6,246
45Norwalk$6,244
46Lakeland$6,197
47Suffolk$6,185
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

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

Harrisonburg ranks 14 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
11Norwalk$4,057
12Waltham$3,773
13Nashville$3,656
14Harrisonburg$3,425
15Barnstable Town$3,360
16Baltimore$3,307
17Mountain View$3,159
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))

Harrisonburg ranks 539 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
536Laguna Niguel$251
537Camarillo$251
538New Britain$250
539Harrisonburg$249
540Manchester$249
541Billings$248
542Burien$248
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))

Harrisonburg ranks 75 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
72Houston$5,508
73Broomfield$5,430
74Rock Hill$5,402
75Harrisonburg$5,346
76Huntsville$5,324
77Garland$5,323
78Pflugerville$5,307
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))

Harrisonburg ranks 162 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
159Palm Coast72.7%
160Eugene72.5%
161Kingsport72.0%
162Harrisonburg72.0%
163Portsmouth71.9%
164Newport News71.6%
165Cape Coral71.5%
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))

Harrisonburg ranks 215 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
212Jacksonville26.3%
213Mesa26.3%
214Warren26.2%
215Harrisonburg26.1%
216Waltham26.0%
217Burien25.9%
218Pico Rivera25.8%
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))

Harrisonburg ranks 36 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
33Ames$7,044
34Pasadena$6,910
35Norfolk$6,898
36Harrisonburg$6,838
37Providence$6,786
38Newport News$6,757
39New Orleans$6,740
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))

Harrisonburg ranks 43 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
40Buffalo$7,406
41Yonkers$7,355
42Waterbury$7,252
43Harrisonburg$7,247
44Chicopee$7,180
45Portland$7,179
46Lowell$7,075
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

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

Harrisonburg ranks 42 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
39Galveston$2,587
40Roanoke$2,574
41Oakland$2,550
42Harrisonburg$2,507
43Huntsville$2,490
44Urban Honolulu$2,471
45Chicago$2,452
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))

Harrisonburg ranks 350 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
347Anderson$328
348Wake Forest$328
349Waukesha$327
350Harrisonburg$327
351Fort Wayne$325
352Lenexa$325
353Casper$324
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))

Harrisonburg ranks 94 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
91Lynchburg$4,940
92Portland$4,916
93Huntsville$4,882
94Harrisonburg$4,826
95Brockton$4,787
96Salem$4,785
97Norwalk$4,765
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))

Harrisonburg ranks 264 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
261Pembroke Pines58.6%
262Alpharetta58.3%
263Bethlehem58.1%
264Harrisonburg57.7%
265Houston57.5%
266Columbus57.5%
267Irving57.3%
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))

Harrisonburg ranks 98 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
95Duluth35.2%
96Aurora35.1%
97Richmond35.1%
98Harrisonburg34.9%
99Memphis34.8%
100Peoria34.8%
101North Port34.6%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

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Sources

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