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Government budget and revenue in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: official figures

Philadelphia's city government took in $11.3 billion in total revenue in the fiscal year ended 30 June 2024, or $7,208 for each of its 1,567,258 residents (2024 figure in the finance file); per resident that is the 31st highest of 582 US cities of 50,000 or more with reported figures in the 2024 Census survey.

City government revenue per resident
$7,208
2024
City government spending per resident
$8,447
2024
City long-term debt per resident
$4,388
2024

How much does Philadelphia spend and on what?

It spent $13.2 billion in the same year, $8,447 per resident, the 20th highest of 582 US cities of 50,000 or more with reported figures in the 2024 Census survey. The largest identified functions were public health (23.2%), financial administration (9.8%) and police (6.3%) of the total.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How much tax does Philadelphia collect per resident?

Taxes raised $5.2 billion ($3,338 per resident, the 17th highest of 582) in the fiscal year ended 30 June 2024, 52.0% 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 Philadelphia rely on?

Of Philadelphia's tax revenue in the fiscal year ended 30 June 2024, property tax made up 15.5%, general sales tax 10.5%, individual income tax 46.0%, selective sales taxes (on utilities, fuel, alcohol, tobacco, hotels and others) 6.5%. Across all US city governments in 2022, property tax made up 48.1% and general sales tax 19.8%; Philadelphia's property tax share is the 41st lowest 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 Philadelphia get?

Payments from other governments made up 33.8% of Philadelphia's city government's general revenue in the fiscal year ended 30 June 2024: 11.5% from the federal government ($740 per resident), 21.4% from the state and 0.8% 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 Philadelphia raise from fees and utilities?

Fees and charges for services such as sewerage, trash, parks and airports brought in $1.1 billion, 11.4% of general revenue (all US city governments in 2022: 20.0%). Revenue of government-owned utilities (water, electricity, gas or transit) added $1.2 billion.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How much does Philadelphia spend on police?

Philadelphia's city government spent $836.41 million on police in the fiscal year ended 30 June 2024, $534 per resident (the 85th 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 Philadelphia spend on fire protection?

Fire protection cost $406.05 million, $259 per resident, in the fiscal year ended 30 June 2024.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How much debt does Philadelphia have?

At the end of the fiscal year ended 30 June 2024, Philadelphia's city government owed $6.9 billion in long-term debt, $4,388 per resident (the 109th highest of 582). During the year it issued $377.82 million of new long-term debt and repaid $337.35 million.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How much does Philadelphia pay in interest on its debt?

Interest on debt cost $390.35 million in the fiscal year ended 30 June 2024, 2.9% of total spending.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How has the Philadelphia city budget changed?

Between the Census survey years 2022 and 2024 (not adjusted for inflation), total revenue per resident rose 14.8% from $6,279 to $7,208, spending per resident rose 25.8% to $8,447, taxes per resident rose 15.7% to $3,338.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How Philadelphia 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))

Philadelphia ranks 36 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
33Brockton$6,366
34East Orange$6,306
35Huntsville$6,288
36Philadelphia$6,279
37Providence$6,275
38New Brunswick$6,217
39Bryan$6,169
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))

Philadelphia ranks 29 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
26Salt Lake City$6,989
27Yonkers$6,768
28Trenton$6,762
29Philadelphia$6,714
30Anchorage$6,665
31Waterbury$6,620
32Watsonville$6,617
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

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

Philadelphia ranks 25 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
22Somerville$2,983
23Framingham$2,932
24Quincy$2,931
25Philadelphia$2,884
26Seattle$2,766
27Richmond$2,735
28Bristol$2,734
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))

Philadelphia ranks 83 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
80San Jose$504
81Dearborn$501
82Detroit$500
83Philadelphia$497
84Union City$496
85Watsonville$494
86Huntington Beach$493
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))

Philadelphia ranks 177 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
174Revere$3,549
175Buckeye$3,533
176Chattanooga$3,523
177Philadelphia$3,520
178El Paso$3,504
179Terre Haute$3,463
180Framingham$3,447
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))

Philadelphia ranks 685 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
682St. Louis16.1%
683Thornton16.1%
684Lakewood16.0%
685Philadelphia15.9%
686Tuscaloosa15.5%
687Tracy15.4%
688Montgomery15.4%
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))

Philadelphia ranks 111 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
108Cranston34.0%
109Detroit34.0%
110Fargo34.0%
111Philadelphia33.7%
112Terre Haute33.7%
113Framingham33.6%
114Phoenix33.6%
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))

Philadelphia ranks 31 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
28Kissimmee$7,595
29Grand Island$7,505
30Springfield$7,287
31Philadelphia$7,208
32Trenton$7,103
33Ames$7,044
34Pasadena$6,910
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))

Philadelphia ranks 20 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
17Kissimmee$9,002
18Rochester$8,720
19New Haven$8,490
20Philadelphia$8,447
21Taunton$8,428
22Newton$8,408
23Trenton$8,380
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

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

Philadelphia ranks 17 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
14Somerville$3,476
15Baton Rouge$3,371
16Richmond$3,365
17Philadelphia$3,338
18Denver$3,331
19Seattle$3,314
20Framingham$3,228
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))

Philadelphia ranks 85 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
82Melbourne$540
83San Bernardino$538
84San Jose$536
85Philadelphia$534
86Springfield$529
87Burlington$529
88Denton$528
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))

Philadelphia ranks 109 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
106New Haven$4,427
107Mount Prospect$4,410
108Victorville$4,389
109Philadelphia$4,388
110Cedar Rapids$4,368
111Detroit$4,363
112Phoenix$4,323
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))

Philadelphia ranks 540 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
537Lorain16.3%
538Akron16.1%
539Fayetteville16.0%
540Philadelphia15.5%
541Las Cruces15.4%
542Thornton15.4%
543Oklahoma City15.4%
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))

Philadelphia ranks 109 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
106Plainfield34.1%
107Augusta34.1%
108Peabody34.0%
109Philadelphia33.8%
110Wheaton33.7%
111Athens33.6%
112Harrisburg33.5%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

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Sources

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