State IntegrityReceipts, not verdicts

Government budget and revenue in Providence, Rhode Island: official figures

Providence's city government took in $1.3 billion in total revenue in the fiscal year ended 30 June 2024, or $6,786 for each of its 189,563 residents (2024 figure in the finance file); per resident that is the 37th highest of 582 US cities of 50,000 or more with reported figures in the 2024 Census survey.

City government revenue per resident
$6,786
2024
City government spending per resident
$6,519
2024
City long-term debt per resident
$3,483
2024

How much does Providence spend and on what?

It spent $1.2 billion in the same year, $6,519 per resident, the 58th 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 (50.0%), police (8.9%) and fire protection (7.7%) of the total.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How much tax does Providence collect per resident?

Taxes raised $390.23 million ($2,059 per resident, the 75th highest of 582) in the fiscal year ended 30 June 2024, 32.6% 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 Providence rely on?

Of Providence's tax revenue in the fiscal year ended 30 June 2024, property tax made up 95.6%, selective sales taxes (on utilities, fuel, alcohol, tobacco, hotels and others) 2.7%. Across all US city governments in 2022, property tax made up 48.1% and general sales tax 19.8%; Providence's property tax share is the 47th 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 Providence get?

Payments from other governments made up 52.0% of Providence's city government's general revenue in the fiscal year ended 30 June 2024: 5.0% from the federal government ($319 per resident), 34.7% from the state and 12.3% 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 Providence raise from fees and utilities?

Fees and charges for services such as sewerage, trash, parks and airports brought in $129.37 million, 10.8% of general revenue (all US city governments in 2022: 20.0%). Revenue of government-owned utilities (water, electricity, gas or transit) added $88.04 million.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How much does Providence spend on police?

Providence's city government spent $110.52 million on police in the fiscal year ended 30 June 2024, $583 per resident (the 64th highest of 582) and 8.9% 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 Providence spend on fire protection?

Fire protection cost $94.68 million, $499 per resident, in the fiscal year ended 30 June 2024.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Does Providence city government run the schools?

Providence's city government also pays for public schools: elementary and secondary education took $617.34 million, 50.0% 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 Providence have?

At the end of the fiscal year ended 30 June 2024, Providence's city government owed $660.30 million in long-term debt, $3,483 per resident (the 162nd highest of 582). During the year it issued $40.73 million of new long-term debt and repaid $66.14 million.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How much does Providence pay in interest on its debt?

Interest on debt cost $38.75 million in the fiscal year ended 30 June 2024, 3.1% of total spending.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How has the Providence city budget changed?

Between the Census survey years 2022 and 2024 (not adjusted for inflation), total revenue per resident rose 8.1% from $6,275 to $6,786, spending per resident rose 14.1% to $6,519, taxes per resident fell 1.7% to $2,059.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How Providence 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))

Providence ranks 37 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
34East Orange$6,306
35Huntsville$6,288
36Philadelphia$6,279
37Providence$6,275
38New Brunswick$6,217
39Bryan$6,169
40Roseville$6,148
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))

Providence ranks 64 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
61Huntsville$5,790
62Ocala$5,722
63Broomfield$5,718
64Providence$5,715
65Long Beach$5,657
66Tacoma$5,635
67Barnstable Town$5,626
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

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

Providence 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 taxes collected per resident, 2022
63San Luis Obispo$2,161
64Berkeley$2,115
65South San Francisco$2,111
66Providence$2,094
67Lafayette$2,094
68Bellevue$2,086
69Commerce City$2,076
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))

Providence ranks 79 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
76Concord$511
77Murray$509
78Richmond$508
79Providence$506
80San Jose$504
81Dearborn$501
82Detroit$500
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))

Providence ranks 127 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
124Aurora$4,202
125Dubuque$4,177
126Palm Desert$4,158
127Providence$4,092
128Sherman$4,076
129Edmond$4,064
130Hartford$4,029
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))

Providence ranks 53 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
50West New York96.0%
51Medford95.9%
52Chicopee95.9%
53Providence95.9%
54Hoboken95.8%
55Lawrence95.8%
56Brockton95.8%
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))

Providence ranks 33 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
30Las Vegas50.5%
31Malden49.2%
32Bayonne49.1%
33Providence49.0%
34Mount Prospect48.7%
35Albany48.2%
36Yonkers47.1%
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))

Providence ranks 37 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
34Pasadena$6,910
35Norfolk$6,898
36Harrisonburg$6,838
37Providence$6,786
38Newport News$6,757
39New Orleans$6,740
40Mountain View$6,699
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))

Providence ranks 58 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
55Ocala$6,701
56Fall River$6,611
57Worcester$6,531
58Providence$6,519
59New Orleans$6,502
60Mountain View$6,501
61Portsmouth$6,277
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

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

Providence ranks 75 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
72Haverhill$2,084
73Lynchburg$2,071
74Worcester$2,060
75Providence$2,059
76Inglewood$2,051
77Boulder$2,033
78Cleveland$2,024
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))

Providence ranks 64 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
61Daytona Beach$588
62Mesa$586
63Huntington Beach$585
64Providence$583
65Cambridge$582
66Cincinnati$580
67Boynton Beach$572
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))

Providence ranks 162 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
159Decatur$3,536
160Fall River$3,532
161Cincinnati$3,506
162Providence$3,483
163Oakland$3,481
164Clarksville$3,469
165Cape Coral$3,469
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))

Providence ranks 47 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
44Malden95.8%
45Livonia95.7%
46Warren95.7%
47Providence95.6%
48Hempstead95.6%
49Bridgeport95.6%
50Dearborn95.5%
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))

Providence ranks 27 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
24Kingsport52.7%
25Everett52.1%
26Waterbury52.1%
27Providence52.0%
28Albany51.9%
29Collierville51.9%
30Chicopee51.7%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

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Sources

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