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Government budget and revenue in Somerville, Massachusetts: official figures

Somerville's city government took in $449.34 million in total revenue in the fiscal year ended 30 June 2024, or $5,634 for each of its 79,762 residents (2024 figure in the finance file); per resident that is the 76th highest of 582 US cities of 50,000 or more with reported figures in the 2024 Census survey.

City government revenue per resident
$5,634
2024
City government spending per resident
$6,951
2024
City long-term debt per resident
$4,222
2024

How much does Somerville spend and on what?

It spent $554.39 million in the same year, $6,951 per resident, the 51st 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 (31.3%), sewerage (10.5%) and fire protection (5.5%) of the total.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How much tax does Somerville collect per resident?

Taxes raised $277.26 million ($3,476 per resident, the 14th highest of 582) in the fiscal year ended 30 June 2024, 64.4% 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 Somerville rely on?

Of Somerville's tax revenue in the fiscal year ended 30 June 2024, property tax made up 92.0%, selective sales taxes (on utilities, fuel, alcohol, tobacco, hotels and others) 2.2%. Across all US city governments in 2022, property tax made up 48.1% and general sales tax 19.8%; Somerville's property tax share is the 87th 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 Somerville get?

Payments from other governments made up 19.5% of Somerville's city government's general revenue in the fiscal year ended 30 June 2024: 4.2% from the federal government ($226 per resident), 15.3% from the state. For all US city governments in 2022 the aid share was 24.3%.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How much does Somerville raise from fees and utilities?

Fees and charges for services such as sewerage, trash, parks and airports brought in $52.83 million, 12.3% of general revenue (all US city governments in 2022: 20.0%). Revenue of government-owned utilities (water, electricity, gas or transit) added $18.71 million.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How much does Somerville spend on police?

Somerville's city government spent $24.23 million on police in the fiscal year ended 30 June 2024, $304 per resident (the 195th lowest of 582) and 4.4% 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 Somerville spend on fire protection?

Fire protection cost $30.76 million, $386 per resident, in the fiscal year ended 30 June 2024.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Does Somerville city government run the schools?

Somerville's city government also pays for public schools: elementary and secondary education took $173.34 million, 31.3% 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 Somerville have?

At the end of the fiscal year ended 30 June 2024, Somerville's city government owed $336.73 million in long-term debt, $4,222 per resident (the 121st highest of 582). During the year it issued $33.13 million of new long-term debt and repaid $14.51 million.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How much does Somerville pay in interest on its debt?

Interest on debt cost $15.38 million in the fiscal year ended 30 June 2024, 2.8% of total spending.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How has the Somerville city budget changed?

Between the Census survey years 2022 and 2024 (not adjusted for inflation), total revenue per resident rose 4.2% from $5,407 to $5,634, spending per resident rose 33.9% to $6,951, taxes per resident rose 16.5% to $3,476.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How Somerville 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))

Somerville ranks 69 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
66Framingham$5,580
67Fall River$5,538
68Waterbury$5,407
69Somerville$5,407
70Barnstable Town$5,397
71Pasadena$5,394
72New Haven$5,347
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))

Somerville ranks 87 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
84New Braunfels$5,228
85Lowell$5,218
86Tallahassee$5,208
87Somerville$5,191
88Jacksonville$5,156
89Redondo Beach$5,110
90Fayetteville$5,075
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

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

Somerville 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 taxes collected per resident, 2022
19Warwick$3,067
20Portland$3,019
21Everett$2,989
22Somerville$2,983
23Framingham$2,932
24Quincy$2,931
25Philadelphia$2,884
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))

Somerville ranks 616 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
613Delano$220
614Port Orange$219
615New Braunfels$218
616Somerville$217
617Plymouth$217
618Pflugerville$217
619Palmdale$217
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))

Somerville ranks 159 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
156Gilbert$3,708
157Springfield$3,694
158Richardson$3,672
159Somerville$3,662
160Gulfport$3,659
161Port St. Lucie$3,650
162Tulare$3,636
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))

Somerville ranks 124 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
121Lakeville87.2%
122Plymouth86.5%
123Billings85.9%
124Somerville85.7%
125Albany85.0%
126Rochester84.8%
127Anchorage84.0%
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))

Somerville ranks 142 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
139Plainfield31.5%
140Lake Havasu City31.5%
141Melbourne31.2%
142Somerville31.2%
143Iowa City31.1%
144Elgin30.8%
145Salem30.7%
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))

Somerville ranks 76 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
73Lynn$5,687
74Hampton$5,657
75Fall River$5,649
76Somerville$5,634
77Revere$5,587
78Chesapeake$5,556
79Cleveland$5,538
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))

Somerville ranks 51 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
48Norman$6,985
49Syracuse$6,966
50East Orange$6,958
51Somerville$6,951
52Suffolk$6,890
53Norwalk$6,854
54Lawrence$6,780
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

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

Somerville ranks 14 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
11Waltham$3,891
12Portland$3,630
13Mountain View$3,609
14Somerville$3,476
15Baton Rouge$3,371
16Richmond$3,365
17Philadelphia$3,338
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))

Somerville ranks 388 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
385Broken Arrow$306
386Warwick$306
387Athens$304
388Somerville$304
389Burnsville$303
390Midwest City$302
391Dubuque$302
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))

Somerville ranks 121 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
118San Diego$4,266
119Kissimmee$4,251
120Topeka$4,224
121Somerville$4,222
122West Palm Beach$4,219
123Norman$4,170
124Eau Claire$4,157
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))

Somerville ranks 87 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
84Everett92.6%
85Kalamazoo92.2%
86Minnetonka92.2%
87Somerville92.0%
88Missoula91.9%
89Blaine91.7%
90Southaven91.6%
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))

Somerville ranks 272 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
269Louisville/Jefferson County metro government19.6%
270Tuscaloosa19.5%
271Billings19.5%
272Somerville19.5%
273Fayetteville19.4%
274Mishawaka19.4%
275Stamford19.4%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

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Sources

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