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Government budget and revenue in Virginia Beach, Virginia: official figures

Virginia Beach's city government took in $2.4 billion in total revenue in the fiscal year ended 30 June 2024, or $5,188 for each of its 455,618 residents (2024 figure in the finance file); per resident that is the 93rd highest of 582 US cities of 50,000 or more with reported figures in the 2024 Census survey.

City government revenue per resident
$5,188
2024
City government spending per resident
$5,746
2024
City long-term debt per resident
$3,759
2024

How much does Virginia Beach spend and on what?

It spent $2.6 billion in the same year, $5,746 per resident, the 85th 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 (42.0%), roads and highways (6.0%) and police (5.2%) of the total.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How much tax does Virginia Beach collect per resident?

Taxes raised $1.3 billion ($2,822 per resident, the 27th highest of 582) in the fiscal year ended 30 June 2024, 56.1% 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 Virginia Beach rely on?

Of Virginia Beach's tax revenue in the fiscal year ended 30 June 2024, property tax made up 70.2%, general sales tax 7.2%, selective sales taxes (on utilities, fuel, alcohol, tobacco, hotels and others) 15.8%. Across all US city governments in 2022, property tax made up 48.1% and general sales tax 19.8%; Virginia Beach's property tax share is the 170th 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 Virginia Beach get?

Payments from other governments made up 28.8% of Virginia Beach's city government's general revenue in the fiscal year ended 30 June 2024: 1.8% from the federal government ($89 per resident), 26.0% from the state and 1.0% 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 Virginia Beach raise from fees and utilities?

Fees and charges for services such as sewerage, trash, parks and airports brought in $245.23 million, 10.7% of general revenue (all US city governments in 2022: 20.0%). Revenue of government-owned utilities (water, electricity, gas or transit) added $72.91 million.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How much does Virginia Beach spend on police?

Virginia Beach's city government spent $137.03 million on police in the fiscal year ended 30 June 2024, $301 per resident (the 189th lowest of 582) and 5.2% 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 Virginia Beach spend on fire protection?

Fire protection cost $111.50 million, $245 per resident, in the fiscal year ended 30 June 2024.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Does Virginia Beach city government run the schools?

Virginia Beach's city government also pays for public schools: elementary and secondary education took $1.1 billion, 42.0% 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 Virginia Beach have?

At the end of the fiscal year ended 30 June 2024, Virginia Beach's city government owed $1.7 billion in long-term debt, $3,759 per resident (the 145th highest of 582). During the year it issued $398.15 million of new long-term debt and repaid $111.34 million.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How much does Virginia Beach pay in interest on its debt?

Interest on debt cost $30.95 million in the fiscal year ended 30 June 2024, 1.2% of total spending.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How has the Virginia Beach city budget changed?

Between the Census survey years 2022 and 2024 (not adjusted for inflation), total revenue per resident rose 9.0% from $4,759 to $5,188, spending per resident rose 16.8% to $5,746, taxes per resident rose 11.5% to $2,822.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How Virginia Beach 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))

Virginia Beach ranks 92 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
89Decatur$4,849
90Warwick$4,804
91Berkeley$4,782
92Virginia Beach$4,759
93Hampton$4,699
94Chesapeake$4,688
95Jacksonville$4,684
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))

Virginia Beach ranks 96 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
93Fall River$4,987
94West New York$4,967
95Nashua$4,926
96Virginia Beach$4,920
97Chesapeake$4,917
98Bayonne$4,908
99Warwick$4,893
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

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

Virginia Beach ranks 35 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
32Yonkers$2,574
33Newport Beach$2,545
34Anchorage$2,542
35Virginia Beach$2,531
36Hartford$2,501
37Waterbury$2,486
38Oakland$2,431
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))

Virginia Beach ranks 521 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
518Boise City$258
519Rapid City$258
520Logan$257
521Virginia Beach$257
522Kokomo$256
523Columbus$256
524St. Peters$255
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))

Virginia Beach ranks 198 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
195Pomona$3,260
196Chicopee$3,254
197Tulsa$3,238
198Virginia Beach$3,225
199San Luis Obispo$3,196
200Ames$3,183
201Longmont$3,178
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))

Virginia Beach ranks 196 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
193Wylie68.3%
194Coconut Creek68.2%
195Pompano Beach68.0%
196Virginia Beach67.8%
197Encinitas67.7%
198Ocala67.6%
199St. Petersburg67.6%
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))

Virginia Beach ranks 131 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
128Appleton32.3%
129St. Paul32.3%
130Noblesville32.3%
131Virginia Beach32.2%
132Lauderhill32.0%
133Wyoming31.9%
134Fayetteville31.9%
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))

Virginia Beach ranks 93 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
90Pensacola$5,308
91Newport Beach$5,205
92Detroit$5,193
93Virginia Beach$5,188
94Quincy$5,174
95Denton$5,149
96Redding$5,145
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))

Virginia Beach 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 government total spending per resident, 2024
82Chicago$5,825
83Hampton$5,824
84Warwick$5,747
85Virginia Beach$5,746
86Manchester$5,728
87Huntsville$5,680
88Marietta$5,643
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

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

Virginia Beach 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.

RankCityCity taxes collected per resident, 2024
24Warwick$2,996
25Grapevine$2,911
26Newport Beach$2,882
27Virginia Beach$2,822
28Birmingham$2,814
29Suffolk$2,789
30Nashua$2,777
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))

Virginia Beach ranks 394 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
391Dubuque$302
392Corpus Christi$301
393Wichita$301
394Virginia Beach$301
395Bend$301
396Conroe$301
397Raleigh$300
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))

Virginia Beach ranks 145 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
142Appleton$3,788
143Laredo$3,764
144Newton$3,763
145Virginia Beach$3,759
146Des Plaines$3,731
147Broken Arrow$3,711
148Taunton$3,701
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))

Virginia Beach ranks 170 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
167Palatine70.8%
168Mooresville70.7%
169Smyrna70.5%
170Virginia Beach70.2%
171Bloomington70.1%
172Kingsport69.9%
173Kannapolis69.9%
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))

Virginia Beach ranks 154 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
151Kenosha29.1%
152Grand Forks28.9%
153Redding28.8%
154Virginia Beach28.8%
155Alpharetta28.5%
156Pittsburg28.4%
157Weymouth Town28.4%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

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Sources

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