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Government budget and revenue in Waterbury, Connecticut: official figures

Waterbury's city government took in $616.52 million in total revenue in the fiscal year ended 30 June 2024, or $5,360 for each of its 115,016 residents (2024 figure in the finance file); per resident that is the 86th highest of 582 US cities of 50,000 or more with reported figures in the 2024 Census survey.

City government revenue per resident
$5,360
2024
City government spending per resident
$7,252
2024
City long-term debt per resident
$3,690
2024

How much does Waterbury spend and on what?

It spent $834.12 million in the same year, $7,252 per resident, the 42nd 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 (54.6%), police (5.4%) and financial administration (3.3%) of the total.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How much tax does Waterbury collect per resident?

Taxes raised $254.89 million ($2,216 per resident, the 63rd highest of 582) in the fiscal year ended 30 June 2024, 42.4% 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 Waterbury rely on?

Of Waterbury's tax revenue in the fiscal year ended 30 June 2024, property tax made up 98.6%. Across all US city governments in 2022, property tax made up 48.1% and general sales tax 19.8%; Waterbury's property tax share is the 13th 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 Waterbury get?

Payments from other governments made up 52.1% of Waterbury's city government's general revenue in the fiscal year ended 30 June 2024: 0.6% from the federal government ($32 per resident), 51.4% 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 Waterbury raise from fees and utilities?

Fees and charges for services such as sewerage, trash, parks and airports brought in $24.95 million, 4.2% of general revenue (all US city governments in 2022: 20.0%). Revenue of government-owned utilities (water, electricity, gas or transit) added $15.38 million.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How much does Waterbury spend on police?

Waterbury's city government spent $44.73 million on police in the fiscal year ended 30 June 2024, $389 per resident (the 235th highest of 582) and 5.4% 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 Waterbury spend on fire protection?

Fire protection cost $24.34 million, $212 per resident, in the fiscal year ended 30 June 2024.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Does Waterbury city government run the schools?

Waterbury's city government also pays for public schools: elementary and secondary education took $455.45 million, 54.6% 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 Waterbury have?

At the end of the fiscal year ended 30 June 2024, Waterbury's city government owed $424.41 million in long-term debt, $3,690 per resident (the 149th highest of 582). During the year it issued no new long-term debt and repaid $31.44 million.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How much does Waterbury pay in interest on its debt?

Interest on debt cost $21.26 million in the fiscal year ended 30 June 2024, 2.5% of total spending.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How has the Waterbury city budget changed?

Between the Census survey years 2022 and 2024 (not adjusted for inflation), total revenue per resident fell 0.9% from $5,407 to $5,360, spending per resident rose 9.6% to $7,252, taxes per resident fell 10.9% to $2,216.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How Waterbury 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))

Waterbury ranks 68 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
65Peabody$5,605
66Framingham$5,580
67Fall River$5,538
68Waterbury$5,407
69Somerville$5,407
70Barnstable Town$5,397
71Pasadena$5,394
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))

Waterbury ranks 31 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
28Trenton$6,762
29Philadelphia$6,714
30Anchorage$6,665
31Waterbury$6,620
32Watsonville$6,617
33Lansing$6,600
34Buffalo$6,591
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

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

Waterbury 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 taxes collected per resident, 2022
34Anchorage$2,542
35Virginia Beach$2,531
36Hartford$2,501
37Waterbury$2,486
38Oakland$2,431
39Peabody$2,429
40White Plains$2,427
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))

Waterbury ranks 239 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
236Palm Desert$372
237North Little Rock$372
238Roseville$372
239Waterbury$372
240Westminster$372
241Arcadia$372
242Buffalo$371
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))

Waterbury 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 long-term debt outstanding per resident, end of fiscal 2022
32Birmingham$7,692
33Norfolk$7,596
34Urban Honolulu$7,572
35Waterbury$7,529
36Kansas City$7,490
37Long Beach$7,439
38Baltimore$7,428
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))

Waterbury ranks 18 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
15Nashua98.3%
16South Bend98.2%
17Hartford98.0%
18Waterbury97.9%
19East Orange97.8%
20Terre Haute97.8%
21Idaho Falls97.8%
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))

Waterbury ranks 42 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
39Haverhill46.0%
40Everett45.9%
41Franklin45.6%
42Waterbury45.4%
43Macon-Bibb County45.4%
44Bridgeport45.3%
45Racine45.0%
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))

Waterbury ranks 86 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
83Kansas City$5,437
84Chicago$5,400
85Bridgeport$5,367
86Waterbury$5,360
87Worcester$5,339
88Bryan$5,326
89Jacksonville$5,318
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))

Waterbury 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 government total spending per resident, 2024
39Lynn$7,427
40Buffalo$7,406
41Yonkers$7,355
42Waterbury$7,252
43Harrisonburg$7,247
44Chicopee$7,180
45Portland$7,179
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

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

Waterbury ranks 63 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
60Revere$2,241
61San Luis Obispo$2,240
62Pasadena$2,235
63Waterbury$2,216
64Atlanta$2,198
65Portsmouth$2,163
66Mobile$2,146
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))

Waterbury ranks 235 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
232Greenville$391
233Kent$391
234Lake Havasu City$390
235Waterbury$389
236Gary$389
237Bayonne$387
238Fontana$387
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))

Waterbury ranks 149 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
146Des Plaines$3,731
147Broken Arrow$3,711
148Taunton$3,701
149Waterbury$3,690
150Normal$3,690
151Dubuque$3,676
152Mesa$3,641
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))

Waterbury ranks 13 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
10Elkhart98.8%
11Bayonne98.7%
12Norwalk98.7%
13Waterbury98.6%
14Nashua98.4%
15Terre Haute97.9%
16Cranston97.8%
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))

Waterbury ranks 26 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
23Cheyenne52.8%
24Kingsport52.7%
25Everett52.1%
26Waterbury52.1%
27Providence52.0%
28Albany51.9%
29Collierville51.9%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

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Sources

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