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Government budget and revenue in Waterloo, Iowa: official figures

Waterloo's city government took in $183.85 million in total revenue in the fiscal year ended 30 June 2024, or $2,762 for each of its 66,562 residents (2024 figure in the finance file); per resident that is the 277th lowest of 582 US cities of 50,000 or more with reported figures in the 2024 Census survey.

City government revenue per resident
$2,762
2024
City government spending per resident
$3,228
2024
City long-term debt per resident
$2,735
2024

How much does Waterloo spend and on what?

It spent $214.89 million in the same year, $3,228 per resident, the 215th highest of 582 US cities of 50,000 or more with reported figures in the 2024 Census survey. The largest identified functions were roads and highways (11.0%), police (10.5%) and sewerage (8.6%) of the total.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How much tax does Waterloo collect per resident?

Taxes raised $83.26 million ($1,251 per resident, the 216th highest of 582) in the fiscal year ended 30 June 2024, 48.4% 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 Waterloo rely on?

Of Waterloo's tax revenue in the fiscal year ended 30 June 2024, property tax made up 70.9%, general sales tax 16.6%, selective sales taxes (on utilities, fuel, alcohol, tobacco, hotels and others) 10.5%. Across all US city governments in 2022, property tax made up 48.1% and general sales tax 19.8%; Waterloo's property tax share is the 166th 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 Waterloo get?

Payments from other governments made up 19.8% of Waterloo's city government's general revenue in the fiscal year ended 30 June 2024: 9.8% from the federal government ($254 per resident), 9.8% 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 Waterloo raise from fees and utilities?

Fees and charges for services such as sewerage, trash, parks and airports brought in $37.98 million, 22.1% of general revenue (all US city governments in 2022: 20.0%). Revenue of government-owned utilities (water, electricity, gas or transit) added $11.79 million.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How much does Waterloo spend on police?

Waterloo's city government spent $22.55 million on police in the fiscal year ended 30 June 2024, $339 per resident (the 258th lowest of 582) and 10.5% 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 Waterloo spend on fire protection?

Fire protection cost $14.20 million, $213 per resident, in the fiscal year ended 30 June 2024.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How much debt does Waterloo have?

At the end of the fiscal year ended 30 June 2024, Waterloo's city government owed $182.07 million in long-term debt, $2,735 per resident (the 230th highest of 582). During the year it issued $44.78 million of new long-term debt and repaid $18.85 million.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How much does Waterloo pay in interest on its debt?

Interest on debt cost $3.95 million in the fiscal year ended 30 June 2024, 1.8% of total spending.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How has the Waterloo city budget changed?

Between the Census survey years 2022 and 2024 (not adjusted for inflation), total revenue per resident rose 2.4% from $2,698 to $2,762, spending per resident rose 12.1% to $3,228, taxes per resident rose 7.7% to $1,251.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How Waterloo 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))

Waterloo ranks 286 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
283Lafayette$2,713
284Dearborn$2,702
285Carmel$2,700
286Waterloo$2,698
287Lancaster$2,698
288Lenexa$2,697
289Las Cruces$2,697
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))

Waterloo ranks 244 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
241Westland$2,886
242Gastonia$2,882
243Columbia$2,881
244Waterloo$2,881
245Kalamazoo$2,861
246Brownsville$2,825
247Cincinnati$2,823
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

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

Waterloo ranks 246 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
243Dearborn$1,171
244Amarillo$1,168
245Mount Pleasant$1,166
246Waterloo$1,161
247San Buenaventura (Ventura)$1,160
248Compton$1,158
249Paterson$1,158
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))

Waterloo ranks 413 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
410Simi Valley$300
411Tulare$299
412St. Cloud$298
413Waterloo$298
414Coeur d'Alene$298
415Santee$298
416Huntington Park$297
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))

Waterloo ranks 304 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
301Grand Junction$2,369
302Albuquerque$2,365
303Everett$2,364
304Waterloo$2,352
305Doral$2,350
306Racine$2,346
307Conway$2,343
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))

Waterloo ranks 188 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
185Garland69.5%
186Jeffersonville69.1%
187Ames69.0%
188Waterloo68.9%
189Salem68.9%
190Bowie68.6%
191Smyrna68.6%
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))

Waterloo ranks 167 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
164Prescott Valley28.9%
165Fort Smith28.8%
166Savannah28.7%
167Waterloo28.7%
168Rogers28.5%
169Smyrna28.5%
170San Ramon28.5%
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))

Waterloo ranks 306 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
303Corpus Christi$2,770
304Fresno$2,769
305Raleigh$2,767
306Waterloo$2,762
307Council Bluffs$2,759
308Thornton$2,758
309Bloomington$2,758
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))

Waterloo ranks 215 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
212Riverside$3,278
213Asheville$3,258
214Jonesboro$3,242
215Waterloo$3,228
216Bowling Green$3,220
217Colton$3,215
218Edina$3,212
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

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

Waterloo ranks 216 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
213Joplin$1,258
214Chattanooga$1,257
215Charlotte$1,254
216Waterloo$1,251
217Oxnard$1,250
218Sacramento$1,248
219Burleson$1,237
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))

Waterloo ranks 325 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
322Rancho Cucamonga$342
323La Habra$341
324Sanford$340
325Waterloo$339
326Hampton$339
327New Haven$339
328Montgomery$339
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))

Waterloo ranks 230 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
227Leander$2,755
228Palatine$2,751
229Berkeley$2,738
230Waterloo$2,735
231Wilmington$2,719
232Bismarck$2,718
233Greenville$2,716
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))

Waterloo ranks 166 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
163Miami71.5%
164Rochester71.3%
165Minneapolis71.0%
166Waterloo70.9%
167Palatine70.8%
168Mooresville70.7%
169Smyrna70.5%
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))

Waterloo ranks 267 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
264Cedar Rapids20.0%
265Cambridge20.0%
266Santa Clarita19.8%
267Waterloo19.8%
268Lynwood19.8%
269Louisville/Jefferson County metro government19.6%
270Tuscaloosa19.5%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

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Sources

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