Where Bellingham's money goes

A plain-English look at what your town spends, what you pay, and how it's changing.

$92.8 million a year
That's what Bellingham spent across all town services.
45¢ of every dollar goes to schools.
Schools $41.7 million
45%
public schools — teachers, buildings, buses
Employee pensions & benefits $23.9 million
26%
retirement and health insurance for town & school staff
Public safety $11.1 million
12%
police, fire, and ambulance
General government $4.9 million
5%
town hall, clerk, finance, elections
State & county assessments $4.4 million
5%
required payments to the state and county
Public works $3.9 million
4%
roads, snow plowing, trash, parks
Culture & recreation $1.2 million
1%
library, parks, recreation programs
Health & human services $1.1 million
1%
public health, senior & veterans services
Debt interest $522,000
1%
interest on money borrowed for buildings & projects
Source: Bellingham FY2024 audited financial statements (audited actuals, FY2024). Figures are rounded for readability.
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These figures come from official town and state documents, summarized for clarity. Always check the source for exact numbers. ← Back to the Bellingham digest