Where Chelmsford's money goes

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

$184.1 million a year
That's what Chelmsford spent across all town services.
47¢ of every dollar goes to schools.
Schools $87.1 million
47%
public schools — teachers, buildings, buses
Employee pensions & benefits $41.1 million
22%
retirement and health insurance for town & school staff
Public safety $17.8 million
10%
police, fire, and ambulance
General government $14.0 million
8%
town hall, clerk, finance, elections
Public works $13.5 million
7%
roads, snow plowing, trash, parks
Health & human services $3.9 million
2%
public health, senior & veterans services
Culture & recreation $2.6 million
1%
library, parks, recreation programs
State & county assessments $2.3 million
1%
required payments to the state and county
Debt interest $1.9 million
1%
interest on money borrowed for buildings & projects
Source: Chelmsford 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 Chelmsford digest