City spending, 2018-2020

Does your city spend more or less than other cities? And on what?

We looked at three major spending categories for each of Clayton County’s municipalities between 2018 and 2020, using data from the University of Georgia’s Carl Vinson Institute. (Those are the most recent years for which data is available, and they fall within the most recent completed mayoral terms.)

While each city has its own needs and priorities, these figures do offer a point of comparison: the statewide average for what other Georgia cities spent.

The Urban Institute notes that local governments (cities and counties) are in charge of disbursing federal funds, which is why they appear to spend more than state governments at first glance.

Here’s a city-by-city look:

Forest Park

Morrow

Riverdale

Lake City

Jonesboro

Lovejoy