Photo: Ken Lund from Las Vegas, Nevada, USA · CC BY-SA 2.0Petersburg spent less per resident in 2022 than 100% of similar cities
Petersburg’s city government spent $72.7 million on day-to-day services in the year to June 30, 2024, about $2,177 per resident.
What stands out about how Petersburg is run
Read from the city’s budget, meetings and official records.
$2,075 per resident in 2022: less than 100% of them
Petersburg’s day-to-day spending in 2022 ($2,075 per resident, hospital and utilities left out) against 20 Virginia cities of 25,000–49,999 that run their own schools: the median was $4,818, and the middle half spent $4,208–$5,661. Petersburg spent less than 100% of them.
Later years come from a Census sample, so the comparison stays on 2022. How Town Hall compares budgets →
Virginia cities of 25,000–49,999 that run their own schools, 2022 Census of Governments (every government counted that year; Petersburg itself left out).
About $2,177 per resident a year, or $5.96 a day
Schools are part of the city’s budget, so they lead the receipt: 100% of day-to-day spending.
Thank you for being a neighbor
Petersburg runs its own schools, so school spending is part of this budget. Comparisons are with Virginia cities of 25,000–49,999 that run their own schools.
Day-to-day spending is up 15% since 2022
Day-to-day services, in dollars, in the years Petersburg reported to the Census Bureau. Prices rose too: about 4% a year in 2022–2024.
Day-to-day spending by fiscal year
Per resident: 2022: $2,075 · 2023: $2,107 · 2024: $2,177. Per resident it went from $2,075 to $2,177 (up 5%), partly because the Census population behind it changed from 30,446 to 33,394.
full-time in March 2025, up from 1,279 in 2022.
Building projects, interest and enterprises (hospital, utilities) are left out, so a big construction year doesn’t read as growth.
The typical homeowner pays $1,523 a year
Every local property tax on the home: town, schools and county. About 0.81% of the home’s value, vs 0.73% across Virginia.
Typical yearly bill next door and statewide
The Housing page’s calculator splits a monthly payment into loan, tax and insurance at Petersburg’s rate.
Can I afford it? →The median bill homeowners report to the Census survey (bills of $10,000+ are reported as “$10,000+”). The effective rate is that bill ÷ the median home value: a rough guide, not the official tax rate.
Tax bills are one input to Petersburg’s Cost of living grade. Cost of living in Petersburg →
Recent meetings
From Petersburg’s own agenda portal, checked daily. Agendas can change up to the meeting, so check before you go.
No upcoming meetings are posted yet.
Recent meetings
- Nov4City CouncilWednesday · 5:00 pm · Petersburg Public Library, 201 West Washington StreetCity Council Work Session MeetingAgenda ↗Meeting page ↗
- Nov4City CouncilWednesday · 4:30 pm · Petersburg Public Library, 201 West Washington StreetCity Council Special MeetingAgenda ↗Meeting page ↗
- Nov4City CouncilWednesday · 2:00 pm · Petersburg Public Library, 201 West Washington StreetCity Council Closed Session MeetingAgenda ↗Meeting page ↗
- Oct20City CouncilTuesday · 5:00 pm · Petersburg Public LibraryCity Council MeetingAgenda ↗Meeting page ↗
- Oct6City CouncilTuesday · 5:00 pm · Petersburg Public Library, 201 West Washington StreetCity Council MeetingAgenda ↗Minutes ↗Meeting page ↗
- Sep15City CouncilTuesday · 5:00 pm · 135 North Union Street, 2nd FloorCity Council MeetingAgenda ↗Minutes ↗Meeting page ↗
- Sep15City CouncilTuesday · 3:00 pm · Petersburg Public Library, 201 West Washington StreetCity Council Closed Session Meeting-CancelledAgenda ↗Meeting page ↗
- Sep1City CouncilTuesday · 5:00 pm · Petersburg Public Library, 201 West Washington StreetCity Council MeetingAgenda ↗Minutes ↗Meeting page ↗
Most meetings are open to the public, and many have a public comment period at the start.
Agenda portal ↗Who’s in charge in Petersburg
Names change after every election, so we link to the source that keeps them current.
One full-time city employee for every 25 residents
On the payroll in March 2025, from the Census Bureau’s Annual Survey of Public Employment & Payroll. Residents: the Census population in the 2024 finance file (33,394).
By department full-time, plus part-time, March 2025
The Census reports one month’s payroll (March); yearly figures are that month × 12, an estimate. Part-timers count half in the bar lengths.
Petersburg City Public Schools
Petersburg’s K–12 school district. The schools are run by Petersburg, so this money is part of the budget above.
Of the $16,274 per pupil, $8,688 goes to the classroom (teachers, aides, supplies); the rest to buses, buildings, counselors and administration. Building projects and debt payments aren’t in the per-pupil figure.
Virginia districts overall: 49% local, 41% state, 10% federal.
School year 2023–24. Census Bureau school finance survey.
How Petersburg voted in 2024
Official results for Petersburg’s own voters, as certified after the November 5, 2024 general election, with the county and the state beside them.
Kamala D HarrisDemocrat85.5%11,219 votes
Donald J TrumpRepublican13.0%1,702 votesOthers: 1.5% (198 votes).
Most votes in Petersburg: Kamala D Harris
Petersburg city: Harris 85.5%, Trump 13.0% · Virginia: Harris 51.8%, Trump 46.1%
of Petersburg’s 24,860 adult citizens voted for president in 2024. Across Virginia: 71%.
Votes ÷ citizens of voting age (Census CVAP, 2020–24 ACS).
Most votes in Petersburg: Timothy M Kaine
Petersburg city: Kaine 87.5%, Cao 12.3% · Virginia: Kaine 54.4%, Cao 45.4%
Most votes in the district: Jennifer L McClellan
Whole-district result
President, 2024: Petersburg, its county and the state
| Harris | Trump | Others | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Petersburg | 85.5% | 13.0% | 1.5% | 13,119 |
| Petersburg city | 85.5% | 13.0% | 1.5% | 13,119 |
| Virginia | 51.8% | 46.1% | 2.1% | 4,503,288 |
Official 2024 general election returns, as certified (MIT Election Data + Science Lab). Percentages are of votes for candidates; blank and spoiled ballots aren’t counted. Candidates are listed by votes, and party colors are neutral on purpose.
Portraits: Kamala D Harris: official vice-presidential portrait, Lawrence Jackson, The White House, 2021; Donald J Trump: official portrait, Shealah Craighead, The White House, 2017. All are U.S. government works in the public domain. A race shows photos only when every candidate has an official portrait; otherwise every candidate in it gets initials.
From town hall to Washington
Every level of government that speaks for Petersburg.
- 1Your cityMayor & councilOfficials: petersburg-va.org ↗
- 2Virginia House of DelegatesState representatives
- 3Virginia SenateState senator
- 4GovernorStatewide
- 5U.S. HouseYour representative in Congress
- 6U.S. SenateBoth represent all of Virginia
Democrat · Republican · other or independent. Tap a name for their official page.
How Petersburg compares with the towns next door
Petersburg spent $2,075 per resident in 2022; the neighbor that reported 2022 spent $4,870. Towns that run more services spend more. Tap a town to see its page.
| Town | Day-to-day, per resident (2022) | Tax bill |
|---|---|---|
| Colonial Heights | $4,870 runs schools | $2,071 |
| Petersburg | $2,075 | $1,523 |
Day-to-day spending in 2022, the last year every government was counted, for governments that reported it; hospital and utilities left out. Tax bill: the typical homeowner’s bill (Census ACS, 2020–24).
Reach Petersburg’s government
The official site has phone numbers, hours and forms. Neighbors add the rest to the Handbook.
Questions about Petersburg’s government
How much does Petersburg spend per resident?
About $2,177 per resident on day-to-day services in the year to June 30, 2024, as reported to the Census Bureau. In 2022, the last full count, its $2,075 was less than 100% of 20 Virginia cities of 25,000–49,999 that run their own schools.
What is the property tax rate in Petersburg?
Homeowners report a typical bill of $1,523 a year (Census ACS, 2020–24), about 0.81% of the typical home’s value, vs 0.73% across Virginia. For the official rate per $1,000 of assessed value, see petersburg-va.org.
Who runs Petersburg’s government?
See petersburg-va.org for current officials. We name an official only when a public source lists a current term, and none does for Petersburg yet.
How did Petersburg vote in 2024?
For president, Kamala D Harris 85.5%, Donald J Trump 13.0% (13,119 votes, official results). Petersburg city: Harris 85.5%, Trump 13.0%. Virginia: Harris 51.8%, Trump 46.1%.
How many people work for Petersburg?
1,323 full-time and 231 part-time employees in March 2025, with a March payroll of $7.3M (about $87.8M a year if every month were the same), as reported to the Census Bureau.
Who represents Petersburg in the state legislature?
State Senate District 13 (Lashrecse Aird) and House of Delegates District 82 (Kim Adams). The House of Delegates district also covers three neighboring towns. Listed by Open States; districts from the Census Bureau.
Ask neighbors about Petersburg’s government
Neighbors who’ve been to the meetings can help.
Budget and staff: U.S. Census Bureau, Census of Governments (2022, every government) and Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances (2023–24, a sample) and the Annual Survey of Public Employment & Payroll; day-to-day spending is current operations, with hospitals, utilities and airports apart. School district: Census school finance survey, 2023–24. Property tax: Census American Community Survey, 2020–24. Elections: official 2024 returns via the MIT Election Data + Science Lab; turnout uses Census citizen voting-age population (CVAP, 2020–24). Officials: Open States, names shown only with a current term (checked October 9, 2026). Districts: Census Bureau (119th Congress, 2024 state districts); legislators: Open States and congress-legislators. How Town Hall works →