4.1 Urban Economy and Status of the Town

The town serves as zone administration, tourism and trade center. There are 132 manufacturing industries, 139 wholesales trade and three fuel stations in the town. There are also three banks and two micro finances institutions giving services. The average annual revenue of the municipality within the 2010-2012 periods was 15,666,666.6 Birr and the major sources of revenue were land lease, different taxes and service charges.

Aksum has economic linkages with the surrounding areas, Mekele, and Addis Ababa cities. The town gets grain products, livestock supply, natural resources (fuel wood, charcoal, and construction materials) and surplus labor from surrounding areas and agricultural input from Mekele as well as manufacturing and commercial products and some construction materials from Addis Ababa while the town serves as tourism and market center for other areas.

4.2 Social and Municipal Services

Social Services

Education

There are one government and ten  private kindergartens; ten government and four private primary schools; three government and one private secondary schools; one government preparatory school; one government TVET; two government and two private colleges and one university in the town.