County government · Houston County, AL

Houston County's money: where it comes from and where it goes

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended September 30, 2023), Houston County took in $62.0 million and spent $56.8 million.

Latest recorded year: ended September 30, 2023Comes fromGoes to

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Where it comes from

County taxes58%Local tax money19%Fees for services (water)16%Fines and other6.8%

What stands out

19%

of Houston County's money comes from county and other local tax money.A typical U.S. county of 50,000 to 250,000 people gets 1.1%.

County taxes58%

Property tax
33%$20.5 million
Sales tax
24%$15.0 million
Other taxes
0.4%$274 thousand
What's in other taxesOccupation and business licenses
  • Occupation and business licenses$274 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services16%

Fees for services
16%$10.2 million
What's in fees for servicesWater
  • Water$10.2 million

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Local tax money19%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From other local governments
19%$11.8 million

Fines and other6.8%

Interest, rents and other
6.8%$4.2 million

Where it goes

Police, fire, courts and jails36%Roads, transit and parking28%Running the government and other costs23%Water, sewer, trash and utilities8.0%Health and hospitals1.8%All other spending2.7%

What stands out

28%

of Houston County's spending goes to roads, transit and parking.A typical U.S. county of 50,000 to 250,000 people spends 8.9%.

Spending by category100%

Police, fire, courts and jails
36%$20.5 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; prisons and jails and 3 more
  • Police$9.8 million
  • Prisons and jails$6.4 million
  • Courts and legal services$2.1 million
  • Probation, parole and other corrections$1.8 million
  • Fire protection$350 thousand
Roads, transit and parking
28%$16.0 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways
  • Roads and highways$16.0 million
Running the government and other costs
23%$13.2 million
What's in running the government and other costsOther and not broken out; government buildings and 2 more
  • Other and not broken out$6.5 million
  • Government buildings$4.5 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$1.4 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$728 thousand
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
8.0%$4.6 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesGarbage and solid waste
  • Garbage and solid waste$4.6 million
Health and hospitals
1.8%$1.1 million
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$1.1 million
Interest on debt
1.2%$708 thousand
Social services
0.8%$455 thousand
What's in social servicesWelfare institutions
  • Welfare institutions$455 thousand
Parks, recreation and libraries
0.7%$385 thousand
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation
  • Parks and recreation$385 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

Houston County. U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, individual unit file, fiscal year ended September 30, 2023.

What this covers. The money of Houston County itself. Other governments that serve the same area (the city, county, school district and state) are separate and not included. Borrowing, transfers between a government's own funds, and pension trust funds are not counted as revenue.