State government

Arkansas's money: where it comes from and where it goes

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended June 30, 2024), Arkansas took in $29.0 billion and spent $26.3 billion.

Latest recorded year: ended June 30, 2024Comes fromGoes to

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Where it comes from

State taxes44%Federal tax money38%Fees for services (hospital bills, college tuition)12%Fines and other6.7%

What stands out

5.2%

of Arkansas' money comes from property tax.Most state governments get none.

State taxes44%

Sales tax
18%$5.07 billion
Individual income tax
9.5%$2.76 billion
Other taxes
8.1%$2.35 billion
What's in other taxesMotor fuel taxes; insurance premium taxes and 16 more
  • Motor fuel taxes$618 million
  • Insurance premium taxes$409 million
  • Other selective sales taxes$329 million
  • Tobacco taxes$201 million
  • Motor vehicle licenses$193 million
  • Occupation and business licenses$128 million
  • Amusement taxes$103 million
  • Alcoholic beverage taxes$80.0 million
  • Other taxes not classified elsewhere$77.3 million
  • Real estate and stock transfer taxes$64.4 million
  • Corporation licenses$39.4 million
  • Severance taxes$36.4 million
  • Hunting and fishing licenses$34.3 million
  • Driver's licenses$19.2 million
  • Public utility licenses$9.4 million
  • Alcoholic beverage licenses$6.3 million
  • Other licenses$1.7 million
  • Amusement licenses$1.2 million

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Property tax
5.2%$1.52 billion
Business income tax
3.4%$972 million

Fees for services12%

Fees for services
12%$3.33 billion
What's in fees for servicesHospital bills; college tuition and 10 more
  • Hospital bills$1.46 billion
  • College tuition$1.14 billion
  • University housing and dining$371 million
  • Other service charges$286 million
  • Parks and recreation$44.0 million
  • Parks, land and natural resources$24.5 million
  • Road charges$7.3 million
  • Other education charges$1.4 million
  • Other school charges$202 thousand
  • Garbage collection$102 thousand
  • School lunches$58 thousand
  • Airport$30 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money38%

Grants from Washington, paid for by the federal taxes residents also pay.

From the federal government
38%$11.0 billion

Local tax money<0.1%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From local governments
<0.1%$13.3 million

Fines and other6.7%

Interest, rents and other
6.6%$1.91 billion
Fines
<0.1%$17.9 million

Where it goes

Social services33%Sent to local governments29%Schools and colleges15%Health and hospitals6.7%Roads, transit and parking6.6%All other spending9.2%

What stands out

29%

of Arkansas' spending goes to local governments.A typical state government spends 24%.

Spending by category100%

Social services
33%$8.78 billion
What's in social servicesOther public welfare; unemployment and social insurance offices and 2 more
  • Other public welfare$8.66 billion
  • Unemployment and social insurance offices$109 million
  • Welfare institutions$9.9 million
  • Veterans' services$3.0 million
Sent to local governments
29%$7.57 billion
What's in sent to local governmentsSent to school districts; sent to local governments: other and not broken out and 16 more
  • Sent to school districts$6.15 billion
  • Sent to local governments: other and not broken out$452 million
  • Sent to local governments: roads and highways$443 million
  • Sent to local governments: general support$354 million
  • Sent to local governments: sewer systems$80.8 million
  • Sent to local governments: housing and community development$21.1 million
  • Sent to local governments: natural resources, farming and conservation$18.1 million
  • Sent to local governments: airports$16.2 million
  • Sent to local governments: parks and recreation$7.9 million
  • Sent to local governments: police$7.1 million
  • Sent to local governments: libraries$5.6 million
  • Sent to local governments: courts and legal services$3.6 million
  • Sent to local governments: other government administration$2.5 million
  • Sent to local governments: public health$2.5 million
  • Sent to local governments: elementary and secondary schools$575 thousand
  • Sent to local governments: prisons and jails$291 thousand
  • Sent to the federal government$216 thousand
  • Sent to local governments: hospitals$122 thousand
Schools and colleges
15%$4.03 billion
What's in schools and collegesColleges and universities; scholarships and other education subsidies and 3 more
  • Colleges and universities$2.91 billion
  • Scholarships and other education subsidies$507 million
  • College housing, dining and bookstores$464 million
  • Other education$111 million
  • Elementary and secondary schools$43.2 million
Health and hospitals
6.7%$1.76 billion
What's in health and hospitalsHospitals and public health
  • Hospitals$1.55 billion
  • Public health$214 million
Roads, transit and parking
6.6%$1.72 billion
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways and airports
  • Roads and highways$1.72 billion
  • Airports$526 thousand
Police, fire, courts and jails
3.3%$865 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPrisons and jails; courts and legal services and 3 more
  • Prisons and jails$304 million
  • Courts and legal services$191 million
  • Police$144 million
  • Inspections and regulation$136 million
  • Probation, parole and other corrections$89.7 million
Running the government and other costs
3.2%$851 million
What's in running the government and other costsFinance, tax collection and budgeting; other and not broken out and 3 more
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$531 million
  • Other and not broken out$179 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$104 million
  • Other government administration$27.7 million
  • Government buildings$9.2 million
Environment and natural resources
1.3%$349 million
What's in environment and natural resourcesNatural resources, farming and conservation
  • Natural resources, farming and conservation$349 million
Interest on debt
0.9%$246 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
0.3%$81.5 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation and libraries
  • Parks and recreation$78.8 million
  • Libraries$2.6 million
Housing and community development
<0.1%$20.6 million
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
<0.1%$14.2 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesGarbage and solid waste and sewer systems
  • Garbage and solid waste$13.5 million
  • Sewer systems$684 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

State of Arkansas. U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, individual unit file, fiscal year ended June 30, 2024.

What this covers. The money of State of Arkansas 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.

Counties75 counties, A to Z
Cities and towns494 cities, towns and townships, A to Z
School districts245 school districts, A to Z