County government · Benton County, AR

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended December 31, 2023), Benton County took in $183 million and spent $180 million.

Latest recorded year: ended December 31, 2023Comes fromGoes to

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Where it comes from

County taxes78%State tax money7.7%Fines and other5.9%Federal tax money4.3%Fees for services (water)4.3%

What stands out

48%

of Benton County's money comes from sales tax.A typical U.S. county of 250,000+ people gets 2.7%.

County taxes78%

Sales tax
48%$88.1 million
Property tax
28%$51.5 million
Other taxes
1.4%$2.6 million
What's in other taxesPublic utility taxes
  • Public utility taxes$2.6 million

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services4.3%

Fees for services
4.3%$7.8 million
What's in fees for servicesOther service charges and water
  • Other service charges$7.0 million
  • Water$865 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money4.3%

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

From the federal government
4.3%$7.9 million

State tax money7.7%

Money the state passes on, paid for by the state taxes residents also pay.

From the state
7.7%$14.2 million

Local tax money<0.1%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From other local governments
<0.1%$48 thousand

Fines and other5.9%

Interest, rents and other
4.3%$7.9 million
Fines
1.6%$2.9 million

Where it goes

Sent to other local governments41%Police, fire, courts and jails28%Running the government and other costs18%Roads, transit and parking8.2%Health and hospitals3.7%All other spending1.1%

What stands out

41%

of Benton County's spending goes to local governments.Most U.S. counties of 250,000+ people spend nothing on this.

Spending by category100%

Sent to other local governments
41%$74.2 million
What's in sent to other local governmentsSent to local governments: other and not broken out
  • Sent to local governments: other and not broken out$74.2 million
Police, fire, courts and jails
28%$49.9 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; prisons and jails and 3 more
  • Police$20.7 million
  • Prisons and jails$20.2 million
  • Courts and legal services$5.5 million
  • Probation, parole and other corrections$3.0 million
  • Fire protection$692 thousand
Running the government and other costs
18%$32.5 million
What's in running the government and other costsOther and not broken out; central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology) and 2 more
  • Other and not broken out$19.7 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$5.1 million
  • Government buildings$4.0 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$3.7 million
Roads, transit and parking
8.2%$14.9 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways
  • Roads and highways$14.9 million
Health and hospitals
3.7%$6.6 million
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$6.6 million
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
0.8%$1.4 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesWater supply and garbage and solid waste
  • Water supply$709 thousand
  • Garbage and solid waste$663 thousand
Social services
0.3%$488 thousand
What's in social servicesOther public welfare
  • Other public welfare$488 thousand
Environment and natural resources
<0.1%$102 thousand
What's in environment and natural resourcesNatural resources, farming and conservation
  • Natural resources, farming and conservation$102 thousand
Interest on debt
<0.1%$74 thousand
What's in interest on debtInterest on water supply debt and interest on general debt
  • Interest on water supply debt$51 thousand
  • Interest on general debt$23 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

Benton County. U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, individual unit file, fiscal year ended December 31, 2023.

What this covers. The money of Benton 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.