County government · Boulder County, CO

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended December 31, 2023), Boulder County took in $530 million and spent $544 million.

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

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Where it comes from

County taxes58%Federal tax money23%Fines and other9.3%Fees for services (garbage collection, housing)6.8%State tax money2.2%Local tax money1.1%

What stands out

23%

of Boulder County's money comes from federal tax money.A typical U.S. county of 250,000+ people gets 4.5%.

County taxes58%

Property tax
45%$239 million
Sales tax
12%$63.3 million
Other taxes
0.5%$2.6 million
What's in other taxesOccupation and business licenses
  • Occupation and business licenses$2.6 million

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services6.8%

Fees for services
6.8%$35.9 million
What's in fees for servicesOther service charges; garbage collection and 3 more
  • Other service charges$25.1 million
  • Garbage collection$6.3 million
  • Housing$4.2 million
  • Road charges$199 thousand
  • Sewer$99 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money23%

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

From the federal government
23%$122 million

State tax money2.2%

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

From the state
2.2%$11.7 million

Local tax money1.1%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From other local governments
1.1%$6.0 million

Fines and other9.3%

Interest, rents and other
9.2%$48.8 million
Fines
0.1%$643 thousand

Where it goes

Running the government and other costs37%Police, fire, courts and jails18%Social services15%Housing and community development15%Roads, transit and parking7.2%All other spending8.5%

What stands out

15%

of Boulder County's spending goes to housing and community development.Most U.S. counties of 250,000+ people spend nothing on this.

Spending by category100%

Running the government and other costs
37%$200 million
What's in running the government and other costsCentral staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology); other and not broken out and 2 more
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$81.2 million
  • Other and not broken out$79.2 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$37.3 million
  • Government buildings$2.6 million
Police, fire, courts and jails
18%$98.5 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; courts and legal services and 1 more
  • Police$79.7 million
  • Courts and legal services$17.2 million
  • Fire protection$1.6 million
Social services
15%$80.9 million
What's in social servicesOther public welfare
  • Other public welfare$80.9 million
Housing and community development
15%$79.0 million
Roads, transit and parking
7.2%$39.1 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways
  • Roads and highways$39.1 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
3.5%$18.8 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation
  • Parks and recreation$18.8 million
Interest on debt
1.9%$10.3 million
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
1.6%$8.6 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesGarbage and solid waste and sewer systems
  • Garbage and solid waste$8.5 million
  • Sewer systems$136 thousand
Environment and natural resources
1.4%$7.6 million
What's in environment and natural resourcesNatural resources, farming and conservation
  • Natural resources, farming and conservation$7.6 million
Sent to other local governments
0.1%$726 thousand
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$726 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

Boulder 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 Boulder 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.