County government · Otero County, CO

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended December 31, 2023), Otero County took in $27.7 million and spent $25.7 million.

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

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Where it comes from

State tax money36%County taxes26%Fines and other14%Local tax money14%Federal tax money6.1%Fees for services4.3%

What stands out

14%

of Otero County's money comes from county and other local tax money.Most U.S. counties of under 50,000 people get none.

County taxes26%

Property tax
13%$3.7 million
Sales tax
9.6%$2.7 million
Other taxes
3.0%$842 thousand
What's in other taxesMotor vehicle licenses; occupation and business licenses and 1 more
  • Motor vehicle licenses$816 thousand
  • Occupation and business licenses$21 thousand
  • Other licenses$5 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services4.3%

Fees for services
4.3%$1.2 million
What's in fees for servicesOther government-run businesses and other service charges
  • Other government-run businesses$808 thousand
  • Other service charges$375 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money6.1%

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

From the federal government
6.1%$1.7 million

State tax money36%

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

From the state
36%$9.9 million

Local tax money14%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From other local governments
14%$3.8 million

Fines and other14%

Interest, rents and other
14%$3.9 million
Fines
<0.1%$2 thousand

Where it goes

Social services25%Running the government and other costs18%Police, fire, courts and jails18%Health and hospitals17%Roads, transit and parking9.3%All other spending13%

What stands out

25%

of Otero County's spending goes to social services.Most U.S. counties of under 50,000 people spend nothing on this.

Spending by category100%

Social services
25%$6.5 million
What's in social servicesOther public welfare and welfare institutions
  • Other public welfare$6.1 million
  • Welfare institutions$371 thousand
Running the government and other costs
18%$4.6 million
What's in running the government and other costsCentral staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology); finance, tax collection and budgeting and 3 more
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$1.5 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$1.2 million
  • Other and not broken out$969 thousand
  • Government buildings$475 thousand
  • Other government-run businesses$444 thousand
Police, fire, courts and jails
18%$4.6 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPrisons and jails; police and 2 more
  • Prisons and jails$2.1 million
  • Police$1.5 million
  • Courts and legal services$903 thousand
  • Fire protection$4 thousand
Health and hospitals
17%$4.3 million
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$4.3 million
Roads, transit and parking
9.3%$2.4 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways
  • Roads and highways$2.4 million
Sent to other local governments
7.4%$1.9 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$1.9 million
Interest on debt
2.9%$748 thousand
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
1.9%$497 thousand
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesGarbage and solid waste
  • Garbage and solid waste$497 thousand
Housing and community development
0.5%$118 thousand
Parks, recreation and libraries
0.3%$87 thousand
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation
  • Parks and recreation$87 thousand
Environment and natural resources
<0.1%$1 thousand
What's in environment and natural resourcesNatural resources, farming and conservation
  • Natural resources, farming and conservation$1 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

Otero 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 Otero 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.