County government · New Castle County, DE

New Castle County's money: where it comes from and where it goes

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended June 30, 2024), New Castle County took in $451 million and spent $373 million.

Latest recorded year: ended June 30, 2024Estimated by the U.S. Census BureauComes fromGoes to

See every government that serves your ZIP

Where it comes from

County taxes49%Fees for services (sewer, parks and recreation)32%State tax money12%Fines and other7.0%

What stands out

14%

of New Castle County's money comes from taxes other than property, sales and income taxes.A typical U.S. county of 250,000+ people gets 2.5%.

County taxes49%

Property tax
34%$155 million
Other taxes
14%$65.0 million
What's in other taxesReal estate and stock transfer taxes; other selective sales taxes and 2 more
  • Real estate and stock transfer taxes$46.0 million
  • Other selective sales taxes$9.5 million
  • Other licenses$8.3 million
  • Occupation and business licenses$1.2 million

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services32%

Fees for services
32%$143 million
What's in fees for servicesSewer; other service charges and 1 more
  • Sewer$110 million
  • Other service charges$31.5 million
  • Parks and recreation$1.3 million

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

State tax money12%

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

From the state
12%$56.0 million

Fines and other7.0%

Interest, rents and other
7.0%$31.7 million

Where it goes

Police, fire, courts and jails29%Running the government and other costs23%Water, sewer, trash and utilities23%Parks, recreation and libraries9.7%Interest on debt6.9%All other spending9.1%

What stands out

23%

of New Castle County's spending goes to water, sewer, trash and other utilities.A typical U.S. county of 250,000+ people spends 2.6%.

Spending by category100%

Police, fire, courts and jails
29%$107 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; inspections and regulation and 2 more
  • Police$90.5 million
  • Inspections and regulation$7.6 million
  • Fire protection$5.1 million
  • Courts and legal services$3.7 million
Running the government and other costs
23%$85.7 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$35.8 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$22.1 million
  • Government buildings$17.6 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$10.2 million
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
23%$84.6 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesSewer systems
  • Sewer systems$84.6 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
9.7%$36.4 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation and libraries
  • Parks and recreation$19.8 million
  • Libraries$16.6 million
Interest on debt
6.9%$25.9 million
Health and hospitals
6.0%$22.5 million
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$22.5 million
Roads, transit and parking
1.9%$7.2 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways
  • Roads and highways$7.2 million
Environment and natural resources
0.9%$3.4 million
What's in environment and natural resourcesNatural resources, farming and conservation
  • Natural resources, farming and conservation$3.4 million
Housing and community development
0.2%$924 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

New Castle County. U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, individual unit file, fiscal year ended June 30, 2024. Most of this government's figures were estimated by the U.S. Census Bureau from a sample; the government did not report them itself.

What this covers. The money of New Castle 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.