County government · Sussex County, DE

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended June 30, 2024), Sussex County took in $221 million and spent $227 million.

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

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Where it comes from

Fines and other35%County taxes32%Fees for services (sewer, water)17%Federal tax money10%State tax money6.2%

What stands out

35%

of Sussex County's money comes from interest, rents and other revenue.A typical U.S. county of 250,000+ people gets 6%.

County taxes32%

Other taxes
22%$48.6 million
What's in other taxesReal estate and stock transfer taxes and other selective sales taxes
  • Real estate and stock transfer taxes$47.8 million
  • Other selective sales taxes$808 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Property tax
9.6%$21.3 million

Fees for services17%

Fees for services
17%$36.6 million
What's in fees for servicesSewer; water and 1 more
  • Sewer$34.1 million
  • Water$1.7 million
  • Airport$831 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money10%

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

From the federal government
10%$22.6 million

State tax money6.2%

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

From the state
6.2%$13.7 million

Fines and other35%

Interest, rents and other
35%$78.1 million
Fines
<0.1%$104 thousand

Where it goes

Water, sewer, trash and utilities53%Health and hospitals15%Running the government and other costs13%Roads, transit and parking4.4%Police, fire, courts and jails3.7%All other spending12%

What stands out

53%

of Sussex 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%

Water, sewer, trash and utilities
53%$119 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesSewer systems; water supply and 1 more
  • Sewer systems$118 million
  • Water supply$1.8 million
  • Garbage and solid waste$139 thousand
Health and hospitals
15%$33.5 million
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$33.5 million
Running the government and other costs
13%$29.2 million
What's in running the government and other costsCentral staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology); finance, tax collection and budgeting and 2 more
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$12.4 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$7.6 million
  • Other and not broken out$6.6 million
  • Government buildings$2.7 million
Roads, transit and parking
4.4%$10.1 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingAirports
  • Airports$10.1 million
Police, fire, courts and jails
3.7%$8.4 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsFire protection and inspections and regulation
  • Fire protection$6.1 million
  • Inspections and regulation$2.3 million
Interest on debt
3.4%$7.7 million
What's in interest on debtInterest on general debt and interest on water supply debt
  • Interest on general debt$6.8 million
  • Interest on water supply debt$928 thousand
Parks, recreation and libraries
3.3%$7.4 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesLibraries and parks and recreation
  • Libraries$6.1 million
  • Parks and recreation$1.3 million
Sent to other local governments
2.2%$4.9 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$4.9 million
Housing and community development
1.7%$3.9 million
Social services
1.0%$2.3 million
What's in social servicesOther public welfare
  • Other public welfare$2.3 million
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

Sussex County. 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 Sussex 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.