County government · Highlands County, FL

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended September 30, 2023), Highlands County took in $169 million and spent $159 million.

Latest recorded year: ended September 30, 2023Comes fromGoes to

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Where it comes from

County taxes45%State tax money17%Fines and other17%Fees for services (garbage collection, parks, land and natural resources)12%Federal tax money5.6%Local tax money3.0%

What stands out

16%

of Highlands County's money comes from interest, rents and other revenue.A typical U.S. county of 50,000 to 250,000 people gets 5.4%.

County taxes45%

Property tax
30%$50.6 million
Sales tax
8.9%$15.0 million
Other taxes
6.1%$10.2 million
What's in other taxesMotor fuel taxes; other licenses and 3 more
  • Motor fuel taxes$4.9 million
  • Other licenses$2.1 million
  • Other selective sales taxes$1.8 million
  • Real estate and stock transfer taxes$778 thousand
  • Public utility taxes$550 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services12%

Fees for services
12%$21.0 million
What's in fees for servicesOther service charges; garbage collection and 4 more
  • Other service charges$15.0 million
  • Garbage collection$3.7 million
  • Parks, land and natural resources$1.6 million
  • Housing$322 thousand
  • Road charges$269 thousand
  • Parks and recreation$61 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money5.6%

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

From the federal government
5.6%$9.5 million

State tax money17%

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

From the state
17%$28.8 million

Local tax money3.0%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From other local governments
3.0%$5.0 million

Fines and other17%

Interest, rents and other
16%$27.7 million
Fines
0.4%$751 thousand

Where it goes

Police, fire, courts and jails35%Running the government and other costs23%Roads, transit and parking14%Social services8.0%Water, sewer, trash and utilities7.4%All other spending12%

What stands out

8%

of Highlands County's spending goes to social services.A typical U.S. county of 50,000 to 250,000 people spends 1.5%.

Spending by category100%

Police, fire, courts and jails
35%$55.5 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; prisons and jails and 3 more
  • Police$29.6 million
  • Prisons and jails$12.9 million
  • Fire protection$7.1 million
  • Courts and legal services$4.2 million
  • Inspections and regulation$1.7 million
Running the government and other costs
23%$36.5 million
What's in running the government and other costsFinance, tax collection and budgeting; other and not broken out and 2 more
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$25.4 million
  • Other and not broken out$7.5 million
  • Government buildings$1.8 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$1.8 million
Roads, transit and parking
14%$22.8 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways and airports
  • Roads and highways$21.3 million
  • Airports$1.6 million
Social services
8.0%$12.8 million
What's in social servicesOther public welfare
  • Other public welfare$12.8 million
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
7.4%$11.8 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesGarbage and solid waste and sewer systems
  • Garbage and solid waste$11.8 million
  • Sewer systems$2 thousand
Health and hospitals
6.0%$9.6 million
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$9.6 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
2.2%$3.5 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation and libraries
  • Parks and recreation$2.2 million
  • Libraries$1.3 million
Environment and natural resources
2.1%$3.4 million
What's in environment and natural resourcesNatural resources, farming and conservation
  • Natural resources, farming and conservation$3.4 million
Sent to other local governments
1.2%$1.9 million
What's in sent to other local governmentsSent to the state government
  • Sent to the state government$1.9 million
Housing and community development
0.7%$1.1 million
Interest on debt
0.3%$447 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

Highlands County. U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, individual unit file, fiscal year ended September 30, 2023.

What this covers. The money of Highlands 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.