County government · Clarke County, GA

Athens-Clarke County's money: where it comes from and where it goes

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended June 30, 2024), Athens-Clarke County took in $483 million and spent $396 million.

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

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Where it comes from

Fees for services (sewer, parks and recreation)31%City-county taxes28%County and local tax money25%Fines and other8.8%Federal tax money4.9%State tax money2.2%

What stands out

25%

of Athens-Clarke County's money comes from county and other local tax money.A typical U.S. city of 50,000+ people gets 0.9%.

City-county taxes28%

Property tax
20%$98.2 million
Other taxes
7.4%$35.9 million
What's in other taxesInsurance premium taxes; public utility taxes and 6 more
  • Insurance premium taxes$11.3 million
  • Public utility taxes$9.4 million
  • Other selective sales taxes$6.3 million
  • Alcoholic beverage taxes$3.5 million
  • Occupation and business licenses$2.1 million
  • Other licenses$2.0 million
  • Alcoholic beverage licenses$964 thousand
  • Other taxes not classified elsewhere$295 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services31%

Fees for services
31%$151 million
What's in fees for servicesSewer; other service charges and 6 more
  • Sewer$55.8 million
  • Other service charges$35.4 million
  • Parks and recreation$22.4 million
  • Water$21.5 million
  • Garbage collection$10.5 million
  • Airport$4.8 million
  • Road charges$503 thousand
  • Transit fares$98 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money4.9%

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

From the federal government
4.9%$23.8 million

State tax money2.2%

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

From the state
2.2%$10.6 million

County and local tax money25%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From the county and other local governments
25%$121 million

Fines and other8.8%

Interest, rents and other
8.4%$40.8 million
Fines
0.4%$2.0 million

Where it goes

Running the government and other costs36%Police, fire, courts and jails25%Water, sewer, trash and utilities13%Parks, recreation and libraries9.1%Interest on debt8.4%All other spending8.7%

What stands out

36%

of Athens-Clarke County's spending goes to running the government and other costs.A typical U.S. city of 50,000+ people spends 16%.

Spending by category100%

Running the government and other costs
36%$141 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$92.7 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$23.0 million
  • Government buildings$13.6 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$11.4 million
Police, fire, courts and jails
25%$100 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; prisons and jails and 3 more
  • Police$39.1 million
  • Prisons and jails$21.1 million
  • Fire protection$18.8 million
  • Courts and legal services$18.1 million
  • Inspections and regulation$2.6 million
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
13%$51.6 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesSewer systems; water supply and 1 more
  • Sewer systems$21.2 million
  • Water supply$18.3 million
  • Garbage and solid waste$12.1 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
9.1%$36.0 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation and libraries
  • Parks and recreation$23.9 million
  • Libraries$12.1 million
Interest on debt
8.4%$33.2 million
What's in interest on debtInterest on general debt and interest on water supply debt
  • Interest on general debt$29.6 million
  • Interest on water supply debt$3.6 million
Roads, transit and parking
7.2%$28.7 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways and airports
  • Roads and highways$23.8 million
  • Airports$4.9 million
Health and hospitals
0.7%$2.9 million
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$2.9 million
Sent to other local governments
0.5%$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
Social services
0.2%$838 thousand
What's in social servicesOther public welfare
  • Other public welfare$838 thousand
Environment and natural resources
<0.1%$255 thousand
What's in environment and natural resourcesNatural resources, farming and conservation
  • Natural resources, farming and conservation$255 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

Athens-Clarke County Unified Government. 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 Athens-Clarke County Unified Government 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.