County government · Columbia County, GA

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended June 30, 2024), Columbia County took in $306 million and spent $237 million.

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

See every government that serves your ZIP

Where it comes from

County taxes50%Fees for services (sewer, water)29%State tax money11%Fines and other5.9%Federal tax money3.0%Local tax money<0.1%

What stands out

23%

of Columbia County's money comes from sales tax.A typical U.S. county of 50,000 to 250,000 people gets 4.2%.

County taxes50%

Sales tax
23%$71.6 million
Property tax
20%$61.4 million
Other taxes
6.9%$21.2 million
What's in other taxesInsurance premium taxes; occupation and business licenses and 5 more
  • Insurance premium taxes$11.2 million
  • Occupation and business licenses$3.9 million
  • Other selective sales taxes$2.2 million
  • Alcoholic beverage taxes$1.9 million
  • Public utility taxes$1.3 million
  • Alcoholic beverage licenses$513 thousand
  • Other taxes not classified elsewhere$127 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services29%

Fees for services
29%$89.3 million
What's in fees for servicesOther service charges; sewer and 6 more
  • Other service charges$34.5 million
  • Sewer$34.1 million
  • Water$15.2 million
  • Road charges$2.2 million
  • Parks and recreation$1.8 million
  • Other government-run businesses$1.3 million
  • Garbage collection$111 thousand
  • Transit fares$26 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money3.0%

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

From the federal government
3.0%$9.1 million

State tax money11%

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

From the state
11%$34.6 million

Local tax money<0.1%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From other local governments
<0.1%$256 thousand

Fines and other5.9%

Interest, rents and other
4.9%$14.9 million
Fines
1.0%$3.2 million

Where it goes

Police, fire, courts and jails27%Roads, transit and parking25%Running the government and other costs24%Water, sewer, trash and utilities13%Parks, recreation and libraries7.0%All other spending4.3%

What stands out

13%

of Columbia County's spending goes to water, sewer, trash and other utilities.A typical U.S. county of 50,000 to 250,000 people spends 1.6%.

Spending by category100%

Police, fire, courts and jails
27%$63.7 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; fire protection and 2 more
  • Police$22.0 million
  • Fire protection$18.8 million
  • Prisons and jails$13.3 million
  • Courts and legal services$9.6 million
Roads, transit and parking
25%$59.7 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways
  • Roads and highways$59.7 million
Running the government and other costs
24%$56.0 million
What's in running the government and other costsGovernment buildings; finance, tax collection and budgeting and 2 more
  • Government buildings$19.8 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$18.7 million
  • Other and not broken out$12.9 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$4.6 million
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
13%$30.9 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesWater supply; sewer systems and 1 more
  • Water supply$13.8 million
  • Sewer systems$13.0 million
  • Garbage and solid waste$4.1 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
7.0%$16.7 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation and libraries
  • Parks and recreation$13.9 million
  • Libraries$2.8 million
Sent to other local governments
1.7%$4.1 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$4.1 million
Health and hospitals
1.2%$2.9 million
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$2.9 million
Interest on debt
1.2%$2.9 million
Environment and natural resources
0.1%$245 thousand
What's in environment and natural resourcesNatural resources, farming and conservation
  • Natural resources, farming and conservation$245 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

Columbia 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 Columbia 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.