County government · Forsyth County, GA

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended December 31, 2023), Forsyth County took in $591 million and spent $403 million.

Latest recorded year: ended December 31, 2023Comes fromGoes to

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Where it comes from

County taxes51%Fees for services (sewer, water)30%Fines and other17%State tax money1.2%Federal tax money0.9%

What stands out

19%

of Forsyth County's money comes from sales tax.A typical U.S. county of 250,000+ people gets 2.7%.

County taxes51%

Property tax
27%$157 million
Sales tax
19%$111 million
Other taxes
5.7%$33.8 million
What's in other taxesInsurance premium taxes; other licenses and 6 more
  • Insurance premium taxes$20.0 million
  • Other licenses$3.8 million
  • Alcoholic beverage taxes$2.8 million
  • Occupation and business licenses$2.0 million
  • Public utility taxes$2.0 million
  • Other selective sales taxes$1.1 million
  • Alcoholic beverage licenses$1.1 million
  • Other taxes not classified elsewhere$945 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services30%

Fees for services
30%$176 million
What's in fees for servicesOther service charges; sewer and 3 more
  • Other service charges$93.9 million
  • Sewer$51.2 million
  • Water$23.0 million
  • Parks and recreation$5.2 million
  • Garbage collection$3.0 million

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money0.9%

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

From the federal government
0.9%$5.1 million

State tax money1.2%

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

From the state
1.2%$7.0 million

Local tax money<0.1%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From other local governments
<0.1%$45 thousand

Fines and other17%

Interest, rents and other
16%$96.1 million
Fines
0.9%$5.1 million

Where it goes

Running the government and other costs32%Police, fire, courts and jails30%Water, sewer, trash and utilities17%Interest on debt6.5%Parks, recreation and libraries6.0%All other spending7.5%

What stands out

17%

of Forsyth 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%

Running the government and other costs
32%$130 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$68.4 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$29.5 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$20.6 million
  • Government buildings$11.6 million
Police, fire, courts and jails
30%$122 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; fire protection and 3 more
  • Police$48.1 million
  • Fire protection$36.2 million
  • Courts and legal services$19.6 million
  • Prisons and jails$16.5 million
  • Inspections and regulation$1.9 million
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
17%$70.1 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesWater supply; sewer systems and 1 more
  • Water supply$34.3 million
  • Sewer systems$33.4 million
  • Garbage and solid waste$2.3 million
Interest on debt
6.5%$26.2 million
What's in interest on debtInterest on general debt and interest on water supply debt
  • Interest on general debt$22.2 million
  • Interest on water supply debt$4.0 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
6.0%$24.3 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation and libraries
  • Parks and recreation$21.6 million
  • Libraries$2.7 million
Roads, transit and parking
4.3%$17.5 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways
  • Roads and highways$17.5 million
Sent to other local governments
2.1%$8.6 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$8.6 million
Health and hospitals
1.0%$4.1 million
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$4.1 million
Environment and natural resources
<0.1%$132 thousand
What's in environment and natural resourcesNatural resources, farming and conservation
  • Natural resources, farming and conservation$132 thousand
Social services
<0.1%$43 thousand
What's in social servicesOther public welfare
  • Other public welfare$43 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

Forsyth County. U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, individual unit file, fiscal year ended December 31, 2023.

What this covers. The money of Forsyth 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.