County government · Houston County, GA

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended June 30, 2024), Houston County took in $170 million and spent $140 million.

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

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Where it comes from

County taxes64%Fees for services (garbage collection, water)21%Federal tax money5.7%Fines and other5.1%Local tax money2.5%State tax money2.0%

What stands out

22%

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

County taxes64%

Property tax
38%$64.6 million
Sales tax
22%$38.3 million
Other taxes
3.5%$6.0 million
What's in other taxesInsurance premium taxes; public utility taxes and 5 more
  • Insurance premium taxes$4.5 million
  • Public utility taxes$519 thousand
  • Alcoholic beverage taxes$373 thousand
  • Other taxes not classified elsewhere$227 thousand
  • Other licenses$190 thousand
  • Alcoholic beverage licenses$91 thousand
  • Occupation and business licenses$83 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services21%

Fees for services
21%$35.4 million
What's in fees for servicesGarbage collection; other service charges and 3 more
  • Garbage collection$14.2 million
  • Other service charges$11.6 million
  • Water$5.7 million
  • Sewer$3.9 million
  • Road charges$15 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money5.7%

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

From the federal government
5.7%$9.7 million

State tax money2.0%

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

From the state
2.0%$3.4 million

Local tax money2.5%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From other local governments
2.5%$4.2 million

Fines and other5.1%

Interest, rents and other
3.3%$5.6 million
Fines
1.8%$3.0 million

Where it goes

Police, fire, courts and jails40%Water, sewer, trash and utilities19%Running the government and other costs15%Roads, transit and parking10%Sent to other local governments9.9%All other spending6.1%

What stands out

19%

of Houston 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
40%$55.5 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; prisons and jails and 3 more
  • Police$19.8 million
  • Prisons and jails$15.5 million
  • Courts and legal services$13.3 million
  • Fire protection$6.2 million
  • Inspections and regulation$630 thousand
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
19%$26.6 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesGarbage and solid waste; water supply and 1 more
  • Garbage and solid waste$13.8 million
  • Water supply$11.5 million
  • Sewer systems$1.2 million
Running the government and other costs
15%$21.4 million
What's in running the government and other costsGovernment buildings; finance, tax collection and budgeting and 2 more
  • Government buildings$9.9 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$7.1 million
  • Other and not broken out$2.6 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$1.8 million
Roads, transit and parking
10%$14.5 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways
  • Roads and highways$14.5 million
Sent to other local governments
9.9%$13.9 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$13.9 million
Health and hospitals
4.9%$6.9 million
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$6.9 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
0.9%$1.2 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesLibraries and parks and recreation
  • Libraries$1.1 million
  • Parks and recreation$149 thousand
Interest on debt
0.1%$178 thousand
Environment and natural resources
0.1%$143 thousand
What's in environment and natural resourcesNatural resources, farming and conservation
  • Natural resources, farming and conservation$143 thousand
Social services
<0.1%$67 thousand
What's in social servicesOther public welfare
  • Other public welfare$67 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

Houston 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 Houston 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.