County government · Cook County, IL

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended November 30, 2023), Cook County took in $8.43 billion and spent $8.02 billion.

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

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Where it comes from

State tax money44%County taxes34%Fees for services (hospital bills, parks and recreation)17%Federal tax money3.1%Fines and other1.7%Local tax money<0.1%

What stands out

15%

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

County taxes34%

Property tax
15%$1.26 billion
Sales tax
15%$1.23 billion
Other taxes
4.7%$394 million
What's in other taxesOther selective sales taxes; tobacco taxes and 8 more
  • Other selective sales taxes$102 million
  • Tobacco taxes$90.2 million
  • Motor fuel taxes$85.1 million
  • Amusement taxes$44.4 million
  • Alcoholic beverage taxes$37.7 million
  • Other taxes not classified elsewhere$15.0 million
  • Pari-mutuel (betting) taxes$11.8 million
  • Other licenses$4.4 million
  • Motor vehicle licenses$2.9 million
  • Alcoholic beverage licenses$303 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services17%

Fees for services
17%$1.43 billion
What's in fees for servicesHospital bills; other service charges and 1 more
  • Hospital bills$1.08 billion
  • Other service charges$273 million
  • Parks and recreation$73.1 million

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money3.1%

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

From the federal government
3.1%$258 million

State tax money44%

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

From the state
44%$3.71 billion

Local tax money<0.1%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From other local governments
<0.1%$6.1 million

Fines and other1.7%

Interest, rents and other
1.7%$144 million
Fines
<0.1%$269 thousand

Where it goes

Health and hospitals58%Police, fire, courts and jails16%Running the government and other costs15%Environment and natural resources3.2%Roads, transit and parking2.6%All other spending4.1%

What stands out

58%

of Cook County's spending goes to health services and hospitals.A typical U.S. county of 250,000+ people spends 7.9%.

Spending by category100%

Health and hospitals
58%$4.69 billion
What's in health and hospitalsHospitals and public health
  • Hospitals$4.68 billion
  • Public health$10.0 million
Police, fire, courts and jails
16%$1.31 billion
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsCourts and legal services; prisons and jails and 3 more
  • Courts and legal services$590 million
  • Prisons and jails$527 million
  • Police$101 million
  • Probation, parole and other corrections$87.3 million
  • Inspections and regulation$3.9 million
Running the government and other costs
15%$1.23 billion
What's in running the government and other costsOther and not broken out; government buildings and 2 more
  • Other and not broken out$1.06 billion
  • Government buildings$65.5 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$62.5 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$43.0 million
Environment and natural resources
3.2%$255 million
What's in environment and natural resourcesNatural resources, farming and conservation
  • Natural resources, farming and conservation$255 million
Roads, transit and parking
2.6%$205 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways
  • Roads and highways$205 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
2.0%$157 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation
  • Parks and recreation$157 million
Interest on debt
1.9%$149 million
Social services
0.3%$20.5 million
What's in social servicesOther public welfare
  • Other public welfare$20.5 million
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

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

What this covers. The money of Cook 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.