County government · Penobscot County, ME

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended December 31, 2023), Penobscot County took in $23.0 million and spent $23.3 million.

Latest recorded year: ended December 31, 2023Estimated by the U.S. Census BureauComes fromGoes to

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Where it comes from

County taxes92%Fees for services7.3%State tax money0.4%

What stands out

92%

of Penobscot County's money comes from property tax.A typical U.S. county of 50,000 to 250,000 people gets 28%.

County taxes92%

Property tax
92%$21.2 million
Other taxes
<0.1%$12 thousand
What's in other taxesMotor fuel taxes
  • Motor fuel taxes$12 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services7.3%

Fees for services
7.3%$1.7 million
What's in fees for servicesOther service charges
  • Other service charges$1.7 million

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

State tax money0.4%

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

From the state
0.4%$82 thousand

Where it goes

Police, fire, courts and jails73%Running the government and other costs27%Interest on debt<0.1%

What stands out

73%

of Penobscot County's spending goes to police, fire, courts and jails.A typical U.S. county of 50,000 to 250,000 people spends 25%.

Spending by category100%

Police, fire, courts and jails
73%$17.0 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPrisons and jails; police and 1 more
  • Prisons and jails$10.7 million
  • Police$4.9 million
  • Courts and legal services$1.5 million
Running the government and other costs
27%$6.2 million
What's in running the government and other costsOther and not broken out; government buildings and 2 more
  • Other and not broken out$4.5 million
  • Government buildings$961 thousand
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$512 thousand
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$229 thousand
Interest on debt
<0.1%$17 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

Penobscot County. U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, individual unit file, fiscal year ended December 31, 2023. Most of this government's figures were estimated by the U.S. Census Bureau from a sample; the government did not report them itself.

What this covers. The money of Penobscot 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.