County government · Kent County, MD

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended June 30, 2024), Kent County took in $86.3 million and spent $134 million.

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

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Where it comes from

County taxes66%State tax money26%Fees for services (sewer, water)4.6%Fines and other1.8%Local tax money0.8%

What stands out

23%

of Kent County's money comes from a personal income tax.Most U.S. counties of under 50,000 people get none.

County taxes66%

Property tax
40%$34.2 million
Individual income tax
23%$20.0 million
Other taxes
3.7%$3.2 million
What's in other taxesReal estate and stock transfer taxes; estate and gift taxes and 6 more
  • Real estate and stock transfer taxes$1.6 million
  • Estate and gift taxes$1.0 million
  • Other licenses$177 thousand
  • Other selective sales taxes$126 thousand
  • Alcoholic beverage licenses$88 thousand
  • Public utility licenses$50 thousand
  • Amusement taxes$35 thousand
  • Occupation and business licenses$26 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services4.6%

Fees for services
4.6%$3.9 million
What's in fees for servicesSewer; water and 6 more
  • Sewer$1.8 million
  • Water$829 thousand
  • Other service charges$741 thousand
  • Parks and recreation$242 thousand
  • School lunches$104 thousand
  • Garbage collection$99 thousand
  • School tuition and transportation$76 thousand
  • Other school charges$69 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money<0.1%

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

From the federal government
<0.1%$28 thousand

State tax money26%

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

From the state
26%$22.8 million

Local tax money0.8%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From other local governments
0.8%$660 thousand

Fines and other1.8%

Interest, rents and other
1.8%$1.5 million
Fines
<0.1%$9 thousand

Where it goes

Schools and colleges72%Running the government and other costs9.9%Police, fire, courts and jails8.1%Roads, transit and parking2.7%Water, sewer, trash and utilities2.6%All other spending4.6%

What stands out

72%

of Kent County's spending goes to schools and colleges.Most U.S. counties of under 50,000 people spend nothing on this.

Spending by category100%

Schools and colleges
72%$96.7 million
What's in schools and collegesElementary and secondary schools
  • Elementary and secondary schools$96.7 million
Running the government and other costs
9.9%$13.3 million
What's in running the government and other costsOther and not broken out; finance, tax collection and budgeting and 2 more
  • Other and not broken out$7.4 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$2.4 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$2.1 million
  • Government buildings$1.4 million
Police, fire, courts and jails
8.1%$10.9 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; prisons and jails and 4 more
  • Police$4.3 million
  • Prisons and jails$3.9 million
  • Courts and legal services$1.4 million
  • Fire protection$1.2 million
  • Inspections and regulation$81 thousand
  • Probation, parole and other corrections$10 thousand
Roads, transit and parking
2.7%$3.7 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways
  • Roads and highways$3.7 million
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
2.6%$3.5 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesSewer systems and garbage and solid waste
  • Sewer systems$2.6 million
  • Garbage and solid waste$926 thousand
Parks, recreation and libraries
1.8%$2.5 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation and libraries
  • Parks and recreation$1.7 million
  • Libraries$756 thousand
Health and hospitals
1.2%$1.6 million
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$1.6 million
Interest on debt
1.0%$1.3 million
Sent to other local governments
0.3%$394 thousand
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$394 thousand
Environment and natural resources
0.3%$373 thousand
What's in environment and natural resourcesNatural resources, farming and conservation
  • Natural resources, farming and conservation$373 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

Kent 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 Kent 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.