County government · Wicomico County, MD

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended June 30, 2024), Wicomico County took in $550 million and spent $641 million.

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

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Where it comes from

State tax money51%County taxes29%Fees for services (liquor stores, garbage collection)10%Federal tax money5.8%Fines and other2.8%Local tax money1.7%

What stands out

14%

of Wicomico County's money comes from a personal income tax.Most U.S. counties of 50,000 to 250,000 people get none.

County taxes29%

Individual income tax
14%$77.4 million
Property tax
14%$74.3 million
Other taxes
1.6%$8.9 million
What's in other taxesReal estate and stock transfer taxes; other selective sales taxes and 6 more
  • Real estate and stock transfer taxes$4.9 million
  • Other selective sales taxes$2.5 million
  • Public utility licenses$741 thousand
  • Other licenses$277 thousand
  • Amusement taxes$226 thousand
  • Alcoholic beverage licenses$180 thousand
  • Occupation and business licenses$58 thousand
  • Amusement licenses$4 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services10%

Fees for services
10%$54.9 million
What's in fees for servicesOther service charges; liquor stores and 10 more
  • Other service charges$15.2 million
  • Liquor stores$11.6 million
  • Garbage collection$10.1 million
  • Parks and recreation$6.0 million
  • College tuition$5.7 million
  • Airport$2.4 million
  • Road charges$2.3 million
  • School tuition and transportation$707 thousand
  • Water$488 thousand
  • School lunches$337 thousand
  • Electric power$85 thousand
  • Other school charges$6 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money5.8%

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

From the federal government
5.8%$32.1 million

State tax money51%

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

From the state
51%$278 million

Local tax money1.7%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From other local governments
1.7%$9.2 million

Fines and other2.8%

Interest, rents and other
2.8%$15.4 million
Fines
<0.1%$11 thousand

Where it goes

Schools and colleges60%Police, fire, courts and jails10%Sent to other local governments9.3%Running the government and other costs7.2%Roads, transit and parking3.8%All other spending9.2%

What stands out

60%

of Wicomico County's spending goes to schools and colleges.Most U.S. counties of 50,000 to 250,000 people spend nothing on this.

Spending by category100%

Schools and colleges
60%$385 million
What's in schools and collegesElementary and secondary schools; colleges and universities and 1 more
  • Elementary and secondary schools$343 million
  • Colleges and universities$39.8 million
  • Scholarships and other education subsidies$1.6 million
Police, fire, courts and jails
10%$67.2 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; prisons and jails and 2 more
  • Police$31.4 million
  • Prisons and jails$20.1 million
  • Fire protection$8.5 million
  • Courts and legal services$7.2 million
Sent to other local governments
9.3%$59.6 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$59.6 million
Running the government and other costs
7.2%$45.8 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$24.1 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$16.0 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$4.4 million
  • Government buildings$1.3 million
Roads, transit and parking
3.8%$24.4 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingAirports; roads and highways and 1 more
  • Airports$12.4 million
  • Roads and highways$11.3 million
  • Public transit$769 thousand
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
3.1%$19.7 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesLiquor stores; garbage and solid waste and 2 more
  • Liquor stores$10.6 million
  • Garbage and solid waste$8.8 million
  • Water supply$308 thousand
  • Electric power$36 thousand
Parks, recreation and libraries
2.2%$14.2 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation
  • Parks and recreation$14.2 million
Interest on debt
2.1%$13.3 million
Health and hospitals
1.7%$11.1 million
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$11.1 million
Housing and community development
0.1%$743 thousand
Environment and natural resources
<0.1%$153 thousand
What's in environment and natural resourcesNatural resources, farming and conservation
  • Natural resources, farming and conservation$153 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

Wicomico 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 Wicomico 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.