County government · Blue Earth County, MN

Blue Earth County's money: where it comes from and where it goes

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended December 31, 2023), Blue Earth County took in $129 million and spent $112 million.

Latest recorded year: ended December 31, 2023Comes fromGoes to

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Where it comes from

State tax money41%County taxes40%Fines and other9.2%Fees for services (housing, parks and recreation)7.2%Local tax money1.8%Federal tax money0.8%

What stands out

41%

of Blue Earth County's money comes from state tax money.A typical U.S. county of 50,000 to 250,000 people gets 22%.

County taxes40%

Property tax
33%$43.0 million
Sales tax
6.5%$8.5 million
Other taxes
0.7%$913 thousand
What's in other taxesMotor vehicle licenses; other licenses and 2 more
  • Motor vehicle licenses$455 thousand
  • Other licenses$377 thousand
  • Real estate and stock transfer taxes$72 thousand
  • Alcoholic beverage licenses$9 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services7.2%

Fees for services
7.2%$9.3 million
What's in fees for servicesOther service charges; housing and 1 more
  • Other service charges$8.8 million
  • Housing$283 thousand
  • Parks and recreation$255 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money0.8%

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

From the federal government
0.8%$1.0 million

State tax money41%

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

From the state
41%$52.5 million

Local tax money1.8%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From other local governments
1.8%$2.3 million

Fines and other9.2%

Interest, rents and other
9.1%$11.8 million
Fines
<0.1%$120 thousand

Where it goes

Social services25%Roads, transit and parking22%Running the government and other costs20%Police, fire, courts and jails18%Environment and natural resources5.5%All other spending10%

What stands out

25%

of Blue Earth County's spending goes to social services.A typical U.S. county of 50,000 to 250,000 people spends 1.5%.

Spending by category100%

Social services
25%$28.2 million
What's in social servicesOther public welfare
  • Other public welfare$28.2 million
Roads, transit and parking
22%$24.3 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways
  • Roads and highways$24.3 million
Running the government and other costs
20%$21.8 million
What's in running the government and other costsOther and not broken out; government buildings and 2 more
  • Other and not broken out$12.1 million
  • Government buildings$4.6 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$3.3 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$1.8 million
Police, fire, courts and jails
18%$19.8 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; prisons and jails and 2 more
  • Police$8.5 million
  • Prisons and jails$4.6 million
  • Probation, parole and other corrections$3.6 million
  • Courts and legal services$3.1 million
Environment and natural resources
5.5%$6.1 million
What's in environment and natural resourcesNatural resources, farming and conservation
  • Natural resources, farming and conservation$6.1 million
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
4.1%$4.6 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesGarbage and solid waste
  • Garbage and solid waste$4.6 million
Health and hospitals
2.5%$2.8 million
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$2.8 million
Housing and community development
1.6%$1.8 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
1.1%$1.2 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation and libraries
  • Parks and recreation$957 thousand
  • Libraries$280 thousand
Interest on debt
0.9%$1.1 million
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

Blue Earth County. U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, individual unit file, fiscal year ended December 31, 2023.

What this covers. The money of Blue Earth 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.