County government · Buchanan County, MO

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended December 31, 2023), Buchanan County took in $50.7 million and spent $37.1 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 taxes81%State tax money13%Fines and other3.8%Federal tax money2.4%

What stands out

54%

of Buchanan County's money comes from sales tax.A typical U.S. county of 50,000 to 250,000 people gets 4.2%.

County taxes81%

Sales tax
54%$27.3 million
Other taxes
15%$7.6 million
What's in other taxesOther licenses
  • Other licenses$7.6 million

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Property tax
12%$5.9 million

Federal tax money2.4%

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

From the federal government
2.4%$1.2 million

State tax money13%

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

From the state
13%$6.6 million

Fines and other3.8%

Interest, rents and other
3.8%$1.9 million

Where it goes

Police, fire, courts and jails55%Running the government and other costs23%Roads, transit and parking22%Housing and community development0.4%

What stands out

55%

of Buchanan 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
55%$20.4 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice and courts and legal services
  • Police$17.0 million
  • Courts and legal services$3.5 million
Running the government and other costs
23%$8.4 million
What's in running the government and other costsGovernment buildings; other and not broken out and 2 more
  • Government buildings$3.8 million
  • Other and not broken out$2.1 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$1.5 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$992 thousand
Roads, transit and parking
22%$8.1 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways
  • Roads and highways$8.1 million
Housing and community development
0.4%$161 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

Buchanan 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 Buchanan 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.