State government

Montana's money: where it comes from and where it goes

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended June 30, 2024), Montana took in $10.8 billion and spent $9.11 billion.

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

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Where it comes from

State taxes44%Federal tax money43%Fees for services (college tuition, liquor stores)7.7%Fines and other5.4%

What stands out

4.5%

of Montana's money comes from property tax.Most state governments get none.

State taxes44%

Individual income tax
21%$2.25 billion
Other taxes
16%$1.68 billion
What's in other taxesMotor fuel taxes; severance taxes and 16 more
  • Motor fuel taxes$288 million
  • Severance taxes$241 million
  • Motor vehicle licenses$211 million
  • Occupation and business licenses$198 million
  • Other selective sales taxes$190 million
  • Insurance premium taxes$178 million
  • Hunting and fishing licenses$84.1 million
  • Amusement taxes$83.4 million
  • Tobacco taxes$61.1 million
  • Alcoholic beverage taxes$48.2 million
  • Public utility taxes$40.5 million
  • Other licenses$16.0 million
  • Other taxes not classified elsewhere$14.7 million
  • Driver's licenses$9.4 million
  • Alcoholic beverage licenses$7.4 million
  • Amusement licenses$4.7 million
  • Corporation licenses$3.3 million
  • Public utility licenses$13 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Property tax
4.5%$481 million
Business income tax
2.9%$310 million

Fees for services7.7%

Fees for services
7.7%$829 million
What's in fees for servicesCollege tuition; liquor stores and 9 more
  • College tuition$430 million
  • Liquor stores$151 million
  • University housing and dining$125 million
  • Parks, land and natural resources$66.3 million
  • Other service charges$45.9 million
  • Housing$3.3 million
  • Hospital bills$2.6 million
  • Parks and recreation$2.2 million
  • Other education charges$1.9 million
  • Road charges$1.3 million
  • Airport$491 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money43%

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

From the federal government
43%$4.66 billion

Local tax money<0.1%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From local governments
<0.1%$4.7 million

Fines and other5.4%

Interest, rents and other
5.1%$551 million
Fines
0.3%$34.5 million

Where it goes

Social services32%Sent to local governments16%Schools and colleges16%Roads, transit and parking10%Running the government and other costs8.5%All other spending17%

What stands out

16%

of Montana's spending goes to local governments.A typical state government spends 24%.

Spending by category100%

Social services
32%$2.95 billion
What's in social servicesOther public welfare; welfare institutions and 2 more
  • Other public welfare$2.85 billion
  • Welfare institutions$48.6 million
  • Unemployment and social insurance offices$43.1 million
  • Veterans' services$3.8 million
Sent to local governments
16%$1.45 billion
What's in sent to local governmentsSent to school districts; sent to local governments: general support and 13 more
  • Sent to school districts$1.03 billion
  • Sent to local governments: general support$248 million
  • Sent to local governments: roads and highways$102 million
  • Sent to local governments: other and not broken out$22.2 million
  • Sent to school districts (colleges)$16.2 million
  • Sent to local governments: public health$9.9 million
  • Sent to local governments: other public welfare$8.2 million
  • Sent to local governments: natural resources, farming and conservation$3.7 million
  • Sent to local governments: courts and legal services$3.2 million
  • Sent to local governments: housing and community development$2.7 million
  • Sent to local governments: airports$1.9 million
  • Sent to local governments: other government administration$1.8 million
  • Sent to local governments: inspections and regulation$1.8 million
  • Sent to local governments: libraries$1.1 million
  • Sent to local governments: finance, tax collection and budgeting$50 thousand
Schools and colleges
16%$1.44 billion
What's in schools and collegesColleges and universities; college housing, dining and bookstores and 2 more
  • Colleges and universities$1.12 billion
  • College housing, dining and bookstores$157 million
  • Scholarships and other education subsidies$132 million
  • Other education$23.6 million
Roads, transit and parking
10%$953 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways; public transit and 1 more
  • Roads and highways$933 million
  • Public transit$17.6 million
  • Airports$2.3 million
Running the government and other costs
8.5%$770 million
What's in running the government and other costsFinance, tax collection and budgeting; other and not broken out and 4 more
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$291 million
  • Other and not broken out$176 million
  • Government buildings$147 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$86.4 million
  • Other government administration$69.7 million
  • Other government-run businesses$185 thousand
Police, fire, courts and jails
5.9%$540 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsProbation, parole and other corrections; courts and legal services and 3 more
  • Probation, parole and other corrections$166 million
  • Courts and legal services$126 million
  • Prisons and jails$125 million
  • Police$82.9 million
  • Inspections and regulation$41.2 million
Environment and natural resources
3.9%$356 million
What's in environment and natural resourcesNatural resources, farming and conservation
  • Natural resources, farming and conservation$356 million
Health and hospitals
3.5%$317 million
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health and hospitals
  • Public health$213 million
  • Hospitals$104 million
Interest on debt
1.5%$139 million
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
1.4%$126 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesLiquor stores
  • Liquor stores$126 million
Housing and community development
0.4%$37.9 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
0.4%$33.8 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation and libraries
  • Parks and recreation$25.6 million
  • Libraries$8.2 million
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

State of Montana. 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 State of Montana 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.

Counties54 counties, A to Z
Cities and towns127 cities, towns and townships, A to Z
School districts330 school districts, A to Z