County government · Yellowstone County, MT

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended June 30, 2024), Yellowstone County took in $153 million and spent $134 million.

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

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Where it comes from

County taxes69%Fees for services (parks and recreation, garbage collection)11%State tax money7.1%Fines and other6.5%Federal tax money6.1%

What stands out

65%

of Yellowstone County's money comes from property tax.A typical U.S. county of 50,000 to 250,000 people gets 28%.

County taxes69%

Property tax
65%$98.7 million
Other taxes
4.7%$7.2 million
What's in other taxesMotor vehicle licenses
  • Motor vehicle licenses$7.2 million

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services11%

Fees for services
11%$16.8 million
What's in fees for servicesOther service charges; parks and recreation and 1 more
  • Other service charges$9.1 million
  • Parks and recreation$7.3 million
  • Garbage collection$420 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money6.1%

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

From the federal government
6.1%$9.3 million

State tax money7.1%

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

From the state
7.1%$10.9 million

Fines and other6.5%

Interest, rents and other
6.2%$9.4 million
Fines
0.4%$580 thousand

Where it goes

Police, fire, courts and jails32%Sent to other local governments28%Running the government and other costs18%Roads, transit and parking12%Health and hospitals8.8%All other spending1.4%

What stands out

28%

of Yellowstone County's spending goes to local governments.Most U.S. counties of 50,000 to 250,000 people spend nothing on this.

Spending by category100%

Police, fire, courts and jails
32%$42.5 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPrisons and jails; police and 3 more
  • Prisons and jails$19.2 million
  • Police$13.6 million
  • Courts and legal services$9.4 million
  • Inspections and regulation$284 thousand
  • Fire protection$46 thousand
Sent to other local governments
28%$38.0 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$38.0 million
Running the government and other costs
18%$24.1 million
What's in running the government and other costsOther government-run businesses; other and not broken out and 3 more
  • Other government-run businesses$10.6 million
  • Other and not broken out$6.6 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$2.8 million
  • Government buildings$2.1 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$2.0 million
Roads, transit and parking
12%$15.9 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways
  • Roads and highways$15.9 million
Health and hospitals
8.8%$11.8 million
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$11.8 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
0.7%$893 thousand
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation
  • Parks and recreation$893 thousand
Environment and natural resources
0.4%$477 thousand
What's in environment and natural resourcesNatural resources, farming and conservation
  • Natural resources, farming and conservation$477 thousand
Social services
0.3%$341 thousand
What's in social servicesOther public welfare
  • Other public welfare$341 thousand
Interest on debt
0.2%$217 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

Yellowstone 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 Yellowstone 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.