County government · Lancaster County, NE

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended June 30, 2024), Lancaster County took in $208 million and spent $198 million.

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

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Where it comes from

County taxes55%Fines and other17%State tax money14%Fees for services (hospital bills)9.2%Federal tax money2.3%Local tax money1.7%

What stands out

11%

of Lancaster County's money comes from taxes other than property, sales and income taxes.A typical U.S. county of 250,000+ people gets 2.5%.

County taxes55%

Property tax
44%$91.6 million
Other taxes
11%$23.6 million
What's in other taxesMotor vehicle licenses; estate and gift taxes and 4 more
  • Motor vehicle licenses$11.6 million
  • Estate and gift taxes$7.3 million
  • Other selective sales taxes$4.7 million
  • Other licenses$60 thousand
  • Occupation and business licenses$14 thousand
  • Alcoholic beverage licenses$2 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services9.2%

Fees for services
9.2%$19.0 million
What's in fees for servicesOther service charges and hospital bills
  • Other service charges$17.9 million
  • Hospital bills$1.1 million

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money2.3%

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

From the federal government
2.3%$4.7 million

State tax money14%

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

From the state
14%$29.9 million

Local tax money1.7%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From other local governments
1.7%$3.5 million

Fines and other17%

Interest, rents and other
17%$35.6 million

Where it goes

Police, fire, courts and jails48%Running the government and other costs20%Roads, transit and parking18%Social services7.5%Sent to other local governments3.4%All other spending2.8%

What stands out

48%

of Lancaster County's spending goes to police, fire, courts and jails.A typical U.S. county of 250,000+ people spends 24%.

Spending by category100%

Police, fire, courts and jails
48%$95.0 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPrisons and jails; courts and legal services and 2 more
  • Prisons and jails$41.5 million
  • Courts and legal services$26.8 million
  • Police$20.1 million
  • Probation, parole and other corrections$6.5 million
Running the government and other costs
20%$39.6 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$23.2 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$11.4 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$3.0 million
  • Government buildings$2.0 million
Roads, transit and parking
18%$36.6 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways
  • Roads and highways$36.6 million
Social services
7.5%$14.8 million
What's in social servicesOther public welfare and welfare institutions
  • Other public welfare$14.7 million
  • Welfare institutions$144 thousand
Sent to other local governments
3.4%$6.8 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$6.8 million
Health and hospitals
2.3%$4.6 million
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$4.6 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
0.5%$998 thousand
What's in parks, recreation and librariesLibraries
  • Libraries$998 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

Lancaster 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 Lancaster 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.