County government · Atlantic County, NJ

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended December 31, 2023), Atlantic County took in $333 million and spent $372 million.

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

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Where it comes from

County taxes52%Fees for services (garbage collection, college tuition)18%State tax money14%Local tax money9.4%Fines and other5.4%Federal tax money0.7%

What stands out

9.4%

of Atlantic County's money comes from county and other local tax money.A typical U.S. county of 250,000+ people gets 1.4%.

County taxes52%

Property tax
52%$173 million
Other taxes
<0.1%$167 thousand
What's in other taxesOther licenses and other selective sales taxes
  • Other licenses$152 thousand
  • Other selective sales taxes$15 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services18%

Fees for services
18%$60.8 million
What's in fees for servicesGarbage collection; college tuition and 6 more
  • Garbage collection$30.5 million
  • College tuition$10.7 million
  • Other service charges$10.4 million
  • Other school charges$7.7 million
  • School tuition and transportation$987 thousand
  • School lunches$446 thousand
  • Parks and recreation$78 thousand
  • Parking$29 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money0.7%

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

From the federal government
0.7%$2.5 million

State tax money14%

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

From the state
14%$47.8 million

Local tax money9.4%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From other local governments
9.4%$31.3 million

Fines and other5.4%

Interest, rents and other
4.8%$15.9 million
Fines
0.7%$2.2 million

Where it goes

Schools and colleges39%Running the government and other costs19%Police, fire, courts and jails17%Water, sewer, trash and utilities14%Social services5.0%All other spending6.2%

What stands out

39%

of Atlantic County's spending goes to schools and colleges.Most U.S. counties of 250,000+ people spend nothing on this.

Spending by category100%

Schools and colleges
39%$146 million
What's in schools and collegesElementary and secondary schools; colleges and universities and 1 more
  • Elementary and secondary schools$90.6 million
  • Colleges and universities$48.2 million
  • Scholarships and other education subsidies$7.5 million
Running the government and other costs
19%$69.0 million
What's in running the government and other costsOther and not broken out; central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology) and 2 more
  • Other and not broken out$46.7 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$15.5 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$4.1 million
  • Government buildings$2.7 million
Police, fire, courts and jails
17%$62.8 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPrisons and jails; courts and legal services and 1 more
  • Prisons and jails$31.9 million
  • Courts and legal services$20.3 million
  • Police$10.6 million
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
14%$52.2 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesGarbage and solid waste
  • Garbage and solid waste$52.2 million
Social services
5.0%$18.8 million
What's in social servicesOther public welfare
  • Other public welfare$18.8 million
Interest on debt
2.7%$10.2 million
Roads, transit and parking
2.3%$8.6 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways
  • Roads and highways$8.6 million
Health and hospitals
0.4%$1.5 million
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$1.5 million
Housing and community development
0.4%$1.4 million
Sent to other local governments
0.2%$900 thousand
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$900 thousand
Parks, recreation and libraries
<0.1%$300 thousand
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation
  • Parks and recreation$300 thousand
Environment and natural resources
<0.1%$20 thousand
What's in environment and natural resourcesNatural resources, farming and conservation
  • Natural resources, farming and conservation$20 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

Atlantic 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 Atlantic 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.