County government · Cape May County, NJ

Cape May County's money: where it comes from and where it goes

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended December 31, 2023), Cape May County took in $350 million and spent $299 million.

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

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Where it comes from

County taxes53%Fees for services (sewer, garbage collection)29%Fines and other5.2%Federal tax money5.0%Local tax money4.1%State tax money3.5%

What stands out

29%

of Cape May County's money comes from fees for services such as water, sewer and parking.A typical U.S. county of 50,000 to 250,000 people gets 11%.

County taxes53%

Property tax
53%$185 million

Fees for services29%

Fees for services
29%$102 million
What's in fees for servicesSewer; other service charges and 7 more
  • Sewer$41.8 million
  • Other service charges$20.9 million
  • Garbage collection$19.1 million
  • Hospital bills$9.5 million
  • Other school charges$6.7 million
  • Parks and recreation$3.1 million
  • School tuition and transportation$647 thousand
  • Water$369 thousand
  • School lunches$229 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money5.0%

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

From the federal government
5.0%$17.4 million

State tax money3.5%

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

From the state
3.5%$12.3 million

Local tax money4.1%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From other local governments
4.1%$14.4 million

Fines and other5.2%

Interest, rents and other
5.2%$18.1 million

Where it goes

Running the government and other costs26%Schools and colleges17%Water, sewer, trash and utilities14%Roads, transit and parking13%Police, fire, courts and jails13%All other spending17%

What stands out

17%

of Cape May County's spending goes to schools and colleges.Most U.S. counties of 50,000 to 250,000 people spend nothing on this.

Spending by category100%

Running the government and other costs
26%$79.1 million
What's in running the government and other costsGovernment buildings; central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology) and 2 more
  • Government buildings$39.3 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$20.9 million
  • Other and not broken out$17.2 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$1.7 million
Schools and colleges
17%$50.9 million
What's in schools and collegesElementary and secondary schools
  • Elementary and secondary schools$50.9 million
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
14%$41.7 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesSewer systems; garbage and solid waste and 1 more
  • Sewer systems$26.3 million
  • Garbage and solid waste$15.2 million
  • Water supply$235 thousand
Roads, transit and parking
13%$39.2 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways and public transit
  • Roads and highways$37.7 million
  • Public transit$1.5 million
Police, fire, courts and jails
13%$38.1 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; prisons and jails and 3 more
  • Police$22.5 million
  • Prisons and jails$11.0 million
  • Courts and legal services$3.9 million
  • Probation, parole and other corrections$531 thousand
  • Fire protection$226 thousand
Parks, recreation and libraries
5.5%$16.5 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesLibraries and parks and recreation
  • Libraries$11.7 million
  • Parks and recreation$4.8 million
Health and hospitals
5.5%$16.5 million
What's in health and hospitalsHospitals and public health
  • Hospitals$11.3 million
  • Public health$5.2 million
Social services
3.7%$11.1 million
What's in social servicesWelfare institutions
  • Welfare institutions$11.1 million
Interest on debt
1.9%$5.8 million
Sent to other local governments
<0.1%$10 thousand
What's in sent to other local governmentsSent to the state government
  • Sent to the state government$10 thousand
Environment and natural resources
<0.1%$4 thousand
What's in environment and natural resourcesNatural resources, farming and conservation
  • Natural resources, farming and conservation$4 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

Cape May 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 Cape May 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.