County government · Essex County, NJ

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended December 31, 2023), Essex County took in $738 million and spent $860 million.

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

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Where it comes from

County taxes62%Fees for services (garbage collection, college tuition)16%State tax money13%Local tax money5.4%Fines and other2.7%Federal tax money0.6%

What stands out

60%

of Essex County's money comes from property tax.A typical U.S. county of 250,000+ people gets 29%.

County taxes62%

Property tax
60%$444 million
Other taxes
1.4%$10.3 million
What's in other taxesReal estate and stock transfer taxes
  • Real estate and stock transfer taxes$10.3 million

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services16%

Fees for services
16%$121 million
What's in fees for servicesGarbage collection; college tuition and 10 more
  • Garbage collection$52.7 million
  • College tuition$30.0 million
  • Parks and recreation$19.8 million
  • Other service charges$8.9 million
  • Airport$5.8 million
  • Parking$1.6 million
  • University housing and dining$1.2 million
  • Road charges$589 thousand
  • School lunches$482 thousand
  • Other school charges$252 thousand
  • School tuition and transportation$47 thousand
  • Water$23 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money0.6%

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

From the federal government
0.6%$4.1 million

State tax money13%

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

From the state
13%$98.4 million

Local tax money5.4%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From other local governments
5.4%$39.9 million

Fines and other2.7%

Interest, rents and other
2.4%$18.0 million
Fines
0.3%$2.3 million

Where it goes

Running the government and other costs27%Police, fire, courts and jails22%Schools and colleges20%Social services14%Water, sewer, trash and utilities5.9%All other spending12%

What stands out

20%

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

Spending by category100%

Running the government and other costs
27%$231 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$187 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$24.5 million
  • Government buildings$12.8 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$6.7 million
Police, fire, courts and jails
22%$191 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPrisons and jails; police and 1 more
  • Prisons and jails$97.0 million
  • Police$50.1 million
  • Courts and legal services$43.4 million
Schools and colleges
20%$168 million
What's in schools and collegesColleges and universities; elementary and secondary schools and 1 more
  • Colleges and universities$89.2 million
  • Elementary and secondary schools$72.0 million
  • Scholarships and other education subsidies$7.2 million
Social services
14%$117 million
What's in social servicesOther public welfare
  • Other public welfare$117 million
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
5.9%$50.5 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesGarbage and solid waste and water supply
  • Garbage and solid waste$50.5 million
  • Water supply$23 thousand
Parks, recreation and libraries
3.7%$32.0 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation
  • Parks and recreation$32.0 million
Health and hospitals
3.4%$29.2 million
What's in health and hospitalsHospitals
  • Hospitals$29.2 million
Roads, transit and parking
2.8%$24.4 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways; airports and 1 more
  • Roads and highways$12.8 million
  • Airports$8.7 million
  • Parking$2.8 million
Interest on debt
1.9%$16.5 million
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

Essex 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 Essex 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.