County government · Somerset County, NJ

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended December 31, 2023), Somerset County took in $340 million and spent $405 million.

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

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Where it comes from

County taxes65%Fees for services (college tuition, garbage collection)13%State tax money6.0%Local tax money5.8%Federal tax money5.4%Fines and other5.0%

What stands out

65%

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

County taxes65%

Property tax
65%$221 million

Fees for services13%

Fees for services
13%$43.8 million
What's in fees for servicesCollege tuition; other service charges and 4 more
  • College tuition$20.3 million
  • Other service charges$18.3 million
  • Garbage collection$3.2 million
  • University housing and dining$1.4 million
  • Other school charges$363 thousand
  • School lunches$82 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money5.4%

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

From the federal government
5.4%$18.2 million

State tax money6.0%

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

From the state
6.0%$20.3 million

Local tax money5.8%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From other local governments
5.8%$19.6 million

Fines and other5.0%

Interest, rents and other
5.0%$17.0 million
Fines
<0.1%$1 thousand

Where it goes

Running the government and other costs38%Schools and colleges22%Roads, transit and parking11%Police, fire, courts and jails11%Health and hospitals4.3%All other spending13%

What stands out

22%

of Somerset 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
38%$153 million
What's in running the government and other costsOther and not broken out; government buildings and 2 more
  • Other and not broken out$105 million
  • Government buildings$43.8 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$2.3 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$2.1 million
Schools and colleges
22%$90.7 million
What's in schools and collegesColleges and universities; elementary and secondary schools and 2 more
  • Colleges and universities$61.1 million
  • Elementary and secondary schools$22.3 million
  • Scholarships and other education subsidies$4.8 million
  • College housing, dining and bookstores$2.5 million
Roads, transit and parking
11%$44.8 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways
  • Roads and highways$44.8 million
Police, fire, courts and jails
11%$44.4 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPrisons and jails; courts and legal services and 1 more
  • Prisons and jails$18.5 million
  • Courts and legal services$15.6 million
  • Police$10.3 million
Health and hospitals
4.3%$17.5 million
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$17.5 million
Social services
4.0%$16.2 million
What's in social servicesWelfare institutions
  • Welfare institutions$16.2 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
3.3%$13.4 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation
  • Parks and recreation$13.4 million
Interest on debt
3.2%$12.8 million
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
2.6%$10.5 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesGarbage and solid waste
  • Garbage and solid waste$10.5 million
Environment and natural resources
0.3%$1.3 million
What's in environment and natural resourcesNatural resources, farming and conservation
  • Natural resources, farming and conservation$1.3 million
Sent to other local governments
<0.1%$37 thousand
What's in sent to other local governmentsSent to the state government and sent to local governments: other and not broken out
  • Sent to the state government$20 thousand
  • Sent to local governments: other and not broken out$17 thousand
Housing and community development
<0.1%$13 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

Somerset 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 Somerset 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.