County government · Union County, NJ

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended December 31, 2023), Union County took in $534 million and spent $547 million.

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

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Where it comes from

County taxes70%State tax money8.7%Fees for services (hospital bills, parks and recreation)7.5%Local tax money6.9%Fines and other4.5%Federal tax money2.3%

What stands out

69%

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

County taxes70%

Property tax
69%$367 million
Other taxes
1.3%$7.1 million
What's in other taxesReal estate and stock transfer taxes; public utility taxes and 1 more
  • Real estate and stock transfer taxes$6.5 million
  • Public utility taxes$328 thousand
  • Other licenses$233 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services7.5%

Fees for services
7.5%$40.2 million
What's in fees for servicesHospital bills; other service charges and 5 more
  • Hospital bills$16.9 million
  • Other service charges$9.5 million
  • Parks and recreation$8.6 million
  • Housing$3.8 million
  • Other school charges$931 thousand
  • School tuition and transportation$287 thousand
  • School lunches$199 thousand

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%$12.0 million

State tax money8.7%

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

From the state
8.7%$46.5 million

Local tax money6.9%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From other local governments
6.9%$37.1 million

Fines and other4.5%

Interest, rents and other
4.3%$22.9 million
Fines
0.2%$1.1 million

Where it goes

Running the government and other costs41%Police, fire, courts and jails17%Social services15%Schools and colleges14%Interest on debt3.9%All other spending8.8%

What stands out

14%

of Union 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
41%$227 million
What's in running the government and other costsOther and not broken out; government buildings and 2 more
  • Other and not broken out$197 million
  • Government buildings$15.7 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$7.0 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$6.3 million
Police, fire, courts and jails
17%$93.8 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; courts and legal services and 2 more
  • Police$39.3 million
  • Courts and legal services$27.7 million
  • Prisons and jails$26.3 million
  • Fire protection$373 thousand
Social services
15%$82.2 million
What's in social servicesOther public welfare and welfare institutions
  • Other public welfare$69.8 million
  • Welfare institutions$12.3 million
Schools and colleges
14%$75.8 million
What's in schools and collegesElementary and secondary schools
  • Elementary and secondary schools$75.8 million
Interest on debt
3.9%$21.1 million
Health and hospitals
3.3%$18.3 million
What's in health and hospitalsHospitals and public health
  • Hospitals$14.2 million
  • Public health$4.1 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
3.3%$18.3 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation
  • Parks and recreation$18.3 million
Roads, transit and parking
1.7%$9.3 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways
  • Roads and highways$9.3 million
Housing and community development
0.4%$2.2 million
Sent to other local governments
<0.1%$46 thousand
What's in sent to other local governmentsSent to the state government
  • Sent to the state government$46 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

Union 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 Union 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.