County government · Lea County, NM

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended June 30, 2024), Lea County took in $345 million and spent $160 million.

Latest recorded year: ended June 30, 2024Comes fromGoes to

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Where it comes from

County taxes83%Fines and other9.8%Local tax money2.4%Federal tax money2.2%State tax money1.8%Fees for services (airport)0.6%

What stands out

68%

of Lea County's money comes from property tax.A typical U.S. county of 50,000 to 250,000 people gets 28%.

County taxes83%

Property tax
68%$235 million
Sales tax
15%$52.7 million

Fees for services0.6%

Fees for services
0.6%$2.2 million
What's in fees for servicesOther service charges and airport
  • Other service charges$1.9 million
  • Airport$295 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money2.2%

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

From the federal government
2.2%$7.6 million

State tax money1.8%

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

From the state
1.8%$6.3 million

Local tax money2.4%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From other local governments
2.4%$8.2 million

Fines and other9.8%

Interest, rents and other
9.7%$33.5 million
Fines
<0.1%$211 thousand

Where it goes

Police, fire, courts and jails27%Running the government and other costs25%Sent to other local governments19%Roads, transit and parking18%Parks, recreation and libraries6.1%All other spending4.2%

What stands out

19%

of Lea County's spending goes to local governments.Most U.S. counties of 50,000 to 250,000 people spend nothing on this.

Spending by category100%

Police, fire, courts and jails
27%$43.9 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; prisons and jails and 3 more
  • Police$18.4 million
  • Prisons and jails$18.1 million
  • Fire protection$4.4 million
  • Probation, parole and other corrections$2.2 million
  • Courts and legal services$926 thousand
Running the government and other costs
25%$39.8 million
What's in running the government and other costsCentral staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology); other and not broken out and 1 more
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$26.6 million
  • Other and not broken out$9.6 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$3.5 million
Sent to other local governments
19%$30.6 million
What's in sent to other local governmentsSent to local governments: other and not broken out and sent to the state government
  • Sent to local governments: other and not broken out$20.3 million
  • Sent to the state government$10.4 million
Roads, transit and parking
18%$29.5 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways and airports
  • Roads and highways$22.5 million
  • Airports$7.0 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
6.1%$9.8 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation
  • Parks and recreation$9.8 million
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
1.9%$3.1 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesGarbage and solid waste and water supply
  • Garbage and solid waste$3.1 million
  • Water supply$2 thousand
Health and hospitals
1.9%$3.0 million
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$3.0 million
Social services
0.3%$457 thousand
What's in social servicesOther public welfare
  • Other public welfare$457 thousand
Environment and natural resources
<0.1%$126 thousand
What's in environment and natural resourcesNatural resources, farming and conservation
  • Natural resources, farming and conservation$126 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

Lea County. U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, individual unit file, fiscal year ended June 30, 2024.

What this covers. The money of Lea 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.