County government · Jefferson County, NY

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended December 31, 2023), Jefferson County took in $351 million and spent $340 million.

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

See every government that serves your ZIP

Where it comes from

County taxes62%State tax money20%Fees for services (college tuition, university housing and dining)6.9%Federal tax money5.5%Fines and other3.6%Local tax money2.0%

What stands out

43%

of Jefferson County's money comes from sales tax.A typical U.S. county of 50,000 to 250,000 people gets 4.2%.

County taxes62%

Sales tax
43%$152 million
Property tax
18%$64.3 million
Other taxes
0.4%$1.6 million
What's in other taxesOther selective sales taxes; public utility taxes and 2 more
  • Other selective sales taxes$610 thousand
  • Public utility taxes$447 thousand
  • Other taxes not classified elsewhere$336 thousand
  • Other licenses$171 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services6.9%

Fees for services
6.9%$24.2 million
What's in fees for servicesOther service charges; college tuition and 4 more
  • Other service charges$9.4 million
  • College tuition$4.5 million
  • University housing and dining$4.1 million
  • Garbage collection$3.9 million
  • Airport$2.3 million
  • Housing$120 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money5.5%

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

From the federal government
5.5%$19.4 million

State tax money20%

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

From the state
20%$69.3 million

Local tax money2.0%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From other local governments
2.0%$6.9 million

Fines and other3.6%

Interest, rents and other
3.6%$12.6 million
Fines
<0.1%$103 thousand

Where it goes

Sent to other local governments36%Social services14%Running the government and other costs11%Police, fire, courts and jails10%Roads, transit and parking10%All other spending19%

What stands out

36%

of Jefferson 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%

Sent to other local governments
36%$122 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$104 million
  • Sent to the state government$18.2 million
Social services
14%$47.6 million
What's in social servicesOther public welfare
  • Other public welfare$47.6 million
Running the government and other costs
11%$36.1 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$25.6 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$4.4 million
  • Government buildings$3.9 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$2.3 million
Police, fire, courts and jails
10%$35.4 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPrisons and jails; police and 4 more
  • Prisons and jails$10.5 million
  • Police$8.6 million
  • Courts and legal services$6.9 million
  • Fire protection$4.8 million
  • Probation, parole and other corrections$4.0 million
  • Inspections and regulation$618 thousand
Roads, transit and parking
10%$35.0 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways and airports
  • Roads and highways$22.4 million
  • Airports$12.5 million
Schools and colleges
8.8%$29.8 million
What's in schools and collegesColleges and universities; college housing, dining and bookstores and 1 more
  • Colleges and universities$22.5 million
  • College housing, dining and bookstores$5.2 million
  • Scholarships and other education subsidies$2.2 million
Health and hospitals
7.4%$25.3 million
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$25.3 million
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
1.2%$3.9 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesGarbage and solid waste
  • Garbage and solid waste$3.9 million
Interest on debt
0.6%$2.0 million
Housing and community development
0.6%$2.0 million
Environment and natural resources
0.1%$372 thousand
What's in environment and natural resourcesNatural resources, farming and conservation
  • Natural resources, farming and conservation$372 thousand
Parks, recreation and libraries
<0.1%$296 thousand
What's in parks, recreation and librariesLibraries and parks and recreation
  • Libraries$177 thousand
  • Parks and recreation$119 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

Jefferson 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 Jefferson 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.