County government · Caldwell County, NC

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended June 30, 2024), Caldwell County took in $275 million and spent $284 million.

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

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Where it comes from

State tax money53%County taxes31%Fees for services (water, hospital bills)7.4%Fines and other4.7%Local tax money1.8%Federal tax money1.7%

What stands out

53%

of Caldwell County's money comes from state tax money.A typical U.S. county of 50,000 to 250,000 people gets 22%.

County taxes31%

Property tax
22%$61.2 million
Sales tax
8.1%$22.4 million
Other taxes
0.6%$1.8 million
What's in other taxesOccupation and business licenses; other selective sales taxes and 1 more
  • Occupation and business licenses$832 thousand
  • Other selective sales taxes$742 thousand
  • Other licenses$213 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services7.4%

Fees for services
7.4%$20.3 million
What's in fees for servicesWater; hospital bills and 9 more
  • Water$4.9 million
  • Hospital bills$4.1 million
  • College tuition$3.5 million
  • Other service charges$2.3 million
  • School tuition and transportation$1.4 million
  • School lunches$1.1 million
  • Garbage collection$1.1 million
  • University housing and dining$931 thousand
  • Other government-run businesses$882 thousand
  • Parks, land and natural resources$161 thousand
  • Other school charges$13 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money1.7%

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

From the federal government
1.7%$4.6 million

State tax money53%

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

From the state
53%$147 million

Local tax money1.8%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From other local governments
1.8%$5.1 million

Fines and other4.7%

Interest, rents and other
4.6%$12.6 million
Fines
0.1%$396 thousand

Where it goes

Schools and colleges66%Police, fire, courts and jails13%Social services5.7%Running the government and other costs4.6%Housing and community development3.4%All other spending7.3%

What stands out

66%

of Caldwell County's spending goes to schools and colleges.Most U.S. counties of 50,000 to 250,000 people spend nothing on this.

Spending by category100%

Schools and colleges
66%$188 million
What's in schools and collegesElementary and secondary schools; colleges and universities and 2 more
  • Elementary and secondary schools$141 million
  • Colleges and universities$44.5 million
  • Scholarships and other education subsidies$1.5 million
  • College housing, dining and bookstores$1.2 million
Police, fire, courts and jails
13%$36.4 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; prisons and jails and 2 more
  • Police$28.0 million
  • Prisons and jails$6.6 million
  • Courts and legal services$1.3 million
  • Fire protection$516 thousand
Social services
5.7%$16.2 million
What's in social servicesOther public welfare
  • Other public welfare$16.2 million
Running the government and other costs
4.6%$13.1 million
What's in running the government and other costsCentral staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology); other and not broken out and 2 more
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$5.2 million
  • Other and not broken out$3.6 million
  • Government buildings$2.2 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$2.2 million
Housing and community development
3.4%$9.8 million
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
2.5%$7.1 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesWater supply
  • Water supply$7.1 million
Health and hospitals
2.3%$6.4 million
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$6.4 million
Interest on debt
1.2%$3.5 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
0.5%$1.6 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesLibraries and parks and recreation
  • Libraries$1.4 million
  • Parks and recreation$147 thousand
Sent to other local governments
0.5%$1.4 million
What's in sent to other local governmentsSent to local governments: other and not broken out
  • Sent to local governments: other and not broken out$1.4 million
Environment and natural resources
0.3%$748 thousand
What's in environment and natural resourcesNatural resources, farming and conservation
  • Natural resources, farming and conservation$748 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

Caldwell 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 Caldwell 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.