County government · McDowell County, NC

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended June 30, 2024), McDowell County took in $81.9 million and spent $98.2 million.

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

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Where it comes from

State tax money78%County taxes12%Federal tax money3.4%Fees for services (college tuition, school lunches)2.7%Fines and other2.2%Local tax money1.7%

What stands out

78%

of McDowell County's money comes from state tax money.A typical U.S. county of under 50,000 people gets 23%.

County taxes12%

Property tax
12%$10.0 million
Other taxes
<0.1%$9 thousand
What's in other taxesOther taxes not classified elsewhere
  • Other taxes not classified elsewhere$9 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services2.7%

Fees for services
2.7%$2.2 million
What's in fees for servicesCollege tuition; school lunches and 2 more
  • College tuition$791 thousand
  • School lunches$666 thousand
  • University housing and dining$573 thousand
  • School tuition and transportation$169 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money3.4%

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

From the federal government
3.4%$2.8 million

State tax money78%

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

From the state
78%$63.7 million

Local tax money1.7%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From other local governments
1.7%$1.4 million

Fines and other2.2%

Interest, rents and other
1.9%$1.6 million
Fines
0.3%$243 thousand

Where it goes

Schools and colleges98%Running the government and other costs1.4%Sent to other local governments0.7%Interest on debt0.2%

What stands out

98%

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

Spending by category100%

Schools and colleges
98%$96.0 million
What's in schools and collegesElementary and secondary schools; colleges and universities and 2 more
  • Elementary and secondary schools$77.6 million
  • Colleges and universities$15.8 million
  • Scholarships and other education subsidies$1.6 million
  • College housing, dining and bookstores$1.0 million
Running the government and other costs
1.4%$1.4 million
What's in running the government and other costsOther and not broken out
  • Other and not broken out$1.4 million
Sent to other local governments
0.7%$646 thousand
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$646 thousand
Interest on debt
0.2%$168 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

McDowell 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 McDowell 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.