County government · New Hanover County, NC

New Hanover County's money: where it comes from and where it goes

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended June 30, 2024), New Hanover County took in $913 million and spent $924 million.

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

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Where it comes from

County taxes43%State tax money35%Fees for services (liquor stores, garbage collection)13%Fines and other6.6%Local tax money2.1%Federal tax money1.1%

What stands out

13%

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

County taxes43%

Property tax
27%$243 million
Sales tax
13%$119 million
Other taxes
3.3%$30.1 million
What's in other taxesOther selective sales taxes; alcoholic beverage taxes and 4 more
  • Other selective sales taxes$15.3 million
  • Alcoholic beverage taxes$7.8 million
  • Occupation and business licenses$4.3 million
  • Motor vehicle licenses$1.2 million
  • Real estate and stock transfer taxes$815 thousand
  • Other licenses$811 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services13%

Fees for services
13%$116 million
What's in fees for servicesLiquor stores; garbage collection and 10 more
  • Liquor stores$55.1 million
  • Garbage collection$20.0 million
  • College tuition$11.9 million
  • University housing and dining$10.5 million
  • Other service charges$5.2 million
  • Sewer$4.1 million
  • Other government-run businesses$3.1 million
  • Parks and recreation$2.8 million
  • School lunches$2.4 million
  • Parking$701 thousand
  • Other school charges$335 thousand
  • School tuition and transportation$39 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money1.1%

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

From the federal government
1.1%$10.0 million

State tax money35%

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

From the state
35%$315 million

Local tax money2.1%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From other local governments
2.1%$18.9 million

Fines and other6.6%

Interest, rents and other
6.3%$57.9 million
Fines
0.3%$2.7 million

Where it goes

Schools and colleges51%Police, fire, courts and jails14%Running the government and other costs8.9%Water, sewer, trash and utilities7.4%Social services7.0%All other spending11%

What stands out

51%

of New Hanover 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
51%$475 million
What's in schools and collegesElementary and secondary schools; colleges and universities and 2 more
  • Elementary and secondary schools$366 million
  • Colleges and universities$92.5 million
  • College housing, dining and bookstores$13.9 million
  • Scholarships and other education subsidies$2.7 million
Police, fire, courts and jails
14%$130 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; prisons and jails and 3 more
  • Police$72.7 million
  • Prisons and jails$28.0 million
  • Fire protection$23.0 million
  • Inspections and regulation$3.6 million
  • Courts and legal services$2.3 million
Running the government and other costs
8.9%$82.1 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$48.4 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$17.5 million
  • Government buildings$14.6 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$1.6 million
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
7.4%$67.9 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesLiquor stores; garbage and solid waste and 1 more
  • Liquor stores$42.9 million
  • Garbage and solid waste$19.3 million
  • Sewer systems$5.6 million
Social services
7.0%$64.3 million
What's in social servicesOther public welfare
  • Other public welfare$64.3 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
4.0%$37.2 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation and libraries
  • Parks and recreation$29.4 million
  • Libraries$7.8 million
Health and hospitals
2.3%$21.0 million
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$21.0 million
Interest on debt
2.2%$20.0 million
Environment and natural resources
1.4%$12.7 million
What's in environment and natural resourcesNatural resources, farming and conservation
  • Natural resources, farming and conservation$12.7 million
Housing and community development
0.8%$7.7 million
Sent to other local governments
0.6%$5.7 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$5.7 million
Roads, transit and parking
<0.1%$48 thousand
What's in roads, transit and parkingParking
  • Parking$48 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

New Hanover 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 New Hanover 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.