County government · Watauga County, NC

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended June 30, 2024), Watauga County took in $174 million and spent $162 million.

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

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Where it comes from

County taxes48%State tax money25%Fees for services (garbage collection, parks and recreation)11%Fines and other7.1%Local tax money4.8%Federal tax money3.4%

What stands out

14%

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

County taxes48%

Property tax
29%$50.4 million
Sales tax
14%$23.7 million
Other taxes
5.8%$10.1 million
What's in other taxesOther selective sales taxes; other taxes not classified elsewhere and 2 more
  • Other selective sales taxes$4.4 million
  • Other taxes not classified elsewhere$4.2 million
  • Motor vehicle licenses$1.2 million
  • Other licenses$289 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services11%

Fees for services
11%$19.0 million
What's in fees for servicesGarbage collection; other service charges and 6 more
  • Garbage collection$6.7 million
  • Other service charges$6.4 million
  • Parks and recreation$2.1 million
  • Other government-run businesses$1.3 million
  • School lunches$891 thousand
  • School tuition and transportation$615 thousand
  • Transit fares$521 thousand
  • Hospital bills$428 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%$5.8 million

State tax money25%

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

From the state
25%$44.3 million

Local tax money4.8%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From other local governments
4.8%$8.4 million

Fines and other7.1%

Interest, rents and other
6.8%$11.8 million
Fines
0.3%$490 thousand

Where it goes

Schools and colleges40%Running the government and other costs13%Police, fire, courts and jails13%Health and hospitals12%Roads, transit and parking4.8%All other spending17%

What stands out

40%

of Watauga 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
40%$65.4 million
What's in schools and collegesElementary and secondary schools
  • Elementary and secondary schools$65.4 million
Running the government and other costs
13%$21.7 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$17.5 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$2.1 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$1.9 million
  • Government buildings$256 thousand
Police, fire, courts and jails
13%$20.9 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; fire protection and 3 more
  • Police$9.6 million
  • Fire protection$7.7 million
  • Prisons and jails$2.8 million
  • Inspections and regulation$770 thousand
  • Courts and legal services$80 thousand
Health and hospitals
12%$18.9 million
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$18.9 million
Roads, transit and parking
4.8%$7.8 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingPublic transit
  • Public transit$7.8 million
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
4.7%$7.6 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesGarbage and solid waste
  • Garbage and solid waste$7.6 million
Social services
4.5%$7.3 million
What's in social servicesOther public welfare
  • Other public welfare$7.3 million
Housing and community development
3.2%$5.2 million
Interest on debt
2.4%$3.9 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
2.0%$3.2 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation and libraries
  • Parks and recreation$2.4 million
  • Libraries$776 thousand
Sent to other local governments
0.1%$188 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$188 thousand
Environment and natural resources
<0.1%$127 thousand
What's in environment and natural resourcesNatural resources, farming and conservation
  • Natural resources, farming and conservation$127 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

Watauga 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 Watauga 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.