County government · Wilkes County, NC

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended June 30, 2024), Wilkes County took in $248 million and spent $262 million.

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

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Where it comes from

State tax money56%County taxes30%Fines and other6.4%Fees for services (garbage collection, hospital bills)5.2%Local tax money2.1%Federal tax money0.8%

What stands out

56%

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

County taxes30%

Property tax
19%$47.1 million
Sales tax
10%$25.3 million
Other taxes
0.3%$746 thousand
What's in other taxesOccupation and business licenses and other selective sales taxes
  • Occupation and business licenses$419 thousand
  • Other selective sales taxes$327 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services5.2%

Fees for services
5.2%$12.9 million
What's in fees for servicesGarbage collection; hospital bills and 9 more
  • Garbage collection$4.3 million
  • Hospital bills$3.5 million
  • Airport$1.7 million
  • College tuition$1.3 million
  • University housing and dining$1.0 million
  • School lunches$547 thousand
  • Other government-run businesses$206 thousand
  • Other service charges$189 thousand
  • Parks and recreation$89 thousand
  • Other school charges$61 thousand
  • School tuition and transportation$37 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money0.8%

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

From the federal government
0.8%$2.1 million

State tax money56%

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

From the state
56%$139 million

Local tax money2.1%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From other local governments
2.1%$5.1 million

Fines and other6.4%

Interest, rents and other
6.1%$15.2 million
Fines
0.2%$617 thousand

Where it goes

Schools and colleges65%Police, fire, courts and jails8.8%Running the government and other costs6.5%Social services6.3%Health and hospitals5.2%All other spending8.4%

What stands out

65%

of Wilkes 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
65%$170 million
What's in schools and collegesElementary and secondary schools; colleges and universities and 2 more
  • Elementary and secondary schools$137 million
  • Colleges and universities$29.7 million
  • College housing, dining and bookstores$2.0 million
  • Scholarships and other education subsidies$1.5 million
Police, fire, courts and jails
8.8%$23.1 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; prisons and jails and 3 more
  • Police$10.4 million
  • Prisons and jails$5.7 million
  • Fire protection$5.1 million
  • Courts and legal services$1.2 million
  • Inspections and regulation$666 thousand
Running the government and other costs
6.5%$17.0 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$6.3 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$5.1 million
  • Government buildings$3.3 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$2.3 million
Social services
6.3%$16.5 million
What's in social servicesOther public welfare
  • Other public welfare$16.5 million
Health and hospitals
5.2%$13.6 million
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$13.6 million
Housing and community development
1.9%$5.0 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
1.9%$5.0 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesLibraries and parks and recreation
  • Libraries$3.7 million
  • Parks and recreation$1.3 million
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
1.8%$4.8 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesGarbage and solid waste
  • Garbage and solid waste$4.8 million
Roads, transit and parking
1.5%$4.0 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingAirports and public transit
  • Airports$2.1 million
  • Public transit$1.8 million
Interest on debt
0.7%$1.7 million
Environment and natural resources
0.3%$873 thousand
What's in environment and natural resourcesNatural resources, farming and conservation
  • Natural resources, farming and conservation$873 thousand
Sent to other local governments
0.2%$603 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$603 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

Wilkes 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 Wilkes 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.