County government · Mercer County, ND

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended December 31, 2023), Mercer County took in $8.7 million and spent $9.3 million.

Latest recorded year: ended December 31, 2023Comes fromGoes to

See every government that serves your ZIP

Where it comes from

County taxes73%State tax money8.2%Fees for services (garbage collection, road charges)5.9%Fines and other5.7%Federal tax money5.4%Local tax money2.1%

What stands out

21%

of Mercer County's money comes from taxes other than property, sales and income taxes.A typical U.S. county of under 50,000 people gets 1.9%.

County taxes73%

Property tax
52%$4.5 million
Other taxes
21%$1.8 million
What's in other taxesSeverance taxes; other taxes not classified elsewhere and 2 more
  • Severance taxes$939 thousand
  • Other taxes not classified elsewhere$841 thousand
  • Occupation and business licenses$20 thousand
  • Alcoholic beverage licenses$2 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services5.9%

Fees for services
5.9%$509 thousand
What's in fees for servicesGarbage collection and road charges
  • Garbage collection$472 thousand
  • Road charges$37 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money5.4%

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

From the federal government
5.4%$471 thousand

State tax money8.2%

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

From the state
8.2%$711 thousand

Local tax money2.1%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From other local governments
2.1%$187 thousand

Fines and other5.7%

Interest, rents and other
4.4%$386 thousand
Fines
1.3%$111 thousand

Where it goes

Roads, transit and parking31%Running the government and other costs29%Police, fire, courts and jails29%Interest on debt3.3%Environment and natural resources3.0%All other spending4.9%

What stands out

31%

of Mercer County's spending goes to roads, transit and parking.A typical U.S. county of under 50,000 people spends 16%.

Spending by category100%

Roads, transit and parking
31%$2.9 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways and airports
  • Roads and highways$2.8 million
  • Airports$106 thousand
Running the government and other costs
29%$2.7 million
What's in running the government and other costsOther and not broken out; finance, tax collection and budgeting and 2 more
  • Other and not broken out$1.7 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$434 thousand
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$343 thousand
  • Government buildings$195 thousand
Police, fire, courts and jails
29%$2.7 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; prisons and jails and 2 more
  • Police$2.0 million
  • Prisons and jails$249 thousand
  • Courts and legal services$213 thousand
  • Fire protection$193 thousand
Interest on debt
3.3%$302 thousand
Environment and natural resources
3.0%$274 thousand
What's in environment and natural resourcesNatural resources, farming and conservation
  • Natural resources, farming and conservation$274 thousand
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
2.7%$246 thousand
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesGarbage and solid waste
  • Garbage and solid waste$246 thousand
Health and hospitals
2.2%$207 thousand
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$207 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

Mercer County. U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, individual unit file, fiscal year ended December 31, 2023.

What this covers. The money of Mercer 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.