County government · Berkeley County, SC

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended June 30, 2024), Berkeley County took in $246 million and spent $188 million.

Latest recorded year: ended June 30, 2024Estimated by the U.S. Census BureauComes fromGoes to

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Where it comes from

County taxes44%Fines and other26%Fees for services (sewer, garbage collection)18%State tax money7.8%Federal tax money4.2%

What stands out

24%

of Berkeley County's money comes from fines.Most U.S. counties of 50,000 to 250,000 people get none.

County taxes44%

Other taxes
21%$51.3 million
What's in other taxesOther selective sales taxes and other licenses
  • Other selective sales taxes$44.9 million
  • Other licenses$6.4 million

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Property tax
15%$36.7 million
Sales tax
8.5%$20.9 million

Fees for services18%

Fees for services
18%$44.5 million
What's in fees for servicesSewer and garbage collection
  • Sewer$27.4 million
  • Garbage collection$17.1 million

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money4.2%

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

From the federal government
4.2%$10.4 million

State tax money7.8%

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

From the state
7.8%$19.2 million

Local tax money<0.1%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From other local governments
<0.1%$89 thousand

Fines and other26%

Fines
24%$58.6 million
Interest, rents and other
1.7%$4.3 million

Where it goes

Water, sewer, trash and utilities38%Police, fire, courts and jails26%Running the government and other costs19%Health and hospitals6.8%Roads, transit and parking5.7%All other spending4.9%

What stands out

38%

of Berkeley County's spending goes to water, sewer, trash and other utilities.A typical U.S. county of 50,000 to 250,000 people spends 1.6%.

Spending by category100%

Water, sewer, trash and utilities
38%$72.4 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesSewer systems and garbage and solid waste
  • Sewer systems$54.3 million
  • Garbage and solid waste$18.1 million
Police, fire, courts and jails
26%$48.1 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; prisons and jails and 1 more
  • Police$25.5 million
  • Prisons and jails$12.3 million
  • Courts and legal services$10.4 million
Running the government and other costs
19%$35.0 million
What's in running the government and other costsFinance, tax collection and budgeting; other and not broken out and 1 more
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$22.2 million
  • Other and not broken out$9.5 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$3.3 million
Health and hospitals
6.8%$12.8 million
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$12.8 million
Roads, transit and parking
5.7%$10.7 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways and airports
  • Roads and highways$10.1 million
  • Airports$643 thousand
Parks, recreation and libraries
3.0%$5.7 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesLibraries and parks and recreation
  • Libraries$4.6 million
  • Parks and recreation$1.1 million
Environment and natural resources
1.1%$2.1 million
What's in environment and natural resourcesNatural resources, farming and conservation
  • Natural resources, farming and conservation$2.1 million
Social services
0.8%$1.5 million
What's in social servicesOther public welfare
  • Other public welfare$1.5 million
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

Berkeley County. U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, individual unit file, fiscal year ended June 30, 2024. Most of this government's figures were estimated by the U.S. Census Bureau from a sample; the government did not report them itself.

What this covers. The money of Berkeley 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.