State government

South Dakota's money: where it comes from and where it goes

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended June 30, 2024), South Dakota took in $6.82 billion and spent $7.33 billion.

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

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Where it comes from

Federal tax money42%State taxes39%Fines and other13%Fees for services (college tuition, university housing and dining)5.5%Local tax money0.8%

What stands out

25%

of South Dakota's money comes from sales tax.A typical state government gets 14%.

State taxes39%

Sales tax
25%$1.68 billion
Other taxes
14%$940 million
What's in other taxesMotor fuel taxes; other selective sales taxes and 16 more
  • Motor fuel taxes$198 million
  • Other selective sales taxes$172 million
  • Occupation and business licenses$157 million
  • Insurance premium taxes$117 million
  • Motor vehicle licenses$101 million
  • Tobacco taxes$55.8 million
  • Hunting and fishing licenses$38.1 million
  • Other licenses$30.6 million
  • Alcoholic beverage taxes$20.9 million
  • Amusement taxes$12.7 million
  • Severance taxes$10.9 million
  • Corporation licenses$8.3 million
  • Amusement licenses$5.7 million
  • Driver's licenses$5.2 million
  • Public utility taxes$3.6 million
  • Alcoholic beverage licenses$1.7 million
  • Other taxes not classified elsewhere$859 thousand
  • Real estate and stock transfer taxes$203 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Business income tax
0.9%$60.7 million

Fees for services5.5%

Fees for services
5.5%$377 million
What's in fees for servicesCollege tuition; university housing and dining and 7 more
  • College tuition$222 million
  • University housing and dining$75.3 million
  • Other service charges$42.9 million
  • Parks, land and natural resources$13.3 million
  • Other education charges$11.0 million
  • Parks and recreation$4.8 million
  • Road charges$3.1 million
  • Water$2.6 million
  • Hospital bills$2.3 million

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money42%

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

From the federal government
42%$2.84 billion

Local tax money0.8%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From local governments
0.8%$53.5 million

Fines and other13%

Interest, rents and other
12%$848 million
Fines
0.4%$24.8 million

Where it goes

Social services27%Sent to local governments19%Schools and colleges14%Roads, transit and parking14%Running the government and other costs9.5%All other spending16%

What stands out

14%

of South Dakota's spending goes to roads, transit and parking.A typical state government spends 6.7%.

Spending by category100%

Social services
27%$1.98 billion
What's in social servicesOther public welfare; unemployment and social insurance offices and 2 more
  • Other public welfare$1.95 billion
  • Unemployment and social insurance offices$18.8 million
  • Welfare institutions$8.2 million
  • Veterans' services$2.4 million
Sent to local governments
19%$1.43 billion
What's in sent to local governmentsSent to school districts; sent to local governments: natural resources, farming and conservation and 17 more
  • Sent to school districts$1.11 billion
  • Sent to local governments: natural resources, farming and conservation$111 million
  • Sent to local governments: roads and highways$64.5 million
  • Sent to local governments: general support$53.7 million
  • Sent to local governments: other and not broken out$46.6 million
  • Sent to local governments: other education$12.0 million
  • Sent to local governments: finance, tax collection and budgeting$10.5 million
  • Sent to local governments: inspections and regulation$9.2 million
  • Sent to local governments: police$2.0 million
  • Sent to local governments: other public welfare$1.9 million
  • Sent to local governments: public health$1.5 million
  • Sent to local governments: other government administration$1.5 million
  • Sent to local governments: probation, parole and other corrections$1.3 million
  • Sent to local governments: sewer systems$1.1 million
  • Sent to local governments: prisons and jails$693 thousand
  • Sent to local governments: hospitals$569 thousand
  • Sent to local governments: courts and legal services$440 thousand
  • Sent to local governments: parks and recreation$124 thousand
  • Sent to local governments: libraries$6 thousand
Schools and colleges
14%$1.05 billion
What's in schools and collegesColleges and universities; other education and 2 more
  • Colleges and universities$768 million
  • Other education$107 million
  • College housing, dining and bookstores$94.2 million
  • Scholarships and other education subsidies$84.1 million
Roads, transit and parking
14%$1.04 billion
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways; airports and 1 more
  • Roads and highways$964 million
  • Airports$52.6 million
  • Public transit$20.5 million
Running the government and other costs
9.5%$699 million
What's in running the government and other costsOther and not broken out; finance, tax collection and budgeting and 3 more
  • Other and not broken out$355 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$236 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$52.6 million
  • Government buildings$44.0 million
  • Other government administration$11.1 million
Police, fire, courts and jails
5.1%$371 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPrisons and jails; police and 3 more
  • Prisons and jails$151 million
  • Police$78.9 million
  • Courts and legal services$77.9 million
  • Inspections and regulation$50.0 million
  • Probation, parole and other corrections$12.9 million
Environment and natural resources
3.5%$254 million
What's in environment and natural resourcesNatural resources, farming and conservation
  • Natural resources, farming and conservation$254 million
Health and hospitals
3.0%$222 million
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health and hospitals
  • Public health$159 million
  • Hospitals$62.4 million
Interest on debt
1.9%$137 million
Housing and community development
1.2%$87.4 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
0.9%$63.7 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation and libraries
  • Parks and recreation$60.6 million
  • Libraries$3.1 million
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
<0.1%$2.9 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesWater supply and sewer systems
  • Water supply$2.0 million
  • Sewer systems$928 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

State of South Dakota. 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 State of South Dakota 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.

Counties66 counties, A to Z
Cities and towns1190 cities, towns and townships, A to Z
School districts153 school districts, A to Z