County government · Knox County, TN

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended June 30, 2024), Knox County took in $1.05 billion and spent $1.32 billion.

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

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Where it comes from

State tax money43%County taxes41%Fees for services (school lunches)11%Fines and other3.2%Federal tax money1.2%Local tax money1.1%

What stands out

43%

of Knox County's money comes from state tax money.A typical U.S. county of 250,000+ people gets 19%.

County taxes41%

Property tax
34%$353 million
Other taxes
4.5%$47.5 million
What's in other taxesOccupation and business licenses; other selective sales taxes and 2 more
  • Occupation and business licenses$16.6 million
  • Other selective sales taxes$14.7 million
  • Motor vehicle licenses$14.1 million
  • Alcoholic beverage taxes$2.2 million

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Sales tax
2.4%$24.8 million

Fees for services11%

Fees for services
11%$118 million
What's in fees for servicesOther service charges; other school charges and 1 more
  • Other service charges$81.7 million
  • Other school charges$30.8 million
  • School lunches$5.1 million

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money1.2%

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

From the federal government
1.2%$12.5 million

State tax money43%

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

From the state
43%$448 million

Local tax money1.1%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From other local governments
1.1%$11.2 million

Fines and other3.2%

Interest, rents and other
2.8%$29.9 million
Fines
0.4%$3.8 million

Where it goes

Schools and colleges58%Police, fire, courts and jails12%Running the government and other costs7.5%Sent to other local governments5.8%Parks, recreation and libraries4.1%All other spending12%

What stands out

58%

of Knox County's spending goes to schools and colleges.Most U.S. counties of 250,000+ people spend nothing on this.

Spending by category100%

Schools and colleges
58%$771 million
What's in schools and collegesElementary and secondary schools
  • Elementary and secondary schools$771 million
Police, fire, courts and jails
12%$157 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; courts and legal services and 3 more
  • Police$102 million
  • Courts and legal services$30.3 million
  • Prisons and jails$21.3 million
  • Inspections and regulation$2.1 million
  • Fire protection$698 thousand
Running the government and other costs
7.5%$98.7 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$39.8 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$32.5 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$22.5 million
  • Government buildings$3.9 million
Sent to other local governments
5.8%$76.7 million
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$76.7 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
4.1%$53.5 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation and libraries
  • Parks and recreation$27.5 million
  • Libraries$26.0 million
Roads, transit and parking
3.7%$48.6 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways
  • Roads and highways$48.6 million
Health and hospitals
2.8%$36.3 million
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$36.3 million
Interest on debt
2.0%$26.9 million
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
1.8%$24.1 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesSewer systems and garbage and solid waste
  • Sewer systems$18.7 million
  • Garbage and solid waste$5.4 million
Housing and community development
1.5%$20.4 million
Social services
0.3%$3.3 million
What's in social servicesOther public welfare and welfare institutions
  • Other public welfare$2.3 million
  • Welfare institutions$1.1 million
Environment and natural resources
0.2%$2.4 million
What's in environment and natural resourcesNatural resources, farming and conservation
  • Natural resources, farming and conservation$2.4 million
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

Knox 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 Knox 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.