County government · Harris County, TX

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended February 28, 2024), Harris County took in $10.5 billion and spent $10.1 billion.

Latest recorded year: ended February 28, 2024Comes fromGoes to

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Where it comes from

State tax money33%County taxes32%Fees for services (tolls, hospital bills)19%Federal tax money8.0%Fines and other6.0%Local tax money2.4%

What stands out

33%

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

County taxes32%

Property tax
31%$3.21 billion
Other taxes
1.3%$135 million
What's in other taxesMotor vehicle licenses; other selective sales taxes and 4 more
  • Motor vehicle licenses$54.9 million
  • Other selective sales taxes$52.3 million
  • Other licenses$20.3 million
  • Occupation and business licenses$6.9 million
  • Alcoholic beverage licenses$40 thousand
  • Amusement licenses$2 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services19%

Fees for services
19%$2.00 billion
What's in fees for servicesTolls on roads and bridges; hospital bills and 5 more
  • Tolls on roads and bridges$898 million
  • Hospital bills$754 million
  • Other service charges$293 million
  • Road charges$45.6 million
  • Parking$5.9 million
  • Parks, land and natural resources$2.4 million
  • Parks and recreation$868 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money8.0%

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

From the federal government
8.0%$837 million

State tax money33%

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

From the state
33%$3.41 billion

Local tax money2.4%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From other local governments
2.4%$255 million

Fines and other6.0%

Interest, rents and other
5.9%$618 million
Fines
0.1%$15.2 million

Where it goes

Health and hospitals56%Police, fire, courts and jails15%Running the government and other costs13%Roads, transit and parking8.8%Environment and natural resources3.5%All other spending4.0%

What stands out

56%

of Harris County's spending goes to health services and hospitals.A typical U.S. county of 250,000+ people spends 7.9%.

Spending by category100%

Health and hospitals
56%$5.69 billion
What's in health and hospitalsHospitals and public health
  • Hospitals$5.24 billion
  • Public health$450 million
Police, fire, courts and jails
15%$1.52 billion
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; courts and legal services and 4 more
  • Police$558 million
  • Courts and legal services$448 million
  • Prisons and jails$380 million
  • Probation, parole and other corrections$108 million
  • Fire protection$15.6 million
  • Inspections and regulation$7.6 million
Running the government and other costs
13%$1.27 billion
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$881 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$245 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$91.5 million
  • Government buildings$52.6 million
Roads, transit and parking
8.8%$896 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingToll roads and bridges; roads and highways and 1 more
  • Toll roads and bridges$597 million
  • Roads and highways$296 million
  • Parking$3.8 million
Environment and natural resources
3.5%$357 million
What's in environment and natural resourcesNatural resources, farming and conservation
  • Natural resources, farming and conservation$357 million
Interest on debt
1.7%$171 million
Housing and community development
1.1%$113 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
0.7%$71.1 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesLibraries and parks and recreation
  • Libraries$36.0 million
  • Parks and recreation$35.0 million
Social services
0.4%$43.8 million
What's in social servicesOther public welfare
  • Other public welfare$43.8 million
Schools and colleges
<0.1%$5.1 million
What's in schools and collegesElementary and secondary schools
  • Elementary and secondary schools$5.1 million
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

Harris County. U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, individual unit file, fiscal year ended February 28, 2024.

What this covers. The money of Harris 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.