County government · Hidalgo County, TX

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended December 31, 2023), Hidalgo County took in $726 million and spent $696 million.

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

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Where it comes from

County taxes64%Federal tax money13%State tax money11%Fines and other7.1%Fees for services (road charges, parks, land and natural resources)4.4%Local tax money0.1%

What stands out

20%

of Hidalgo County's money comes from taxes other than property, sales and income taxes.A typical U.S. county of 250,000+ people gets 2.5%.

County taxes64%

Property tax
44%$320 million
Other taxes
20%$148 million
What's in other taxesOther selective sales taxes; motor vehicle licenses and 3 more
  • Other selective sales taxes$138 million
  • Motor vehicle licenses$7.5 million
  • Other licenses$1.7 million
  • Amusement taxes$565 thousand
  • Alcoholic beverage licenses$174 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services4.4%

Fees for services
4.4%$32.2 million
What's in fees for servicesOther service charges; road charges and 2 more
  • Other service charges$30.3 million
  • Road charges$1.6 million
  • Parks, land and natural resources$317 thousand
  • Garbage collection$3 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money13%

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

From the federal government
13%$95.8 million

State tax money11%

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

From the state
11%$77.7 million

Local tax money0.1%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From other local governments
0.1%$728 thousand

Fines and other7.1%

Interest, rents and other
5.9%$43.1 million
Fines
1.2%$8.4 million

Where it goes

Police, fire, courts and jails23%Sent to other local governments19%Running the government and other costs15%Environment and natural resources9.8%Roads, transit and parking7.3%All other spending26%

What stands out

19%

of Hidalgo County's spending goes to local governments.Most U.S. counties of 250,000+ people spend nothing on this.

Spending by category100%

Police, fire, courts and jails
23%$159 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPrisons and jails; police and 3 more
  • Prisons and jails$48.4 million
  • Police$43.4 million
  • Courts and legal services$38.8 million
  • Probation, parole and other corrections$27.8 million
  • Fire protection$671 thousand
Sent to other local governments
19%$132 million
What's in sent to other local governmentsSent to the state government and sent to local governments: other and not broken out
  • Sent to the state government$130 million
  • Sent to local governments: other and not broken out$2.1 million
Running the government and other costs
15%$108 million
What's in running the government and other costsFinance, tax collection and budgeting; other and not broken out and 2 more
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$35.1 million
  • Other and not broken out$26.4 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$25.0 million
  • Government buildings$21.3 million
Environment and natural resources
9.8%$68.5 million
What's in environment and natural resourcesNatural resources, farming and conservation
  • Natural resources, farming and conservation$68.5 million
Roads, transit and parking
7.3%$50.9 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways
  • Roads and highways$50.9 million
Schools and colleges
6.4%$44.5 million
What's in schools and collegesElementary and secondary schools
  • Elementary and secondary schools$44.5 million
Social services
5.5%$38.4 million
What's in social servicesOther public welfare
  • Other public welfare$38.4 million
Health and hospitals
4.6%$31.8 million
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$31.8 million
Interest on debt
3.8%$26.2 million
Housing and community development
2.9%$20.4 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
1.3%$9.0 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation
  • Parks and recreation$9.0 million
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
1.1%$7.6 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesGarbage and solid waste
  • Garbage and solid waste$7.6 million
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

Hidalgo 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 Hidalgo 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.