County government · Lamar County, TX

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended September 30, 2023), Lamar County took in $30.9 million and spent $23.6 million.

Latest recorded year: ended September 30, 2023Comes fromGoes to

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Where it comes from

County taxes75%Federal tax money8.1%Fines and other7.8%Fees for services5.6%State tax money3.6%

What stands out

17%

of Lamar County's money comes from sales tax.A typical U.S. county of 50,000 to 250,000 people gets 4.2%.

County taxes75%

Property tax
55%$16.9 million
Sales tax
17%$5.4 million
Other taxes
2.8%$864 thousand
What's in other taxesMotor vehicle licenses
  • Motor vehicle licenses$864 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services5.6%

Fees for services
5.6%$1.7 million
What's in fees for servicesOther service charges
  • Other service charges$1.7 million

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money8.1%

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

From the federal government
8.1%$2.5 million

State tax money3.6%

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

From the state
3.6%$1.1 million

Fines and other7.8%

Interest, rents and other
7.3%$2.2 million
Fines
0.6%$180 thousand

Where it goes

Police, fire, courts and jails50%Running the government and other costs25%Roads, transit and parking19%Social services5.7%Interest on debt0.7%Environment and natural resources0.6%

What stands out

50%

of Lamar County's spending goes to police, fire, courts and jails.A typical U.S. county of 50,000 to 250,000 people spends 25%.

Spending by category100%

Police, fire, courts and jails
50%$11.7 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; prisons and jails and 2 more
  • Police$5.2 million
  • Prisons and jails$3.3 million
  • Courts and legal services$2.9 million
  • Probation, parole and other corrections$411 thousand
Running the government and other costs
25%$5.8 million
What's in running the government and other costsCentral staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology); finance, tax collection and budgeting and 2 more
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$2.8 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$1.5 million
  • Government buildings$1.1 million
  • Other and not broken out$442 thousand
Roads, transit and parking
19%$4.5 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways
  • Roads and highways$4.5 million
Social services
5.7%$1.3 million
What's in social servicesOther public welfare
  • Other public welfare$1.3 million
Interest on debt
0.7%$162 thousand
Environment and natural resources
0.6%$130 thousand
What's in environment and natural resourcesNatural resources, farming and conservation
  • Natural resources, farming and conservation$130 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

Lamar County. U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, individual unit file, fiscal year ended September 30, 2023.

What this covers. The money of Lamar 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.