County government · Wharton County, TX

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended December 31, 2023), Wharton County took in $37.4 million and spent $35.2 million.

Latest recorded year: ended December 31, 2023Estimated by the U.S. Census BureauComes fromGoes to

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Where it comes from

County taxes67%Fines and other15%Federal tax money7.8%Fees for services (garbage collection, road charges)6.0%State tax money4.2%Local tax money0.7%

What stands out

12%

of Wharton County's money comes from sales tax.A typical U.S. county of under 50,000 people gets 1.6%.

County taxes67%

Property tax
52%$19.4 million
Sales tax
12%$4.6 million
Other taxes
2.6%$970 thousand
What's in other taxesMotor vehicle licenses; other licenses and 1 more
  • Motor vehicle licenses$868 thousand
  • Other licenses$90 thousand
  • Alcoholic beverage licenses$12 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services6.0%

Fees for services
6.0%$2.2 million
What's in fees for servicesOther service charges; garbage collection and 1 more
  • Other service charges$2.0 million
  • Garbage collection$139 thousand
  • Road charges$133 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money7.8%

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

From the federal government
7.8%$2.9 million

State tax money4.2%

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

From the state
4.2%$1.6 million

Local tax money0.7%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From other local governments
0.7%$260 thousand

Fines and other15%

Interest, rents and other
11%$4.3 million
Fines
3.5%$1.3 million

Where it goes

Police, fire, courts and jails46%Roads, transit and parking35%Running the government and other costs11%Parks, recreation and libraries3.7%Water, sewer, trash and utilities2.1%All other spending2.4%

What stands out

46%

of Wharton County's spending goes to police, fire, courts and jails.A typical U.S. county of under 50,000 people spends 20%.

Spending by category100%

Police, fire, courts and jails
46%$16.1 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; courts and legal services and 1 more
  • Police$7.0 million
  • Courts and legal services$5.2 million
  • Prisons and jails$3.9 million
Roads, transit and parking
35%$12.2 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways
  • Roads and highways$12.2 million
Running the government and other costs
11%$4.0 million
What's in running the government and other costsFinance, tax collection and budgeting and central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$3.2 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$771 thousand
Parks, recreation and libraries
3.7%$1.3 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesLibraries
  • Libraries$1.3 million
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
2.1%$735 thousand
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesGarbage and solid waste
  • Garbage and solid waste$735 thousand
Health and hospitals
1.4%$480 thousand
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$480 thousand
Social services
1.0%$364 thousand
What's in social servicesWelfare institutions
  • Welfare institutions$364 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

Wharton County. U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, individual unit file, fiscal year ended December 31, 2023. Most of this government's figures were estimated by the U.S. Census Bureau from a sample; the government did not report them itself.

What this covers. The money of Wharton 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.