County government · Bedford County, VA

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended June 30, 2024), Bedford County took in $260 million and spent $288 million.

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

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Where it comes from

County taxes38%State tax money35%Fees for services (garbage collection, school lunches)21%Fines and other3.4%Federal tax money1.7%Local tax money0.4%

What stands out

21%

of Bedford County's money comes from fees for services such as water, sewer and parking.A typical U.S. county of 50,000 to 250,000 people gets 11%.

County taxes38%

Property tax
31%$80.2 million
Sales tax
3.9%$10.2 million
Other taxes
3.1%$8.0 million
What's in other taxesOther selective sales taxes; real estate and stock transfer taxes and 2 more
  • Other selective sales taxes$4.7 million
  • Real estate and stock transfer taxes$1.4 million
  • Public utility taxes$1.3 million
  • Other licenses$679 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services21%

Fees for services
21%$55.8 million
What's in fees for servicesOther service charges; garbage collection and 4 more
  • Other service charges$51.4 million
  • Garbage collection$2.7 million
  • School lunches$1.1 million
  • School tuition and transportation$548 thousand
  • Parks and recreation$123 thousand
  • Parks, land and natural resources$1 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money1.7%

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

From the federal government
1.7%$4.5 million

State tax money35%

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

From the state
35%$91.3 million

Local tax money0.4%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From other local governments
0.4%$1.1 million

Fines and other3.4%

Interest, rents and other
3.4%$8.8 million
Fines
<0.1%$17 thousand

Where it goes

Schools and colleges45%Health and hospitals18%Police, fire, courts and jails12%Running the government and other costs9.7%Social services9.1%All other spending6.7%

What stands out

45%

of Bedford County's spending goes to schools and colleges.Most U.S. counties of 50,000 to 250,000 people spend nothing on this.

Spending by category100%

Schools and colleges
45%$130 million
What's in schools and collegesElementary and secondary schools
  • Elementary and secondary schools$130 million
Health and hospitals
18%$50.5 million
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$50.5 million
Police, fire, courts and jails
12%$34.5 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; fire protection and 3 more
  • Police$15.3 million
  • Fire protection$8.6 million
  • Prisons and jails$6.9 million
  • Courts and legal services$2.8 million
  • Inspections and regulation$892 thousand
Running the government and other costs
9.7%$28.0 million
What's in running the government and other costsOther and not broken out; government buildings and 2 more
  • Other and not broken out$24.1 million
  • Government buildings$2.1 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$1.8 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$119 thousand
Social services
9.1%$26.2 million
What's in social servicesOther public welfare and welfare institutions
  • Other public welfare$18.0 million
  • Welfare institutions$8.2 million
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
3.6%$10.3 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesGarbage and solid waste
  • Garbage and solid waste$10.3 million
Housing and community development
1.4%$4.1 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
1.4%$4.1 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesLibraries and parks and recreation
  • Libraries$2.4 million
  • Parks and recreation$1.7 million
Environment and natural resources
0.2%$604 thousand
What's in environment and natural resourcesNatural resources, farming and conservation
  • Natural resources, farming and conservation$604 thousand
Interest on debt
<0.1%$131 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

Bedford 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 Bedford 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.