County government · Stafford County, VA

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended June 30, 2024), Stafford County took in $772 million and spent $873 million.

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

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Where it comes from

County taxes47%State tax money38%Fees for services (sewer, water)10%Fines and other4.6%Federal tax money0.7%Local tax money0.2%

What stands out

38%

of Stafford County's money comes from state tax money.A typical U.S. county of 50,000 to 250,000 people gets 22%.

County taxes47%

Property tax
38%$292 million
Other taxes
5.8%$45.1 million
What's in other taxesOther selective sales taxes; motor fuel taxes and 5 more
  • Other selective sales taxes$19.1 million
  • Motor fuel taxes$6.5 million
  • Real estate and stock transfer taxes$6.2 million
  • Other licenses$5.9 million
  • Public utility taxes$5.9 million
  • Tobacco taxes$1.4 million
  • Motor vehicle licenses$34 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Sales tax
3.1%$23.6 million

Fees for services10%

Fees for services
10%$78.9 million
What's in fees for servicesSewer; water and 6 more
  • Sewer$32.5 million
  • Water$32.5 million
  • School lunches$6.0 million
  • Other service charges$3.4 million
  • Parks and recreation$1.5 million
  • Garbage collection$1.5 million
  • School tuition and transportation$1.3 million
  • Other school charges$196 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money0.7%

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

From the federal government
0.7%$5.3 million

State tax money38%

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

From the state
38%$290 million

Local tax money0.2%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From other local governments
0.2%$1.7 million

Fines and other4.6%

Interest, rents and other
4.5%$34.8 million
Fines
<0.1%$727 thousand

Where it goes

Schools and colleges57%Police, fire, courts and jails15%Water, sewer, trash and utilities9.2%Running the government and other costs9.0%Social services2.6%All other spending7.2%

What stands out

57%

of Stafford 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
57%$495 million
What's in schools and collegesElementary and secondary schools
  • Elementary and secondary schools$495 million
Police, fire, courts and jails
15%$134 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; fire protection and 4 more
  • Police$51.2 million
  • Fire protection$49.1 million
  • Prisons and jails$19.5 million
  • Courts and legal services$8.3 million
  • Inspections and regulation$5.5 million
  • Probation, parole and other corrections$358 thousand
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
9.2%$79.9 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesSewer systems; water supply and 1 more
  • Sewer systems$39.4 million
  • Water supply$39.4 million
  • Garbage and solid waste$1.1 million
Running the government and other costs
9.0%$78.3 million
What's in running the government and other costsOther and not broken out; finance, tax collection and budgeting and 2 more
  • Other and not broken out$52.0 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$10.9 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$9.6 million
  • Government buildings$5.8 million
Social services
2.6%$23.0 million
What's in social servicesOther public welfare
  • Other public welfare$23.0 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
2.4%$20.9 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation and libraries
  • Parks and recreation$14.8 million
  • Libraries$6.2 million
Health and hospitals
2.1%$18.7 million
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$18.7 million
Roads, transit and parking
1.5%$13.1 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways
  • Roads and highways$13.1 million
Interest on debt
0.6%$5.4 million
Housing and community development
0.4%$3.7 million
Sent to other local governments
<0.1%$788 thousand
What's in sent to other local governmentsSent to local governments: other and not broken out
  • Sent to local governments: other and not broken out$788 thousand
Environment and natural resources
<0.1%$155 thousand
What's in environment and natural resourcesNatural resources, farming and conservation
  • Natural resources, farming and conservation$155 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

Stafford 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 Stafford 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.