ZIP 08608 · Trenton, NJ

Three governments run on your community's money

From the state down to your schools: where each one's money comes from and goes.

Yearly budgets from each government's latest fiscal year on record. Tap one to jump to it.

Your state

State of New Jersey

$97.4 billion budget in the latest fiscal year on record, which ended June 30, 2024.

Where the money comes from

State taxes50%Federal tax money30%Fees for services (tolls, college tuition)10%Fines and other9.4%Local tax money0.7%
Full New Jersey breakdown

What stands out

8.2%

of New Jersey's money comes from business income taxes.A typical state government gets 3.8%.

State taxes50%

Individual income tax
19%$18.9 billion
Sales tax
14%$14.3 billion
Other taxes
9.0%$9.08 billion
What's in other taxesOther selective sales taxes; corporation licenses and 16 more
  • Other selective sales taxes$2.74 billion
  • Corporation licenses$912 million
  • Occupation and business licenses$821 million
  • Real estate and stock transfer taxes$735 million
  • Motor vehicle licenses$685 million
  • Insurance premium taxes$627 million
  • Estate and gift taxes$537 million
  • Amusement taxes$519 million
  • Motor fuel taxes$472 million
  • Tobacco taxes$469 million
  • Public utility taxes$236 million
  • Alcoholic beverage taxes$184 million
  • Driver's licenses$59.6 million
  • Amusement licenses$47.7 million
  • Hunting and fishing licenses$14.3 million
  • Public utility licenses$10.6 million
  • Alcoholic beverage licenses$4.2 million
  • Other licenses$2.0 million

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Business income tax
8.2%$8.21 billion
Property tax
<0.1%$5.0 million

Fees for services10%

Fees for services
10%$10.2 billion
What's in fees for servicesTolls on roads and bridges; college tuition and 17 more
  • Tolls on roads and bridges$2.57 billion
  • College tuition$2.43 billion
  • Hospital bills$1.86 billion
  • Other service charges$1.67 billion
  • Transit fares$832 million
  • University housing and dining$611 million
  • Housing$52.0 million
  • Parks and recreation$50.6 million
  • Water$42.1 million
  • Ports and waterways$33.1 million
  • Airport$17.2 million
  • Road charges$14.0 million
  • Sewer$11.9 million
  • Other education charges$11.7 million
  • Parks, land and natural resources$9.2 million
  • Garbage collection$2.4 million
  • School lunches$757 thousand
  • Other school charges$185 thousand
  • School tuition and transportation$5 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money30%

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

From the federal government
30%$29.7 billion

Local tax money0.7%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From local governments
0.7%$683 million

Fines and other9.4%

Interest, rents and other
9.2%$9.28 billion
Fines
0.2%$178 million
New Jersey page →

Where the money goes

Social services29%Sent to local governments23%Schools and colleges17%Roads, transit and parking8.7%Running the government and other costs7.9%All other spending15%
Full New Jersey breakdown

Spending by category100%

Social services
29%$28.4 billion
What's in social servicesOther public welfare; unemployment and social insurance offices and 2 more
  • Other public welfare$28.0 billion
  • Unemployment and social insurance offices$305 million
  • Welfare institutions$102 million
  • Veterans' services$30.7 million
Sent to local governments
23%$22.3 billion
What's in sent to local governmentsSent to school districts; sent to local governments: elementary and secondary schools and 19 more
  • Sent to school districts$12.4 billion
  • Sent to local governments: elementary and secondary schools$4.15 billion
  • Sent to local governments: general support$2.21 billion
  • Sent to local governments: other public welfare$1.64 billion
  • Sent to local governments: other and not broken out$594 million
  • Sent to local governments: roads and highways$397 million
  • Sent to local governments: colleges and universities$186 million
  • Sent to local governments: hospitals$142 million
  • Sent to local governments: public health$132 million
  • Sent to local governments: police$86.1 million
  • Sent to local governments: natural resources, farming and conservation$77.5 million
  • Sent to local governments: prisons and jails$75.0 million
  • Sent to local governments: garbage and solid waste$51.0 million
  • Sent to local governments: parks and recreation$34.2 million
  • Sent to local governments: libraries$32.8 million
  • Sent to local governments: inspections and regulation$29.7 million
  • Sent to the federal government$26.0 million
  • Sent to local governments: courts and legal services$7.2 million
  • Sent to local governments: other government administration$4.6 million
  • Sent to local governments: sewer systems$3.9 million
  • Sent to local governments: housing and community development$1.4 million
Schools and colleges
17%$16.3 billion
What's in schools and collegesColleges and universities; elementary and secondary schools and 3 more
  • Colleges and universities$6.10 billion
  • Elementary and secondary schools$5.44 billion
  • Scholarships and other education subsidies$1.99 billion
  • Other education$1.86 billion
  • College housing, dining and bookstores$947 million
Roads, transit and parking
8.7%$8.48 billion
What's in roads, transit and parkingPublic transit; roads and highways and 3 more
  • Public transit$4.41 billion
  • Roads and highways$2.19 billion
  • Toll roads and bridges$1.80 billion
  • Ports and harbors$50.3 million
  • Airports$31.8 million
Running the government and other costs
7.9%$7.74 billion
What's in running the government and other costsOther and not broken out; finance, tax collection and budgeting and 3 more
  • Other and not broken out$5.37 billion
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$1.88 billion
  • Other government administration$215 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$209 million
  • Government buildings$62.6 million
Health and hospitals
5.8%$5.66 billion
What's in health and hospitalsHospitals and public health
  • Hospitals$3.00 billion
  • Public health$2.67 billion
Police, fire, courts and jails
4.3%$4.15 billion
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPrisons and jails; courts and legal services and 3 more
  • Prisons and jails$1.24 billion
  • Courts and legal services$1.21 billion
  • Police$905 million
  • Inspections and regulation$438 million
  • Probation, parole and other corrections$364 million
Interest on debt
2.4%$2.30 billion
What's in interest on debtInterest on general debt and interest on water supply debt
  • Interest on general debt$2.30 billion
  • Interest on water supply debt$664 thousand
Housing and community development
1.0%$932 million
Environment and natural resources
0.7%$704 million
What's in environment and natural resourcesNatural resources, farming and conservation
  • Natural resources, farming and conservation$704 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
0.3%$264 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation and libraries
  • Parks and recreation$260 million
  • Libraries$4.4 million
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
0.1%$127 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesWater supply; electric power and 2 more
  • Water supply$59.0 million
  • Electric power$38.4 million
  • Sewer systems$21.2 million
  • Garbage and solid waste$8.0 million
New Jersey page →

Your county

Mercer County

$506 million budget in the latest fiscal year on record, which ended December 31, 2023.

Where the money comes from

County taxes55%Fees for services (garbage collection, college tuition)20%Local tax money11%State tax money7.5%Federal tax money4.1%Fines and other2.1%

What stands out

11%

of Mercer County's money comes from county and other local tax money.A typical U.S. county of 250,000+ people gets 1.4%.

Full Mercer County breakdown

County taxes55%

Property tax
55%$284 million

Fees for services20%

Fees for services
20%$103 million
What's in fees for servicesGarbage collection; college tuition and 8 more
  • Garbage collection$31.1 million
  • College tuition$30.9 million
  • Other service charges$11.3 million
  • Parks and recreation$10.6 million
  • Other school charges$7.2 million
  • Airport$6.9 million
  • School tuition and transportation$3.5 million
  • University housing and dining$1.8 million
  • Road charges$99 thousand
  • School lunches$89 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money4.1%

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

From the federal government
4.1%$21.3 million

State tax money7.5%

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

From the state
7.5%$38.6 million

Local tax money11%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From other local governments
11%$57.1 million

Fines and other2.1%

Interest, rents and other
1.9%$9.7 million
Fines
0.2%$1.2 million
Mercer County page →

Where the money goes

Schools and colleges34%Running the government and other costs27%Police, fire, courts and jails19%Social services6.1%Interest on debt4.6%All other spending9.5%

What stands out

34%

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

Full Mercer County breakdown

Spending by category100%

Schools and colleges
34%$170 million
What's in schools and collegesColleges and universities; elementary and secondary schools and 2 more
  • Colleges and universities$86.1 million
  • Elementary and secondary schools$79.7 million
  • Scholarships and other education subsidies$4.0 million
  • College housing, dining and bookstores$340 thousand
Running the government and other costs
27%$137 million
What's in running the government and other costsOther and not broken out; government buildings and 2 more
  • Other and not broken out$123 million
  • Government buildings$5.7 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$5.3 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$3.4 million
Police, fire, courts and jails
19%$95.8 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPrisons and jails; courts and legal services and 2 more
  • Prisons and jails$36.0 million
  • Courts and legal services$33.7 million
  • Police$25.0 million
  • Inspections and regulation$1.1 million
Social services
6.1%$30.9 million
What's in social servicesOther public welfare
  • Other public welfare$30.9 million
Interest on debt
4.6%$23.4 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
3.8%$19.1 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation
  • Parks and recreation$19.1 million
Roads, transit and parking
3.4%$17.4 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways and airports
  • Roads and highways$9.2 million
  • Airports$8.2 million
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
1.2%$6.2 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesGarbage and solid waste
  • Garbage and solid waste$6.2 million
Health and hospitals
1.1%$5.5 million
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$5.5 million
Sent to other local governments
<0.1%$101 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$101 thousand
Housing and community development
<0.1%$42 thousand
Mercer County page →

Your city

Public schools here are run by City of Trenton, so school money is part of its budget.

City of Trenton

$751 million budget in the latest fiscal year on record, which ended June 30, 2024.

Where the money comes from

State tax money66%City taxes14%Fees for services (water, sewer)11%Federal tax money3.5%Fines and other3.0%County and local tax money2.4%

What stands out

66%

of Trenton's money comes from state tax money.A typical U.S. city of 50,000+ people gets 6.4%.

Full Trenton breakdown

City taxes14%

Property tax
13%$84.1 million
Other taxes
0.8%$5.1 million
What's in other taxesOther licenses; public utility taxes and 2 more
  • Other licenses$4.0 million
  • Public utility taxes$806 thousand
  • Alcoholic beverage licenses$265 thousand
  • Other selective sales taxes$9 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services11%

Fees for services
11%$68.3 million
What's in fees for servicesWater; sewer and 6 more
  • Water$45.3 million
  • Sewer$10.3 million
  • Housing$6.5 million
  • Parking$4.9 million
  • Other service charges$465 thousand
  • School lunches$363 thousand
  • Road charges$258 thousand
  • Other school charges$192 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money3.5%

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

From the federal government
3.5%$22.0 million

State tax money66%

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

From the state
66%$423 million

County and local tax money2.4%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From the county and other local governments
2.4%$15.3 million

Fines and other3.0%

Interest, rents and other
2.7%$17.1 million
Fines
0.3%$2.2 million
Trenton page →

Where the money goes

Schools and colleges61%Running the government and other costs15%Police, fire, courts and jails9.1%Water, sewer, trash and utilities6.3%Sent to other local governments3.6%All other spending5.1%

What stands out

61%

of Trenton's spending goes to schools and colleges.Most U.S. cities of 50,000+ people spend nothing on this.

Full Trenton breakdown

Spending by category100%

Schools and colleges
61%$456 million
What's in schools and collegesElementary and secondary schools
  • Elementary and secondary schools$456 million
Running the government and other costs
15%$114 million
What's in running the government and other costsOther and not broken out; finance, tax collection and budgeting and 1 more
  • Other and not broken out$108 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$3.5 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$2.4 million
Police, fire, courts and jails
9.1%$68.5 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; fire protection and 2 more
  • Police$35.5 million
  • Fire protection$26.3 million
  • Courts and legal services$6.3 million
  • Inspections and regulation$380 thousand
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
6.3%$47.1 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesWater supply; garbage and solid waste and 1 more
  • Water supply$35.9 million
  • Garbage and solid waste$9.9 million
  • Sewer systems$1.3 million
Sent to other local governments
3.6%$27.0 million
What's in sent to other local governmentsSent to local governments: other and not broken out and sent to the state government
  • Sent to local governments: other and not broken out$26.2 million
  • Sent to the state government$740 thousand
Housing and community development
2.7%$20.6 million
Roads, transit and parking
0.7%$5.3 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways and parking
  • Roads and highways$3.7 million
  • Parking$1.6 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
0.6%$4.2 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation
  • Parks and recreation$4.2 million
Interest on debt
0.5%$3.5 million
What's in interest on debtInterest on general debt and interest on water supply debt
  • Interest on general debt$2.0 million
  • Interest on water supply debt$1.6 million
Environment and natural resources
0.2%$1.9 million
What's in environment and natural resourcesNatural resources, farming and conservation
  • Natural resources, farming and conservation$1.9 million
Social services
0.2%$1.4 million
What's in social servicesOther public welfare
  • Other public welfare$1.4 million
Health and hospitals
0.2%$1.4 million
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$1.4 million
Trenton page →
Sources and moreEach government's source, fiscal year and how a ZIP is matched

State of New Jersey. U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, individual unit file, fiscal year ended June 30, 2024.

Mercer County. U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, individual unit file, fiscal year ended December 31, 2023.

City of Trenton. U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, individual unit file, fiscal year ended June 30, 2024.

How a ZIP is matched. A ZIP code is not a government boundary, so we match it to the cities, counties and school districts that overlap it, using Census Bureau geography. Where a ZIP crosses several, each one is shown with its share of the ZIP. Each government's money covers its own operations only; the others listed here are separate.

Latest recorded year. The year differs by government: each block shows the newest fiscal year on file. A Census survey year covers fiscal years ending July 1 of the year before through June 30 of that year.