ZIP 28056 · Gastonia, NC

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 North Carolina

$89.8 billion budget in the latest fiscal year on record, which ended June 30, 2024.

Where the money comes from

State taxes45%Federal tax money36%Fees for services (hospital bills, university housing and dining)10%Fines and other7.3%Local tax money1.4%
Full North Carolina breakdown

What stands out

19%

of North Carolina's money comes from a personal income tax.A typical state government gets 14%.

State taxes45%

Individual income tax
19%$16.7 billion
Sales tax
14%$12.2 billion
Other taxes
10%$8.75 billion
What's in other taxesMotor fuel taxes; other selective sales taxes and 15 more
  • Motor fuel taxes$2.49 billion
  • Other selective sales taxes$1.32 billion
  • Insurance premium taxes$1.23 billion
  • Motor vehicle licenses$1.02 billion
  • Corporation licenses$882 million
  • Alcoholic beverage taxes$599 million
  • Occupation and business licenses$422 million
  • Tobacco taxes$262 million
  • Driver's licenses$139 million
  • Public utility taxes$128 million
  • Real estate and stock transfer taxes$111 million
  • Other licenses$52.1 million
  • Hunting and fishing licenses$41.6 million
  • Alcoholic beverage licenses$30.5 million
  • Public utility licenses$23.6 million
  • Severance taxes$2.0 million
  • Amusement licenses$184 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Business income tax
1.8%$1.56 billion

Fees for services10%

Fees for services
10%$8.93 billion
What's in fees for servicesHospital bills; university housing and dining and 16 more
  • Hospital bills$2.92 billion
  • University housing and dining$2.26 billion
  • College tuition$2.15 billion
  • Other service charges$1.01 billion
  • Road charges$216 million
  • Tolls on roads and bridges$104 million
  • Housing$73.7 million
  • Ports and waterways$64.4 million
  • Parks, land and natural resources$61.4 million
  • Parks and recreation$39.5 million
  • Transit fares$22.1 million
  • Airport$3.9 million
  • Other education charges$3.8 million
  • Water$1.7 million
  • Parking$1.7 million
  • Other school charges$1.3 million
  • Garbage collection$284 thousand
  • Sewer$169 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money36%

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

From the federal government
36%$31.4 billion

Local tax money1.4%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From local governments
1.4%$1.26 billion

Fines and other7.3%

Interest, rents and other
6.5%$5.65 billion
Fines
0.8%$702 million
North Carolina page →

Where the money goes

Social services35%Sent to local governments23%Schools and colleges16%Roads, transit and parking7.9%Police, fire, courts and jails5.2%All other spending13%

What stands out

35%

of North Carolina's spending goes to social services.A typical state government spends 31%.

Full North Carolina breakdown

Spending by category100%

Social services
35%$31.2 billion
What's in social servicesOther public welfare; unemployment and social insurance offices and 2 more
  • Other public welfare$30.9 billion
  • Unemployment and social insurance offices$165 million
  • Welfare institutions$55.5 million
  • Veterans' services$17.8 million
Sent to local governments
23%$20.7 billion
What's in sent to local governmentsSent to local governments: elementary and secondary schools; sent to local governments: colleges and universities and 17 more
  • Sent to local governments: elementary and secondary schools$14.0 billion
  • Sent to local governments: colleges and universities$1.77 billion
  • Sent to local governments: other and not broken out$1.31 billion
  • Sent to local governments: general support$1.06 billion
  • Sent to local governments: public health$893 million
  • Sent to local governments: airports$523 million
  • Sent to local governments: roads and highways$312 million
  • Sent to local governments: other public welfare$248 million
  • Sent to local governments: other government administration$159 million
  • Sent to local governments: sewer systems$92.7 million
  • Sent to local governments: parks and recreation$76.5 million
  • Sent to local governments: police$51.2 million
  • Sent to local governments: finance, tax collection and budgeting$50.8 million
  • Sent to local governments: natural resources, farming and conservation$50.7 million
  • Sent to local governments: housing and community development$33.4 million
  • Sent to local governments: libraries$21.2 million
  • Sent to local governments: courts and legal services$18.1 million
  • Sent to local governments: prisons and jails$1.3 million
  • Sent to local governments: garbage and solid waste$466 thousand
Schools and colleges
16%$14.8 billion
What's in schools and collegesColleges and universities; college housing, dining and bookstores and 3 more
  • Colleges and universities$8.31 billion
  • College housing, dining and bookstores$3.02 billion
  • Scholarships and other education subsidies$2.02 billion
  • Elementary and secondary schools$761 million
  • Other education$664 million
Roads, transit and parking
7.9%$7.12 billion
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways; toll roads and bridges and 4 more
  • Roads and highways$6.48 billion
  • Toll roads and bridges$342 million
  • Ports and harbors$181 million
  • Public transit$104 million
  • Airports$14.9 million
  • Parking$1.7 million
Police, fire, courts and jails
5.2%$4.65 billion
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPrisons and jails; courts and legal services and 3 more
  • Prisons and jails$2.15 billion
  • Courts and legal services$1.34 billion
  • Police$623 million
  • Inspections and regulation$284 million
  • Probation, parole and other corrections$255 million
Health and hospitals
4.9%$4.43 billion
What's in health and hospitalsHospitals and public health
  • Hospitals$3.40 billion
  • Public health$1.04 billion
Running the government and other costs
4.8%$4.30 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$1.99 billion
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$1.65 billion
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$411 million
  • Other government administration$194 million
  • Government buildings$48.2 million
Environment and natural resources
1.0%$863 million
What's in environment and natural resourcesNatural resources, farming and conservation
  • Natural resources, farming and conservation$863 million
Interest on debt
0.9%$765 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
0.6%$557 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation and libraries
  • Parks and recreation$547 million
  • Libraries$10.4 million
Housing and community development
0.6%$516 million
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
<0.1%$16.9 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesGarbage and solid waste; water supply and 1 more
  • Garbage and solid waste$14.6 million
  • Water supply$1.6 million
  • Sewer systems$700 thousand
North Carolina page →

Your county

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

Gaston County

$788 million budget in the latest fiscal year on record, which ended June 30, 2024.

Where the money comes from

State tax money43%County taxes36%Fines and other11%Fees for services (garbage collection, college tuition)6.5%Federal tax money2.4%Local tax money1.3%

What stands out

43%

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

Full Gaston County breakdown

County taxes36%

Property tax
26%$215 million
Sales tax
8.7%$70.9 million
Other taxes
0.9%$7.3 million
What's in other taxesReal estate and stock transfer taxes; occupation and business licenses and 3 more
  • Real estate and stock transfer taxes$2.2 million
  • Occupation and business licenses$2.1 million
  • Other selective sales taxes$1.5 million
  • Other licenses$1.1 million
  • Motor vehicle licenses$375 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services6.5%

Fees for services
6.5%$53.2 million
What's in fees for servicesOther service charges; garbage collection and 11 more
  • Other service charges$19.4 million
  • Garbage collection$13.0 million
  • College tuition$5.5 million
  • Hospital bills$4.0 million
  • Other government-run businesses$3.7 million
  • School lunches$3.4 million
  • University housing and dining$3.0 million
  • Electric power$693 thousand
  • Transit fares$234 thousand
  • Parks and recreation$224 thousand
  • School tuition and transportation$46 thousand
  • Other school charges$38 thousand
  • Parking$10 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money2.4%

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

From the federal government
2.4%$19.4 million

State tax money43%

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

From the state
43%$354 million

Local tax money1.3%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From other local governments
1.3%$10.3 million

Fines and other11%

Interest, rents and other
10%$83.9 million
Fines
0.3%$2.7 million
Gaston County page →

Where the money goes

Schools and colleges59%Police, fire, courts and jails13%Social services8.4%Running the government and other costs7.5%Health and hospitals5.7%All other spending6.4%

What stands out

59%

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

Full Gaston County breakdown

Spending by category100%

Schools and colleges
59%$466 million
What's in schools and collegesElementary and secondary schools; colleges and universities and 2 more
  • Elementary and secondary schools$405 million
  • Colleges and universities$54.8 million
  • College housing, dining and bookstores$2.9 million
  • Scholarships and other education subsidies$2.6 million
Police, fire, courts and jails
13%$102 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; fire protection and 3 more
  • Police$87.5 million
  • Fire protection$8.4 million
  • Inspections and regulation$3.7 million
  • Courts and legal services$1.8 million
  • Prisons and jails$338 thousand
Social services
8.4%$65.9 million
What's in social servicesOther public welfare
  • Other public welfare$65.9 million
Running the government and other costs
7.5%$59.4 million
What's in running the government and other costsOther and not broken out; central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology) and 2 more
  • Other and not broken out$16.4 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$16.1 million
  • Government buildings$14.8 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$12.1 million
Health and hospitals
5.7%$44.8 million
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$44.8 million
Interest on debt
2.0%$16.1 million
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
1.3%$10.1 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesGarbage and solid waste and electric power
  • Garbage and solid waste$8.9 million
  • Electric power$1.2 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
1.2%$9.4 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesLibraries and parks and recreation
  • Libraries$5.9 million
  • Parks and recreation$3.5 million
Housing and community development
0.9%$7.0 million
Sent to other local governments
0.7%$5.8 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$4.7 million
  • Sent to the state government$1.1 million
Roads, transit and parking
0.2%$1.9 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingPublic transit and parking
  • Public transit$1.8 million
  • Parking$47 thousand
Environment and natural resources
<0.1%$63 thousand
What's in environment and natural resourcesNatural resources, farming and conservation
  • Natural resources, farming and conservation$63 thousand
Gaston County page →

Your city

City of Gastonia

$251 million budget in the latest fiscal year on record, which ended June 30, 2024.

About 23% of this ZIP is in Gastonia.

Where the money comes from

Fees for services (electric power, sewer)57%City taxes28%State tax money7.7%Fines and other5.5%Federal tax money1.9%County and local tax money<0.1%

What stands out

57%

of Gastonia's money comes from fees for services such as water, sewer and parking.A typical U.S. city of 50,000+ people gets 30%.

Full Gastonia breakdown

City taxes28%

Property tax
19%$53.4 million
Sales tax
7.0%$19.1 million
Other taxes
1.9%$5.1 million
What's in other taxesMotor vehicle licenses; alcoholic beverage taxes and 2 more
  • Motor vehicle licenses$2.0 million
  • Alcoholic beverage taxes$1.3 million
  • Other selective sales taxes$905 thousand
  • Occupation and business licenses$889 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services57%

Fees for services
57%$155 million
What's in fees for servicesElectric power; sewer and 10 more
  • Electric power$79.0 million
  • Sewer$28.7 million
  • Water$24.3 million
  • Liquor stores$14.2 million
  • Garbage collection$4.2 million
  • Other government-run businesses$2.9 million
  • Parks and recreation$1.2 million
  • Other service charges$168 thousand
  • Airport$141 thousand
  • Housing$138 thousand
  • Road charges$129 thousand
  • Transit fares$104 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money1.9%

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

From the federal government
1.9%$5.1 million

State tax money7.7%

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

From the state
7.7%$21.0 million

County and local tax money<0.1%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From the county and other local governments
<0.1%$188 thousand

Fines and other5.5%

Interest, rents and other
5.5%$14.9 million
Gastonia page →

Where the money goes

Water, sewer, trash and utilities55%Police, fire, courts and jails17%Roads, transit and parking11%Running the government and other costs6.6%Parks, recreation and libraries4.1%All other spending5.7%

What stands out

55%

of Gastonia's spending goes to water, sewer, trash and other utilities.A typical U.S. city of 50,000+ people spends 20%.

Full Gastonia breakdown

Spending by category100%

Water, sewer, trash and utilities
55%$139 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesElectric power; sewer systems and 3 more
  • Electric power$69.1 million
  • Sewer systems$28.4 million
  • Water supply$22.1 million
  • Liquor stores$12.3 million
  • Garbage and solid waste$6.9 million
Police, fire, courts and jails
17%$42.9 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; fire protection and 1 more
  • Police$25.7 million
  • Fire protection$16.9 million
  • Courts and legal services$338 thousand
Roads, transit and parking
11%$28.2 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways; public transit and 2 more
  • Roads and highways$18.6 million
  • Public transit$7.7 million
  • Parking$1.0 million
  • Airports$766 thousand
Running the government and other costs
6.6%$16.6 million
What's in running the government and other costsOther and not broken out; central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology) and 2 more
  • Other and not broken out$7.8 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$5.2 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$3.3 million
  • Other government-run businesses$354 thousand
Parks, recreation and libraries
4.1%$10.3 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation
  • Parks and recreation$10.3 million
Housing and community development
3.4%$8.6 million
Interest on debt
2.2%$5.5 million
What's in interest on debtInterest on general debt; interest on water supply debt and 1 more
  • Interest on general debt$4.0 million
  • Interest on water supply debt$1.5 million
  • Interest on electric power debt$9 thousand
Health and hospitals
<0.1%$90 thousand
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$90 thousand
Sent to other local governments
<0.1%$48 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$48 thousand
Gastonia page →
Sources and moreEach government's source, fiscal year and how a ZIP is matched

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

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

City of Gastonia. 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.