ZIP 33859 · Lake Wales, FL

Four governments run on your community's money

This page shows every government that serves ZIP 33859: the state, county, city or town and school district, and where each one's money comes from and goes.

Each government is shown for its own newest fiscal year on file, so the years differ. Figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau's Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, the government's own report or, for Florida governments, the Florida Department of Financial Services, as named under Sources and more.

Where do my taxes go in 33859?
33859 is served by the State of Florida, Polk County, Polk County School District and the City of Lake Wales. In each one's latest recorded fiscal year, State of Florida spent $130.7 billion (fiscal year ended June 30, 2024), Polk County spent $1.33 billion (fiscal year ended September 30, 2025), Polk County School District spent $1.55 billion (fiscal year ended June 30, 2024) and City of Lake Wales spent $56.2 million (fiscal year ended September 30, 2025). Each government's money is separate.

Which governments collect property tax in 33859?
Of the governments serving 33859, Polk County collected $455 million (fiscal year ended September 30, 2025), Polk County School District collected $361 million (fiscal year ended June 30, 2024) and City of Lake Wales collected $8.4 million (fiscal year ended September 30, 2025) in property tax. These are each government's total collections, not a bill for 33859.

See another ZIP code

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

See the full budget for: Polk County, Lake Wales and Polk County School District

Why not this year? Florida governments with newer filings show figures from the Florida Department of Financial Services (for 2025). Each other figure is the newest year the U.S. Census Bureau has published for that government, so the years differ and are not the current year. Most governments post their current budget on their own website.

Where property tax goes in 33859

Polk County$455 million

30% of its $1.50 billion in revenue · fiscal year ended September 30, 2025

Polk County School District$361 million

22% of its $1.63 billion in revenue · fiscal year ended June 30, 2024

City of Lake Wales$8.4 million

15% of its $57.1 million in revenue · fiscal year ended September 30, 2025

These are each government's total property tax collections, not your bill. Your own bill is split by each government's tax rate, shown on your property tax bill.

Your county

Polk County

$1.33 billion budget in fiscal year 2025 (ended September 30, 2025), from the Florida Department of Financial Services.

Where the money comes from

County taxes45%Fees for services28%Fines and other12%State tax money7.4%Federal tax money6.0%Local tax money1.5%
Full Polk County breakdown

County taxes45%

Property tax
30%$455 million
Other taxes
7.4%$110 million
Sales tax
5.6%$83.7 million
Tourism taxes
1.7%$24.9 million

Fees for services28%

Fees for services
28%$415 million

Federal tax money6.0%

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

From the federal government
6.0%$89.3 million

State tax money7.4%

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

From the state
7.4%$111 million

Local tax money1.5%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From other local governments
1.5%$22.3 million

Fines and other12%

Interest, rents and other
12%$179 million
Fines
0.5%$7.9 million
Polk County page →

Where the money goes

Police, fire, courts and jails40%Water, sewer, trash and utilities17%Running the government and other costs13%Roads, transit and parking10%Health and hospitals10%All other spending10%
Full Polk County breakdown

Spending by category100%

Police, fire, courts and jails
40%$528 million
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
17%$225 million
Running the government and other costs
13%$168 million
Roads, transit and parking
10%$135 million
Health and hospitals
10%$132 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
2.9%$38.3 million
Debt payments (principal and interest)
2.5%$33.1 million
Social services
2.1%$28.5 million
Environment and natural resources
2.0%$26.6 million
Housing and community development
0.8%$11.1 million
Polk County page →

Your city

City of Lake Wales

$56.2 million budget in fiscal year 2025 (ended September 30, 2025), from the Florida Department of Financial Services.

About 20% of this ZIP is in Lake Wales.

Where the money comes from

Fees for services46%City taxes28%Federal tax money9.1%County and local tax money6.4%State tax money5.4%Fines and other5.1%
Full Lake Wales breakdown

City taxes28%

Property tax
15%$8.4 million
Other taxes
14%$7.8 million

Fees for services46%

Fees for services
46%$26.0 million

Federal tax money9.1%

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

From the federal government
9.1%$5.2 million

State tax money5.4%

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

From the state
5.4%$3.1 million

County and local tax money6.4%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From the county and other local governments
6.4%$3.7 million

Fines and other5.1%

Interest, rents and other
4.6%$2.6 million
Fines
0.5%$308 thousand
Lake Wales page →

Where the money goes

Police, fire, courts and jails26%Water, sewer, trash and utilities23%Running the government and other costs21%Roads, transit and parking13%Parks, recreation and libraries11%All other spending6.3%
Full Lake Wales breakdown

Spending by category100%

Police, fire, courts and jails
26%$14.5 million
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
23%$13.1 million
Running the government and other costs
21%$11.6 million
Roads, transit and parking
13%$7.2 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
11%$6.3 million
Debt payments (principal and interest)
5.0%$2.8 million
Environment and natural resources
1.3%$730 thousand
Lake Wales page →

Your schools

Polk County School District

$1.55 billion budget in the latest fiscal year on record, which ended June 30, 2024.

Where the money comes from

State tax money62%School district taxes27%Fines and other6.4%Fees for services (school tuition and transportation, school lunches)3.5%Federal tax money1.1%
Full Polk County School District breakdown

What stands out

4.9%

of Polk County School District's money comes from sales tax.Most school districts with 25,000+ students get none.

School district taxes27%

Property tax
22%$361 million
Sales tax
4.9%$79.3 million
Other taxes
<0.1%$1 thousand
What's in other taxesOther taxes not classified elsewhere
  • Other taxes not classified elsewhere$1 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services3.5%

Fees for services
3.5%$57.0 million
What's in fees for servicesOther school charges; school tuition and transportation and 1 more
  • Other school charges$53.3 million
  • School tuition and transportation$2.8 million
  • School lunches$868 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money1.1%

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

From the federal government
1.1%$18.1 million

State tax money62%

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

From the state
62%$1.01 billion

Fines and other6.4%

Interest, rents and other
6.4%$105 million
Polk County School District page →

Where the money goes

Schools and colleges99%Interest on debt0.8%
Full Polk County School District breakdown

Spending by category100%

Schools and colleges
99%$1.54 billion
What's in schools and collegesElementary and secondary schools
  • Elementary and secondary schools$1.54 billion
Interest on debt
0.8%$12.7 million
Polk County School District page →

Your state

State of Florida

$130.7 billion budget in the latest fiscal year on record, which ended June 30, 2024.

Where the money comes from

State taxes44%Federal tax money34%Fees for services (hospital bills, tolls)11%Fines and other10%Local tax money0.3%
Full Florida breakdown

What stands out

28%

of Florida's money comes from sales tax.A typical state government gets 14%.

State taxes44%

Sales tax
28%$40.1 billion
Other taxes
12%$16.9 billion
What's in other taxesReal estate and stock transfer taxes; motor fuel taxes and 16 more
  • Real estate and stock transfer taxes$4.07 billion
  • Motor fuel taxes$3.52 billion
  • Insurance premium taxes$2.22 billion
  • Public utility taxes$1.99 billion
  • Motor vehicle licenses$1.58 billion
  • Other selective sales taxes$1.22 billion
  • Tobacco taxes$913 million
  • Corporation licenses$392 million
  • Alcoholic beverage taxes$341 million
  • Occupation and business licenses$213 million
  • Amusement taxes$188 million
  • Driver's licenses$182 million
  • Public utility licenses$40.2 million
  • Severance taxes$22.0 million
  • Hunting and fishing licenses$18.0 million
  • Other licenses$13.9 million
  • Alcoholic beverage licenses$7.5 million
  • Amusement licenses$1.5 million

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Business income tax
4.3%$6.05 billion

Fees for services11%

Fees for services
11%$15.4 billion
What's in fees for servicesOther government-run businesses; hospital bills and 11 more
  • Other government-run businesses$4.40 billion
  • Hospital bills$3.60 billion
  • Tolls on roads and bridges$2.52 billion
  • College tuition$2.39 billion
  • University housing and dining$1.18 billion
  • Other service charges$1.08 billion
  • Parks, land and natural resources$84.8 million
  • Road charges$78.3 million
  • Parks and recreation$72.7 million
  • Other education charges$19.7 million
  • Transit fares$15.5 million
  • Housing$340 thousand
  • Garbage collection$145 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money34%

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

From the federal government
34%$48.9 billion

Local tax money0.3%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From local governments
0.3%$393 million

Fines and other10%

Interest, rents and other
9.8%$13.9 billion
Fines
0.2%$305 million
Florida page →

Where the money goes

Social services31%Sent to local governments20%Schools and colleges16%Roads, transit and parking8.9%Health and hospitals8.6%All other spending15%

What stands out

20%

of Florida's spending goes to local governments.A typical state government spends 24%.

Full Florida breakdown

Spending by category100%

Social services
31%$40.6 billion
What's in social servicesOther public welfare; unemployment and social insurance offices and 2 more
  • Other public welfare$40.0 billion
  • Unemployment and social insurance offices$376 million
  • Welfare institutions$144 million
  • Veterans' services$32.2 million
Sent to local governments
20%$26.3 billion
What's in sent to local governmentsSent to school districts; sent to school districts (colleges) and 14 more
  • Sent to school districts$19.5 billion
  • Sent to school districts (colleges)$1.72 billion
  • Sent to local governments: general support$1.71 billion
  • Sent to local governments: housing and community development$1.01 billion
  • Sent to local governments: other and not broken out$911 million
  • Sent to local governments: roads and highways$634 million
  • Sent to local governments: natural resources, farming and conservation$378 million
  • Sent to local governments: other education$352 million
  • Sent to local governments: sewer systems$26.9 million
  • Sent to local governments: courts and legal services$24.0 million
  • Sent to local governments: inspections and regulation$19.3 million
  • Sent to local governments: other government administration$9.0 million
  • Sent to local governments: public health$9.0 million
  • Sent to local governments: libraries$5.5 million
  • Sent to local governments: police$2.0 million
  • Sent to local governments: prisons and jails$33 thousand
Schools and colleges
16%$20.8 billion
What's in schools and collegesColleges and universities; scholarships and other education subsidies and 2 more
  • Colleges and universities$11.6 billion
  • Scholarships and other education subsidies$4.88 billion
  • Other education$3.08 billion
  • College housing, dining and bookstores$1.22 billion
Roads, transit and parking
8.9%$11.7 billion
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways; toll roads and bridges and 1 more
  • Roads and highways$8.97 billion
  • Toll roads and bridges$2.33 billion
  • Public transit$358 million
Health and hospitals
8.6%$11.2 billion
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health and hospitals
  • Public health$8.35 billion
  • Hospitals$2.89 billion
Running the government and other costs
6.6%$8.59 billion
What's in running the government and other costsOther and not broken out; other government-run businesses and 4 more
  • Other and not broken out$4.30 billion
  • Other government-run businesses$1.57 billion
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$1.47 billion
  • Other government administration$777 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$382 million
  • Government buildings$97.3 million
Police, fire, courts and jails
6.0%$7.83 billion
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPrisons and jails; courts and legal services and 3 more
  • Prisons and jails$3.50 billion
  • Courts and legal services$2.39 billion
  • Police$954 million
  • Probation, parole and other corrections$572 million
  • Inspections and regulation$413 million
Environment and natural resources
2.0%$2.55 billion
What's in environment and natural resourcesNatural resources, farming and conservation
  • Natural resources, farming and conservation$2.55 billion
Interest on debt
0.4%$575 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
0.2%$298 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation and libraries
  • Parks and recreation$287 million
  • Libraries$11.6 million
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
0.1%$187 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesGarbage and solid waste
  • Garbage and solid waste$187 million
Housing and community development
<0.1%$124 million
Florida page →
Sources and moreEach government's source, fiscal year and how a ZIP is matched

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

Polk County. Florida Department of Financial Services, Local Government Financial Reporting (LOGERx), Annual Financial Report fiscal year 2025, fiscal year ended September 30, 2025. The earlier Census figures are from U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, individual unit file, fiscal year ended September 30, 2023.

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

City of Lake Wales. Florida Department of Financial Services, Local Government Financial Reporting (LOGERx), Annual Financial Report fiscal year 2025, fiscal year ended September 30, 2025. The earlier Census figures are from U.S. Census Bureau, 2022 Census of Governments, Finance, individual unit file, fiscal year ended September 30, 2021.

How these figures are counted. Revenue and spending are the Annual Financial Report figures that a Florida government filed with the Florida Department of Financial Services, grouped into the same categories as the Census figures. The report covers the government's general, special revenue, debt service, capital projects and enterprise funds (utilities, airports and the like) and its dependent component units. Borrowing, transfers between a government's own funds, internal service funds and pension, trust and custodial funds are not counted.

Debt payments. Florida's report lists debt service as one amount, so the "Debt payments" line includes repayment of principal as well as interest. The Census figures leave principal out, so spending can be higher than the Census figure for the same government.

Employee benefits are not a separate line here: Florida's report counts salaries and benefits together as personnel costs inside each department.

Federal and state money. Grants are grouped by the source the report names (federal, state or local). The Census may file federal money that arrives through the state under state aid, so the federal and state shares on the two versions can differ.

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.