State of Tennessee
$49.5 billion budget in the latest fiscal year on record, which ended June 30, 2024.
Where the money comes from
Full Tennessee breakdown
What stands out
28%
of Tennessee's money comes from sales tax.A typical state government gets 14%.
State taxes49%
Sales tax
28%$14.1 billion
Other taxes
14%$6.94 billion
What's in other taxesCorporation licenses; insurance premium taxes and 17 more
- Corporation licenses$1.50 billion
- Insurance premium taxes$1.46 billion
- Motor fuel taxes$1.27 billion
- Other selective sales taxes$723 million
- Occupation and business licenses$541 million
- Motor vehicle licenses$405 million
- Real estate and stock transfer taxes$356 million
- Alcoholic beverage taxes$327 million
- Tobacco taxes$196 million
- Hunting and fishing licenses$51.5 million
- Driver's licenses$46.8 million
- Other taxes not classified elsewhere$35.6 million
- Public utility taxes$10.3 million
- Other licenses$9.6 million
- Public utility licenses$6.5 million
- Alcoholic beverage licenses$1.8 million
- Severance taxes$529 thousand
- Amusement licenses$432 thousand
- Estate and gift taxes$7 thousand
Amounts are by Census tax category.
Business income tax
6.2%$3.05 billion
Individual income tax
<0.1%$2.1 million
Fees for services5.8%
Fees for services
5.8%$2.86 billion
What's in fees for servicesCollege tuition; other service charges and 10 more
- College tuition$1.38 billion
- Other service charges$719 million
- University housing and dining$505 million
- Other education charges$136 million
- Parks and recreation$67.0 million
- Parks, land and natural resources$28.8 million
- Hospital bills$19.2 million
- Garbage collection$2.1 million
- Sewer$530 thousand
- Road charges$118 thousand
- Tolls on roads and bridges$45 thousand
- Housing$9 thousand
Amounts are by Census type of charge.
Federal tax money41%
Grants from Washington, paid for by the federal taxes residents also pay.
From the federal government
41%$20.1 billion
Local tax money0.2%
Money passed on by the county or other local governments.
From local governments
0.2%$117 million
Fines and other4.8%
Interest, rents and other
4.7%$2.32 billion
Fines
<0.1%$38.4 million
Where the money goes
What stands out
28%
of Tennessee's spending goes to local governments.A typical state government spends 24%.
Full Tennessee breakdown
Spending by category100%
Social services
33%$16.5 billion
What's in social servicesOther public welfare; unemployment and social insurance offices and 1 more
- Other public welfare$16.4 billion
- Unemployment and social insurance offices$89.2 million
- Veterans' services$12.2 million
Sent to local governments
28%$13.8 billion
What's in sent to local governmentsSent to local governments: elementary and secondary schools; sent to local governments: general support and 21 more
- Sent to local governments: elementary and secondary schools$8.60 billion
- Sent to local governments: general support$2.46 billion
- Sent to local governments: other public welfare$904 million
- Sent to local governments: other and not broken out$331 million
- Sent to local governments: roads and highways$327 million
- Sent to local governments: prisons and jails$270 million
- Sent to school districts$266 million
- Sent to local governments: natural resources, farming and conservation$145 million
- Sent to local governments: public health$131 million
- Sent to local governments: police$94.8 million
- Sent to local governments: courts and legal services$80.5 million
- Sent to local governments: housing and community development$51.2 million
- Sent to local governments: hospitals$44.7 million
- Sent to local governments: inspections and regulation$31.7 million
- Sent to local governments: airports$23.5 million
- Sent to local governments: parks and recreation$17.3 million
- Sent to local governments: finance, tax collection and budgeting$5.9 million
- Sent to local governments: other education$3.0 million
- Sent to local governments: libraries$2.2 million
- Sent to local governments: garbage and solid waste$956 thousand
- Sent to local governments: probation, parole and other corrections$856 thousand
- Sent to local governments: central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$225 thousand
- Sent to local governments: other government administration$20 thousand
Schools and colleges
14%$7.17 billion
What's in schools and collegesColleges and universities; scholarships and other education subsidies and 3 more
- Colleges and universities$4.88 billion
- Scholarships and other education subsidies$1.15 billion
- Other education$547 million
- College housing, dining and bookstores$499 million
- Elementary and secondary schools$90.3 million
Health and hospitals
5.4%$2.69 billion
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health and hospitals
- Public health$2.02 billion
- Hospitals$675 million
Roads, transit and parking
5.0%$2.47 billion
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways and airports
- Roads and highways$2.41 billion
- Airports$60.6 million
Running the government and other costs
5.0%$2.46 billion
What's in running the government and other costsFinance, tax collection and budgeting; other and not broken out and 3 more
- Finance, tax collection and budgeting$1.06 billion
- Other and not broken out$918 million
- Government buildings$323 million
- Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$128 million
- Other government administration$28.8 million
Police, fire, courts and jails
4.6%$2.26 billion
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPrisons and jails; courts and legal services and 3 more
- Prisons and jails$866 million
- Courts and legal services$550 million
- Police$496 million
- Probation, parole and other corrections$177 million
- Inspections and regulation$174 million
Environment and natural resources
1.5%$738 million
What's in environment and natural resourcesNatural resources, farming and conservation
- Natural resources, farming and conservation$738 million
Interest on debt
1.4%$698 million
Housing and community development
0.9%$471 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
0.4%$220 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation and libraries
- Parks and recreation$207 million
- Libraries$13.0 million
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
<0.1%$47.8 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesGarbage and solid waste; sewer systems and 1 more
- Garbage and solid waste$45.2 million
- Sewer systems$1.4 million
- Water supply$1.1 million