ZIP 42053 · Ballard County, KY

Five governments run on your community's money

This page shows every government that serves ZIP 42053: 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 Kentucky governments, the Kentucky Department of Education, as named under Sources and more.

Where do my taxes go in 42053?
42053 is served by the Commonwealth of Kentucky, Ballard County School District, Ballard County, McCracken County and McCracken County School District. In each one's latest recorded fiscal year, Commonwealth of Kentucky spent $47.8 billion (fiscal year ended June 30, 2024), Ballard County School District spent $17.4 million (fiscal year ended June 30, 2025), Ballard County spent $7.8 million (fiscal year ended June 30, 2022), McCracken County spent $47.7 million (fiscal year ended June 30, 2024) and McCracken County School District spent $83.1 million (fiscal year ended June 30, 2025). Each government's money is separate.

Which governments collect property tax in 42053?
Of the governments serving 42053, Commonwealth of Kentucky collected $808 million (fiscal year ended June 30, 2024), McCracken County collected $5.7 million (fiscal year ended June 30, 2024) and Ballard County collected $2.0 million (fiscal year ended June 30, 2022) in property tax. These are each government's total collections, not a bill for 42053.

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: Ballard County, McCracken County, Ballard County School District and McCracken County School District

Why not this year? Kentucky governments with newer filings show school district figures from the Kentucky Department of Education (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 42053

Commonwealth of Kentucky$808 million

1.7% of its $48.4 billion in revenue · fiscal year ended June 30, 2024

McCracken County$5.7 million

10% of its $57.3 million in revenue · fiscal year ended June 30, 2024

Ballard County$2.0 million

25% of its $8.0 million in revenue · fiscal year ended June 30, 2022

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 counties

This ZIP is outside any city or town, so Ballard County and McCracken County provides local services like police and parks.

Ballard County

$7.8 million budget in the latest fiscal year on record, which ended June 30, 2022.

About 51% of this ZIP is in Ballard County.

Where the money comes from

County taxes39%State tax money29%Federal tax money15%Fees for services (garbage collection)8.6%Fines and other5.7%Local tax money1.9%
Full Ballard County breakdown

What stands out

13%

of Ballard County's money comes from a personal income tax.Most U.S. counties of under 50,000 people get none.

County taxes39%

Property tax
25%$2.0 million
Individual income tax
13%$1.1 million
Other taxes
0.7%$54 thousand
What's in other taxesReal estate and stock transfer taxes; public utility taxes and 1 more
  • Real estate and stock transfer taxes$44 thousand
  • Public utility taxes$7 thousand
  • Occupation and business licenses$3 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services8.6%

Fees for services
8.6%$681 thousand
What's in fees for servicesOther service charges and garbage collection
  • Other service charges$591 thousand
  • Garbage collection$90 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money15%

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

From the federal government
15%$1.2 million

State tax money29%

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

From the state
29%$2.3 million

Local tax money1.9%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From other local governments
1.9%$151 thousand

Fines and other5.7%

Interest, rents and other
5.7%$453 thousand
Fines
<0.1%$2 thousand
Ballard County page →

Where the money goes

Running the government and other costs41%Roads, transit and parking23%Police, fire, courts and jails20%Health and hospitals8.8%Water, sewer, trash and utilities3.6%All other spending3.0%

What stands out

41%

of Ballard County's spending goes to running the government and other costs.A typical U.S. county of under 50,000 people spends 23%.

Full Ballard County breakdown

Spending by category100%

Running the government and other costs
41%$3.2 million
What's in running the government and other costsOther and not broken out; government buildings and 2 more
  • Other and not broken out$2.5 million
  • Government buildings$304 thousand
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$274 thousand
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$77 thousand
Roads, transit and parking
23%$1.8 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways
  • Roads and highways$1.8 million
Police, fire, courts and jails
20%$1.6 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPrisons and jails; police and 2 more
  • Prisons and jails$978 thousand
  • Police$343 thousand
  • Courts and legal services$246 thousand
  • Fire protection$17 thousand
Health and hospitals
8.8%$684 thousand
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$684 thousand
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
3.6%$278 thousand
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesGarbage and solid waste
  • Garbage and solid waste$278 thousand
Social services
1.6%$121 thousand
What's in social servicesOther public welfare
  • Other public welfare$121 thousand
Environment and natural resources
0.7%$54 thousand
What's in environment and natural resourcesNatural resources, farming and conservation
  • Natural resources, farming and conservation$54 thousand
Sent to other local governments
0.6%$50 thousand
What's in sent to other local governmentsSent to the state government and sent to local governments: other and not broken out
  • Sent to the state government$25 thousand
  • Sent to local governments: other and not broken out$25 thousand
Interest on debt
0.1%$11 thousand
Ballard County page →

McCracken County

$47.7 million budget in the latest fiscal year on record, which ended June 30, 2024.

About 49% of this ZIP is in McCracken County.

Where the money comes from

County taxes35%Federal tax money30%State tax money16%Fines and other11%Fees for services (airport, parks and recreation)6.5%Local tax money1.5%

What stands out

30%

of McCracken County's money comes from federal tax money.A typical U.S. county of 50,000 to 250,000 people gets 3.6%.

Full McCracken County breakdown

County taxes35%

Other taxes
13%$7.5 million
What's in other taxesInsurance premium taxes; other selective sales taxes and 7 more
  • Insurance premium taxes$3.6 million
  • Other selective sales taxes$1.5 million
  • Public utility taxes$1.0 million
  • Real estate and stock transfer taxes$592 thousand
  • Occupation and business licenses$405 thousand
  • Corporation licenses$254 thousand
  • Other taxes not classified elsewhere$57 thousand
  • Other licenses$34 thousand
  • Alcoholic beverage licenses$23 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Individual income tax
12%$7.1 million
Property tax
10%$5.7 million

Fees for services6.5%

Fees for services
6.5%$3.7 million
What's in fees for servicesOther service charges; airport and 2 more
  • Other service charges$2.3 million
  • Airport$681 thousand
  • Parks and recreation$672 thousand
  • Garbage collection$14 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%$17.4 million

State tax money16%

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

From the state
16%$8.9 million

Local tax money1.5%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From other local governments
1.5%$854 thousand

Fines and other11%

Interest, rents and other
11%$6.0 million
McCracken County page →

Where the money goes

Running the government and other costs49%Roads, transit and parking21%Police, fire, courts and jails20%Parks, recreation and libraries4.4%Interest on debt3.3%All other spending2.0%

What stands out

49%

of McCracken County's spending goes to running the government and other costs.A typical U.S. county of 50,000 to 250,000 people spends 19%.

Full McCracken County breakdown

Spending by category100%

Running the government and other costs
49%$23.3 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$20.2 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$1.6 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$952 thousand
  • Government buildings$551 thousand
Roads, transit and parking
21%$10.2 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingAirports; roads and highways and 1 more
  • Airports$6.7 million
  • Roads and highways$3.5 million
  • Public transit$20 thousand
Police, fire, courts and jails
20%$9.6 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPrisons and jails; police and 3 more
  • Prisons and jails$4.3 million
  • Police$2.8 million
  • Fire protection$1.8 million
  • Courts and legal services$369 thousand
  • Inspections and regulation$349 thousand
Parks, recreation and libraries
4.4%$2.1 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation
  • Parks and recreation$2.1 million
Interest on debt
3.3%$1.6 million
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
0.7%$343 thousand
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesGarbage and solid waste
  • Garbage and solid waste$343 thousand
Health and hospitals
0.5%$258 thousand
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$258 thousand
Social services
0.5%$248 thousand
What's in social servicesOther public welfare
  • Other public welfare$248 thousand
Environment and natural resources
0.2%$82 thousand
What's in environment and natural resourcesNatural resources, farming and conservation
  • Natural resources, farming and conservation$82 thousand
Sent to other local governments
<0.1%$2 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$2 thousand
McCracken County page →

Your schools

Ballard County School District

$17.4 million budget in fiscal year 2025 (ended June 30, 2025), from the Kentucky Department of Education.

About 51% of this ZIP is in Ballard County School District.

Where the money comes from

State tax money35%School district taxes31%Federal tax money25%Fines and other9.4%
Full Ballard County School District breakdown

School district taxes31%

Local taxes
31%$4.1 million

Federal tax money25%

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

From the federal government
25%$3.4 million

State tax money35%

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

From the state
35%$4.7 million

Fines and other9.4%

Interest, rents and other
9.4%$1.3 million
Ballard County School District page →

Where the money goes

Schools and colleges95%Debt payments (principal and interest)4.6%
Full Ballard County School District breakdown

Spending by category100%

Schools and colleges
95%$16.6 million
Debt payments (principal and interest)
4.6%$803 thousand
Ballard County School District page →

McCracken County School District

$83.1 million budget in fiscal year 2025 (ended June 30, 2025), from the Kentucky Department of Education.

About 49% of this ZIP is in McCracken County School District.

Where the money comes from

School district taxes40%State tax money35%Federal tax money15%Fines and other10%
Full McCracken County School District breakdown

School district taxes40%

Local taxes
40%$33.1 million

Federal tax money15%

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

From the federal government
15%$12.4 million

State tax money35%

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

From the state
35%$29.0 million

Fines and other10%

Interest, rents and other
10%$8.5 million
McCracken County School District page →

Where the money goes

Schools and colleges91%Debt payments (principal and interest)9.4%
Full McCracken County School District breakdown

Spending by category100%

Schools and colleges
91%$75.2 million
Debt payments (principal and interest)
9.4%$7.8 million
McCracken County School District page →

Your state

Commonwealth of Kentucky

$47.8 billion budget in the latest fiscal year on record, which ended June 30, 2024.

Where the money comes from

Federal tax money44%State taxes35%Fees for services (hospital bills, college tuition)14%Fines and other5.7%Local tax money0.1%

What stands out

44%

of Kentucky's money comes from federal tax money.A typical state government gets 35%.

Full Kentucky breakdown

State taxes35%

Sales tax
12%$5.80 billion
Individual income tax
10%$5.02 billion
Other taxes
7.2%$3.49 billion
What's in other taxesOther selective sales taxes; motor fuel taxes and 15 more
  • Other selective sales taxes$1.00 billion
  • Motor fuel taxes$906 million
  • Tobacco taxes$313 million
  • Motor vehicle licenses$221 million
  • Insurance premium taxes$221 million
  • Alcoholic beverage taxes$195 million
  • Occupation and business licenses$149 million
  • Corporation licenses$122 million
  • Severance taxes$115 million
  • Public utility taxes$80.7 million
  • Estate and gift taxes$75.6 million
  • Driver's licenses$32.7 million
  • Hunting and fishing licenses$30.3 million
  • Real estate and stock transfer taxes$9.1 million
  • Alcoholic beverage licenses$8.1 million
  • Other licenses$6.3 million
  • Amusement licenses$332 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Business income tax
4.2%$2.04 billion
Property tax
1.7%$808 million

Fees for services14%

Fees for services
14%$6.98 billion
What's in fees for servicesHospital bills; college tuition and 12 more
  • Hospital bills$4.82 billion
  • College tuition$1.30 billion
  • University housing and dining$451 million
  • Other service charges$145 million
  • Parks and recreation$79.1 million
  • Road charges$77.0 million
  • Parks, land and natural resources$76.3 million
  • Housing$19.0 million
  • Tolls on roads and bridges$12.0 million
  • Other education charges$1.6 million
  • Garbage collection$1.1 million
  • Airport$843 thousand
  • Other school charges$342 thousand
  • Water$1 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money44%

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

From the federal government
44%$21.5 billion

Local tax money0.1%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From local governments
0.1%$57.4 million

Fines and other5.7%

Interest, rents and other
5.6%$2.71 billion
Fines
<0.1%$47.2 million
Kentucky page →

Where the money goes

Social services44%Schools and colleges16%Sent to local governments14%Health and hospitals11%Roads, transit and parking5.2%All other spending11%

What stands out

44%

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

Full Kentucky breakdown

Spending by category100%

Social services
44%$20.8 billion
What's in social servicesOther public welfare; unemployment and social insurance offices and 1 more
  • Other public welfare$20.5 billion
  • Unemployment and social insurance offices$158 million
  • Veterans' services$95.3 million
Schools and colleges
16%$7.46 billion
What's in schools and collegesColleges and universities; scholarships and other education subsidies and 3 more
  • Colleges and universities$4.54 billion
  • Scholarships and other education subsidies$1.25 billion
  • Elementary and secondary schools$865 million
  • College housing, dining and bookstores$632 million
  • Other education$179 million
Sent to local governments
14%$6.77 billion
What's in sent to local governmentsSent to school districts; sent to local governments: other and not broken out and 17 more
  • Sent to school districts$5.22 billion
  • Sent to local governments: other and not broken out$519 million
  • Sent to local governments: roads and highways$286 million
  • Sent to local governments: public health$154 million
  • Sent to local governments: other public welfare$149 million
  • Sent to local governments: other education$112 million
  • Sent to local governments: courts and legal services$58.3 million
  • Sent to local governments: central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$55.1 million
  • Sent to local governments: elementary and secondary schools$48.7 million
  • Sent to local governments: police$39.6 million
  • Sent to local governments: housing and community development$39.1 million
  • Sent to local governments: prisons and jails$32.9 million
  • Sent to local governments: airports$13.6 million
  • Sent to local governments: natural resources, farming and conservation$11.4 million
  • Sent to local governments: parks and recreation$10.9 million
  • Sent to local governments: hospitals$9.6 million
  • Sent to local governments: libraries$7.0 million
  • Sent to local governments: finance, tax collection and budgeting$5.5 million
  • Sent to local governments: inspections and regulation$684 thousand
Health and hospitals
11%$5.08 billion
What's in health and hospitalsHospitals and public health
  • Hospitals$4.46 billion
  • Public health$620 million
Roads, transit and parking
5.2%$2.51 billion
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways; toll roads and bridges and 2 more
  • Roads and highways$2.48 billion
  • Toll roads and bridges$15.6 million
  • Airports$12.6 million
  • Public transit$2.5 million
Police, fire, courts and jails
4.8%$2.32 billion
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPrisons and jails; courts and legal services and 3 more
  • Prisons and jails$816 million
  • Courts and legal services$799 million
  • Police$381 million
  • Inspections and regulation$240 million
  • Probation, parole and other corrections$83.0 million
Running the government and other costs
3.5%$1.66 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$676 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$630 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$193 million
  • Other government administration$106 million
  • Government buildings$52.7 million
Environment and natural resources
1.1%$505 million
What's in environment and natural resourcesNatural resources, farming and conservation
  • Natural resources, farming and conservation$505 million
Housing and community development
0.6%$282 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
0.4%$182 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation and libraries
  • Parks and recreation$175 million
  • Libraries$7.9 million
Interest on debt
0.3%$141 million
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
0.2%$104 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesWater supply and garbage and solid waste
  • Water supply$62.9 million
  • Garbage and solid waste$40.8 million
Kentucky page →
Sources and moreEach government's source, fiscal year and how a ZIP is matched

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

Ballard County School District. Kentucky Department of Education, District Revenues and Expenditures (audited Annual Financial Reports), fiscal year 2025, fiscal year ended June 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 June 30, 2024.

Ballard County. U.S. Census Bureau, 2022 Census of Governments, Finance, individual unit file, fiscal year ended June 30, 2022. The Census record for this government is from the 2022 survey, the newest on file.

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

McCracken County School District. Kentucky Department of Education, District Revenues and Expenditures (audited Annual Financial Reports), fiscal year 2025, fiscal year ended June 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 June 30, 2024.

How these figures are counted. Kentucky school district figures are from each district's audited annual financial report filed with the Kentucky Department of Education for fiscal year 2025 (the 2024-25 school year, ended June 30, 2025). Money the state pays on the district's behalf for teacher retirement, health insurance and school-building debt is left out of both revenue and spending, so spending reads lower than the Census figure. Federal money is shown as federal (the Census files much of it as state aid). Bond proceeds and transfers between funds are not counted, and spending includes construction. Spending is grouped as education and debt payments, and local revenue other than taxes is shown as other income. Local taxes of every kind (property, motor vehicle, utility and occupational) are shown together as local taxes, because the district's report does not split them.

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.