ZIP 47579 · Santa Claus, IN

Seven governments run on your community's money

This page shows every government that serves ZIP 47579: 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 Indiana governments, the Indiana Department of Local Government Finance, as named under Sources and more.

Where do my taxes go in 47579?
47579 is served by the State of Indiana, Spencer County, North Spencer County School District, the Town of Santa Claus, Clay Township, Harrison Township and Carter Township. In each one's latest recorded fiscal year, State of Indiana spent $57.7 billion (fiscal year ended June 30, 2024), Spencer County spent $21.1 million (fiscal year ended December 31, 2025), North Spencer County School District spent $20.8 million (fiscal year ended December 31, 2025), Town of Santa Claus spent $4.1 million (fiscal year ended December 31, 2023), Clay Township spent $50 thousand (fiscal year ended December 31, 2025), Harrison Township spent $30 thousand (fiscal year ended December 31, 2025) and Carter Township spent $30 thousand (fiscal year ended December 31, 2025). Each government's money is separate.

Which governments collect property tax in 47579?
Of the governments serving 47579, State of Indiana collected $15.3 million (fiscal year ended June 30, 2024), Spencer County collected $10.2 million (fiscal year ended December 31, 2025), North Spencer County School District collected $9.4 million (fiscal year ended December 31, 2025), Town of Santa Claus collected $673 thousand (fiscal year ended December 31, 2023), Clay Township collected $47 thousand (fiscal year ended December 31, 2025), Harrison Township collected $43 thousand (fiscal year ended December 31, 2025) and Carter Township collected $42 thousand (fiscal year ended December 31, 2025) in property tax. These are each government's total collections, not a bill for 47579.

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: Spencer County, Santa Claus, Clay Township and Harrison Township

Why not this year? Indiana governments with newer filings show figures from the Indiana Department of Local Government Finance (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 47579

State of Indiana$15.3 million

<0.1% of its $57.5 billion in revenue · fiscal year ended June 30, 2024

Spencer County$10.2 million

45% of its $22.4 million in revenue · fiscal year ended December 31, 2025

North Spencer County School District$9.4 million

32% of its $29.4 million in revenue · fiscal year ended December 31, 2025

Town of Santa Claus$673 thousand

17% of its $4.0 million in revenue · fiscal year ended December 31, 2023

Clay Township$47 thousand

83% of its $56 thousand in revenue · fiscal year ended December 31, 2025

Harrison Township$43 thousand

87% of its $49 thousand in revenue · fiscal year ended December 31, 2025

Carter Township$42 thousand

84% of its $50 thousand in revenue · fiscal year ended December 31, 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

Spencer County

$21.1 million budget in fiscal year 2025 (ended December 31, 2025), from the Indiana Department of Local Government Finance.

Where the money comes from

County taxes54%Fines and other28%State tax money17%Fees for services0.6%
Full Spencer County breakdown

County taxes54%

Property tax
45%$10.2 million
Local income tax
5.5%$1.2 million
Other taxes
2.9%$653 thousand
Tourism taxes
<0.1%$18 thousand

Fees for services0.6%

Fees for services
0.6%$133 thousand

State tax money17%

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

From the state
17%$3.9 million

Fines and other28%

Interest, rents and other
27%$6.1 million
Fines
1.0%$220 thousand
Spencer County page →

Where the money goes

Police, fire, courts and jails39%Running the government and other costs32%Roads, transit and parking22%Health and hospitals2.6%Social services1.6%All other spending3.0%
Full Spencer County breakdown

Spending by category100%

Police, fire, courts and jails
39%$8.2 million
Running the government and other costs
32%$6.7 million
Roads, transit and parking
22%$4.7 million
Health and hospitals
2.6%$542 thousand
Social services
1.6%$335 thousand
Housing and community development
1.4%$296 thousand
Environment and natural resources
0.9%$191 thousand
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
0.4%$83 thousand
Parks, recreation and libraries
0.3%$56 thousand
Spencer County page →

Your towns

Town of Santa Claus

$4.1 million budget in the latest fiscal year on record, which ended December 31, 2023.

About 47% of this ZIP is in Santa Claus.

Where the money comes from

Fees for services (water, sewer)76%Town taxes22%State tax money2.2%Fines and other0.3%

What stands out

76%

of Santa Claus' money comes from fees for services such as water, sewer and parking.A typical U.S. city, town or village of under 10,000 people gets 35%.

Full Santa Claus breakdown

Town taxes22%

Property tax
17%$673 thousand
Local income tax
2.4%$95 thousand
Other taxes
1.9%$77 thousand
What's in other taxesMotor vehicle licenses
  • Motor vehicle licenses$77 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Sales tax
0.2%$9 thousand

Fees for services76%

Fees for services
76%$3.0 million
What's in fees for servicesWater; sewer and 2 more
  • Water$1.8 million
  • Sewer$1.2 million
  • Other service charges$13 thousand
  • Parks and recreation$6 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

State tax money2.2%

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

From the state
2.2%$86 thousand

Fines and other0.3%

Interest, rents and other
0.3%$13 thousand
Santa Claus page →

Where the money goes

Water, sewer, trash and utilities87%Police, fire, courts and jails10%Running the government and other costs1.8%Parks, recreation and libraries0.8%Roads, transit and parking0.6%

What stands out

87%

of Santa Claus' spending goes to water, sewer, trash and other utilities.A typical U.S. city, town or village of under 10,000 people spends 32%.

Full Santa Claus breakdown

Spending by category100%

Water, sewer, trash and utilities
87%$3.6 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesWater supply and sewer systems
  • Water supply$2.3 million
  • Sewer systems$1.3 million
Police, fire, courts and jails
10%$418 thousand
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice and fire protection
  • Police$361 thousand
  • Fire protection$57 thousand
Running the government and other costs
1.8%$74 thousand
What's in running the government and other costsCentral staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$74 thousand
Parks, recreation and libraries
0.8%$34 thousand
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation
  • Parks and recreation$34 thousand
Roads, transit and parking
0.6%$23 thousand
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways
  • Roads and highways$23 thousand
Santa Claus page →

Clay Township

$50 thousand budget in fiscal year 2025 (ended December 31, 2025), from the Indiana Department of Local Government Finance.

About 43% of this ZIP is in Clay Township.

Where the money comes from

Township taxes100%Fines and other<0.1%
Full Clay Township breakdown

Township taxes100%

Property tax
83%$47 thousand
Local income tax
8.5%$5 thousand
Other taxes
8.1%$5 thousand

State tax money<0.1%

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

From the state
<0.1%$18

Fines and other<0.1%

Interest, rents and other
<0.1%$35
Clay Township page →

Where the money goes

Running the government and other costs49%Police, fire, courts and jails40%Social services11%
Full Clay Township breakdown

Spending by category100%

Running the government and other costs
49%$25 thousand
Police, fire, courts and jails
40%$20 thousand
Social services
11%$5 thousand
Clay Township page →

Harrison Township

$30 thousand budget in fiscal year 2025 (ended December 31, 2025), from the Indiana Department of Local Government Finance.

About 41% of this ZIP is in Harrison Township.

Where the money comes from

Township taxes98%Fines and other1.7%
Full Harrison Township breakdown

Township taxes98%

Property tax
87%$43 thousand
Local income tax
11%$6 thousand

Fines and other1.7%

Interest, rents and other
1.7%$832
Harrison Township page →

Where the money goes

Running the government and other costs64%Police, fire, courts and jails24%Social services12%
Full Harrison Township breakdown

Spending by category100%

Running the government and other costs
64%$19 thousand
Police, fire, courts and jails
24%$7 thousand
Social services
12%$4 thousand
Harrison Township page →

Carter Township

$30 thousand budget in fiscal year 2025 (ended December 31, 2025), from the Indiana Department of Local Government Finance.

About 16% of this ZIP is in Carter Township.

Where the money comes from

Township taxes100%Fines and other0.4%
Full Carter Township breakdown

Township taxes100%

Property tax
84%$42 thousand
Local income tax
9.9%$5 thousand
Other taxes
6.0%$3 thousand

Fines and other0.4%

Interest, rents and other
0.4%$198
Carter Township page →

Where the money goes

Running the government and other costs66%Social services34%
Full Carter Township breakdown

Spending by category100%

Running the government and other costs
66%$20 thousand
Social services
34%$10 thousand
Carter Township page →

Your schools

North Spencer County School District

$20.8 million budget in fiscal year 2025 (ended December 31, 2025), from the Indiana Department of Local Government Finance.

Where the money comes from

State tax money57%School district taxes34%Federal tax money4.3%Fines and other3.2%Fees for services1.8%
Full North Spencer County School District breakdown

School district taxes34%

Property tax
32%$9.4 million
Other taxes
2.1%$613 thousand

Fees for services1.8%

Fees for services
1.8%$520 thousand

Federal tax money4.3%

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

From the federal government
4.3%$1.3 million

State tax money57%

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

From the state
57%$16.7 million

Fines and other3.2%

Interest, rents and other
3.2%$935 thousand
North Spencer County School District page →

Where the money goes

Schools and colleges83%Debt payments (principal and interest)17%
Full North Spencer County School District breakdown

Spending by category100%

Schools and colleges
83%$17.2 million
Debt payments (principal and interest)
17%$3.6 million
North Spencer County School District page →

Your state

State of Indiana

$57.7 billion budget in the latest fiscal year on record, which ended June 30, 2024.

Where the money comes from

State taxes46%Federal tax money41%Fees for services (college tuition, university housing and dining)7.6%Fines and other5.1%Local tax money0.3%
Full Indiana breakdown

What stands out

19%

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

State taxes46%

Sales tax
19%$11.0 billion
Local income tax
14%$8.10 billion
Other taxes
11%$6.38 billion
What's in other taxesOther selective sales taxes; motor fuel taxes and 14 more
  • Other selective sales taxes$2.13 billion
  • Motor fuel taxes$1.73 billion
  • Motor vehicle licenses$643 million
  • Amusement taxes$621 million
  • Tobacco taxes$340 million
  • Driver's licenses$293 million
  • Insurance premium taxes$273 million
  • Occupation and business licenses$142 million
  • Other licenses$57.4 million
  • Alcoholic beverage taxes$55.7 million
  • Hunting and fishing licenses$26.8 million
  • Public utility taxes$20.5 million
  • Alcoholic beverage licenses$17.4 million
  • Amusement licenses$15.3 million
  • Corporation licenses$12.6 million
  • Severance taxes$1.8 million

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Business income tax
1.7%$965 million
Property tax
<0.1%$15.3 million

Fees for services7.6%

Fees for services
7.6%$4.40 billion
What's in fees for servicesCollege tuition; university housing and dining and 9 more
  • College tuition$3.23 billion
  • University housing and dining$817 million
  • Other service charges$204 million
  • Parks, land and natural resources$66.6 million
  • Parks and recreation$48.0 million
  • Ports and waterways$23.8 million
  • Housing$7.6 million
  • Other education charges$5.7 million
  • Road charges$2.1 million
  • Hospital bills$177 thousand
  • Other school charges$1 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%$23.6 billion

Local tax money0.3%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From local governments
0.3%$172 million

Fines and other5.1%

Interest, rents and other
5.0%$2.90 billion
Fines
<0.1%$56.0 million
Indiana page →

Where the money goes

Social services40%Sent to local governments26%Schools and colleges16%Roads, transit and parking5.5%Running the government and other costs4.2%All other spending8.3%

What stands out

40%

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

Full Indiana breakdown

Spending by category100%

Social services
40%$23.1 billion
What's in social servicesOther public welfare; unemployment and social insurance offices and 2 more
  • Other public welfare$22.9 billion
  • Unemployment and social insurance offices$90.0 million
  • Welfare institutions$29.0 million
  • Veterans' services$18.6 million
Sent to local governments
26%$14.8 billion
What's in sent to local governmentsSent to school districts; sent to local governments: roads and highways and 18 more
  • Sent to school districts$11.4 billion
  • Sent to local governments: roads and highways$1.37 billion
  • Sent to local governments: general support$1.23 billion
  • Sent to local governments: other and not broken out$350 million
  • Sent to local governments: public health$116 million
  • Sent to local governments: probation, parole and other corrections$72.3 million
  • Sent to local governments: courts and legal services$61.3 million
  • Sent to local governments: housing and community development$53.4 million
  • Sent to local governments: other public welfare$47.1 million
  • Sent to local governments: police$30.6 million
  • Sent to local governments: natural resources, farming and conservation$15.2 million
  • Sent to local governments: prisons and jails$8.0 million
  • Sent to local governments: parks and recreation$7.4 million
  • Sent to local governments: sewer systems$3.9 million
  • Sent to local governments: inspections and regulation$3.8 million
  • Sent to local governments: other government administration$3.4 million
  • Sent to local governments: garbage and solid waste$2.8 million
  • Sent to local governments: libraries$1.4 million
  • Sent to the federal government$1.1 million
  • Sent to local governments: central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$122 thousand
Schools and colleges
16%$9.47 billion
What's in schools and collegesColleges and universities; scholarships and other education subsidies and 2 more
  • Colleges and universities$6.72 billion
  • Scholarships and other education subsidies$1.21 billion
  • College housing, dining and bookstores$1.19 billion
  • Other education$358 million
Roads, transit and parking
5.5%$3.17 billion
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways; toll roads and bridges and 2 more
  • Roads and highways$2.97 billion
  • Toll roads and bridges$166 million
  • Ports and harbors$29.5 million
  • Airports$3.8 million
Running the government and other costs
4.2%$2.42 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$1.63 billion
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$451 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$242 million
  • Other government administration$97.5 million
  • Government buildings$669 thousand
Police, fire, courts and jails
3.5%$2.00 billion
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPrisons and jails; police and 3 more
  • Prisons and jails$1.06 billion
  • Police$508 million
  • Courts and legal services$284 million
  • Inspections and regulation$129 million
  • Probation, parole and other corrections$21.2 million
Health and hospitals
1.9%$1.11 billion
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health and hospitals
  • Public health$909 million
  • Hospitals$198 million
Housing and community development
1.2%$720 million
Environment and natural resources
1.0%$556 million
What's in environment and natural resourcesNatural resources, farming and conservation
  • Natural resources, farming and conservation$556 million
Interest on debt
0.5%$289 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
0.2%$94.3 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation and libraries
  • Parks and recreation$82.4 million
  • Libraries$11.9 million
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
<0.1%$9.4 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesGarbage and solid waste and sewer systems
  • Garbage and solid waste$7.2 million
  • Sewer systems$2.2 million
Indiana page →
Sources and moreEach government's source, fiscal year and how a ZIP is matched

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

Spencer County. Indiana Department of Local Government Finance, Gateway, Annual Financial Report fiscal year 2025, fiscal year ended December 31, 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 December 31, 2023.

North Spencer County School District. Indiana Department of Local Government Finance, Gateway, Annual Financial Report fiscal year 2025, fiscal year ended December 31, 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.

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

Clay Township. Indiana Department of Local Government Finance, Gateway, Annual Financial Report fiscal year 2025, fiscal year ended December 31, 2025. The earlier Census figures are from U.S. Census Bureau, 2022 Census of Governments, Finance, individual unit file, fiscal year ended December 31, 2021.

Harrison Township. Indiana Department of Local Government Finance, Gateway, Annual Financial Report fiscal year 2025, fiscal year ended December 31, 2025. The earlier Census figures are from U.S. Census Bureau, 2022 Census of Governments, Finance, individual unit file, fiscal year ended December 31, 2021.

Carter Township. Indiana Department of Local Government Finance, Gateway, Annual Financial Report fiscal year 2025, fiscal year ended December 31, 2025. The earlier Census figures are from U.S. Census Bureau, 2022 Census of Governments, Finance, individual unit file, fiscal year ended December 31, 2021.

How these figures are counted. Revenue and spending are the Annual Financial Report figures that an Indiana government filed with the Indiana Department of Local Government Finance, grouped into the same categories as the Census figures. The report covers the government's general, special revenue, capital projects, debt service and enterprise funds (utilities, airports and the like). Borrowing, transfers between a government's own funds, internal service funds, payroll and clearing accounts, and money held for others (court and clerk accounts, property tax settlement, trusts) are not counted. The reports are self-reported and are not audited by the Department.

Cash basis. Indiana local governments report cash received and paid, so a year with a big construction project can show more spending than revenue.

Debt payments. Indiana's report lists the principal and interest paid on debt, so the "Debt payments" line includes 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: the report sorts spending by fund and by department, so salaries and benefits sit inside each service. Capital outlay is counted under the service it paid for. Pension contributions are shown separately when the government pays them through its own police or fire pension fund.

Federal and state money. The report combines federal and state grants in one line, so the split between federal and state money is an estimate: federal money is the federal awards the government lists in its grants schedule, and the rest is shown as state money. Shared state taxes, such as the state's cigarette, alcohol and highway distributions, are state money. The local income tax is a tax residents pay, so it is shown as a tax. School corporations file for the calendar year.

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.