ZIP 59538 · Phillips County, MT

Three governments run on your community's money

This page shows every government that serves ZIP 59538: 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 Montana governments, the Montana Office of Public Instruction, as named under Sources and more.

Where do my taxes go in 59538?
59538 is served by the State of Montana, Phillips County and Malta K-12 School District. In each one's latest recorded fiscal year, State of Montana spent $9.11 billion (fiscal year ended June 30, 2024), Phillips County spent $9.1 million (fiscal year ended June 30, 2024) and Malta K-12 School District spent $8.5 million (fiscal year ended June 30, 2025). Each government's money is separate.

Which governments collect property tax in 59538?
Of the governments serving 59538, State of Montana collected $481 million (fiscal year ended June 30, 2024), Phillips County collected $3.6 million (fiscal year ended June 30, 2024) and Malta K-12 School District collected $1.9 million (fiscal year ended June 30, 2025) in property tax. These are each government's total collections, not a bill for 59538.

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: Phillips County and Malta K-12 School District

Why not this year? Montana governments with newer filings show school district figures from the Montana Office of Public Instruction (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 59538

State of Montana$481 million

4.5% of its $10.8 billion in revenue · fiscal year ended June 30, 2024

Phillips County$3.6 million

30% of its $12.1 million in revenue · fiscal year ended June 30, 2024 · estimated by the U.S. Census Bureau

Malta K-12 School District$1.9 million

26% of its $7.4 million in revenue · fiscal year ended June 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

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

Phillips County

$9.1 million budget in the latest fiscal year on record, which ended June 30, 2024. Estimated by the U.S. Census Bureau

Where the money comes from

County taxes30%State tax money23%Fines and other20%Federal tax money18%Fees for services (garbage collection)6.9%Local tax money1.9%

What stands out

18%

of Phillips County's money comes from federal tax money.A typical U.S. county of under 50,000 people gets 3%.

Full Phillips County breakdown

County taxes30%

Property tax
30%$3.6 million
Other taxes
0.7%$86 thousand
What's in other taxesMotor vehicle licenses; other licenses and 1 more
  • Motor vehicle licenses$81 thousand
  • Other licenses$4 thousand
  • Alcoholic beverage licenses$1 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services6.9%

Fees for services
6.9%$834 thousand
What's in fees for servicesOther service charges and garbage collection
  • Other service charges$580 thousand
  • Garbage collection$254 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money18%

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

From the federal government
18%$2.2 million

State tax money23%

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

From the state
23%$2.8 million

Local tax money1.9%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From other local governments
1.9%$225 thousand

Fines and other20%

Interest, rents and other
20%$2.4 million
Fines
0.3%$40 thousand
Phillips County page →

Where the money goes

Running the government and other costs35%Police, fire, courts and jails22%Roads, transit and parking21%Health and hospitals8.1%Parks, recreation and libraries5.5%All other spending8.2%

What stands out

5.5%

of Phillips County's spending goes to parks, recreation and libraries.A typical U.S. county of under 50,000 people spends 1%.

Full Phillips County breakdown

Spending by category100%

Running the government and other costs
35%$3.2 million
What's in running the government and other costsOther and not broken out; central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology) and 3 more
  • Other and not broken out$1.2 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$1.1 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$628 thousand
  • Government buildings$355 thousand
  • Other government-run businesses$12 thousand
Police, fire, courts and jails
22%$2.0 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; courts and legal services and 1 more
  • Police$1.4 million
  • Courts and legal services$566 thousand
  • Fire protection$23 thousand
Roads, transit and parking
21%$1.9 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways
  • Roads and highways$1.9 million
Health and hospitals
8.1%$742 thousand
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$742 thousand
Parks, recreation and libraries
5.5%$507 thousand
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation and libraries
  • Parks and recreation$366 thousand
  • Libraries$141 thousand
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
3.7%$341 thousand
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesGarbage and solid waste
  • Garbage and solid waste$341 thousand
Sent to other local governments
3.3%$298 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$298 thousand
Environment and natural resources
1.2%$107 thousand
What's in environment and natural resourcesNatural resources, farming and conservation
  • Natural resources, farming and conservation$107 thousand
Interest on debt
<0.1%$6 thousand
Phillips County page →

Your schools

Malta K-12 School District

$8.5 million budget in fiscal year 2025 (ended June 30, 2025), from the Montana Office of Public Instruction.

About 90% of this ZIP is in Malta K-12 School District.

Where the money comes from

State tax money50%School district taxes26%Federal tax money9.0%County and local tax money8.0%Fees for services6.5%Fines and other0.9%
Full Malta K-12 School District breakdown

School district taxes26%

Property tax
26%$1.9 million

Fees for services6.5%

Fees for services
6.5%$482 thousand

Federal tax money9.0%

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

From the federal government
9.0%$668 thousand

State tax money50%

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

From the state
50%$3.7 million

County and local tax money8.0%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From the county and other local governments
8.0%$595 thousand

Fines and other0.9%

Interest, rents and other
0.9%$64 thousand
Malta K-12 School District page →

Where the money goes

Schools and colleges99%Debt payments (principal and interest)1.2%
Full Malta K-12 School District breakdown

Spending by category100%

Schools and colleges
99%$8.4 million
Debt payments (principal and interest)
1.2%$100 thousand
Malta K-12 School District page →

Your state

State of Montana

$9.11 billion budget in the latest fiscal year on record, which ended June 30, 2024.

Where the money comes from

State taxes44%Federal tax money43%Fees for services (college tuition, liquor stores)7.7%Fines and other5.4%
Full Montana breakdown

What stands out

4.5%

of Montana's money comes from property tax.Most state governments get none.

State taxes44%

Individual income tax
21%$2.25 billion
Other taxes
16%$1.68 billion
What's in other taxesMotor fuel taxes; severance taxes and 16 more
  • Motor fuel taxes$288 million
  • Severance taxes$241 million
  • Motor vehicle licenses$211 million
  • Occupation and business licenses$198 million
  • Other selective sales taxes$190 million
  • Insurance premium taxes$178 million
  • Hunting and fishing licenses$84.1 million
  • Amusement taxes$83.4 million
  • Tobacco taxes$61.1 million
  • Alcoholic beverage taxes$48.2 million
  • Public utility taxes$40.5 million
  • Other licenses$16.0 million
  • Other taxes not classified elsewhere$14.7 million
  • Driver's licenses$9.4 million
  • Alcoholic beverage licenses$7.4 million
  • Amusement licenses$4.7 million
  • Corporation licenses$3.3 million
  • Public utility licenses$13 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Property tax
4.5%$481 million
Business income tax
2.9%$310 million

Fees for services7.7%

Fees for services
7.7%$829 million
What's in fees for servicesCollege tuition; liquor stores and 9 more
  • College tuition$430 million
  • Liquor stores$151 million
  • University housing and dining$125 million
  • Parks, land and natural resources$66.3 million
  • Other service charges$45.9 million
  • Housing$3.3 million
  • Hospital bills$2.6 million
  • Parks and recreation$2.2 million
  • Other education charges$1.9 million
  • Road charges$1.3 million
  • Airport$491 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money43%

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

From the federal government
43%$4.66 billion

Local tax money<0.1%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From local governments
<0.1%$4.7 million

Fines and other5.4%

Interest, rents and other
5.1%$551 million
Fines
0.3%$34.5 million
Montana page →

Where the money goes

Social services32%Sent to local governments16%Schools and colleges16%Roads, transit and parking10%Running the government and other costs8.5%All other spending17%

What stands out

16%

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

Full Montana breakdown

Spending by category100%

Social services
32%$2.95 billion
What's in social servicesOther public welfare; welfare institutions and 2 more
  • Other public welfare$2.85 billion
  • Welfare institutions$48.6 million
  • Unemployment and social insurance offices$43.1 million
  • Veterans' services$3.8 million
Sent to local governments
16%$1.45 billion
What's in sent to local governmentsSent to school districts; sent to local governments: general support and 13 more
  • Sent to school districts$1.03 billion
  • Sent to local governments: general support$248 million
  • Sent to local governments: roads and highways$102 million
  • Sent to local governments: other and not broken out$22.2 million
  • Sent to school districts (colleges)$16.2 million
  • Sent to local governments: public health$9.9 million
  • Sent to local governments: other public welfare$8.2 million
  • Sent to local governments: natural resources, farming and conservation$3.7 million
  • Sent to local governments: courts and legal services$3.2 million
  • Sent to local governments: housing and community development$2.7 million
  • Sent to local governments: airports$1.9 million
  • Sent to local governments: other government administration$1.8 million
  • Sent to local governments: inspections and regulation$1.8 million
  • Sent to local governments: libraries$1.1 million
  • Sent to local governments: finance, tax collection and budgeting$50 thousand
Schools and colleges
16%$1.44 billion
What's in schools and collegesColleges and universities; college housing, dining and bookstores and 2 more
  • Colleges and universities$1.12 billion
  • College housing, dining and bookstores$157 million
  • Scholarships and other education subsidies$132 million
  • Other education$23.6 million
Roads, transit and parking
10%$953 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways; public transit and 1 more
  • Roads and highways$933 million
  • Public transit$17.6 million
  • Airports$2.3 million
Running the government and other costs
8.5%$770 million
What's in running the government and other costsFinance, tax collection and budgeting; other and not broken out and 4 more
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$291 million
  • Other and not broken out$176 million
  • Government buildings$147 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$86.4 million
  • Other government administration$69.7 million
  • Other government-run businesses$185 thousand
Police, fire, courts and jails
5.9%$540 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsProbation, parole and other corrections; courts and legal services and 3 more
  • Probation, parole and other corrections$166 million
  • Courts and legal services$126 million
  • Prisons and jails$125 million
  • Police$82.9 million
  • Inspections and regulation$41.2 million
Environment and natural resources
3.9%$356 million
What's in environment and natural resourcesNatural resources, farming and conservation
  • Natural resources, farming and conservation$356 million
Health and hospitals
3.5%$317 million
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health and hospitals
  • Public health$213 million
  • Hospitals$104 million
Interest on debt
1.5%$139 million
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
1.4%$126 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesLiquor stores
  • Liquor stores$126 million
Housing and community development
0.4%$37.9 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
0.4%$33.8 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation and libraries
  • Parks and recreation$25.6 million
  • Libraries$8.2 million
Montana page →
Sources and moreEach government's source, fiscal year and how a ZIP is matched

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

Phillips County. U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, individual unit file, fiscal year ended June 30, 2024. Most of this government's figures were estimated by the U.S. Census Bureau from a sample; the government did not report them itself.

Malta K-12 School District. Montana Office of Public Instruction, school district revenue and expenditure reports (OPI Financial Data Files), 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. Montana school district figures are from each district's financial reports to the Montana Office of Public Instruction for fiscal year 2025 (the 2024-25 school year, ended June 30, 2025). They cover governmental and enterprise funds, including student activity funds, and leave out trust funds, transfers between funds and bond proceeds. Where an elementary district and a high school district share one board and are counted as one government, the two are added together. Spending includes construction and debt payments (principal and interest), and tuition paid to other districts is counted as education spending.

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.