ZIP 59625 · Helena, MT

Four governments run on your community's money

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

Yearly budgets from each government's latest fiscal year on record. Tap one to jump to it.

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 →

Your county

Lewis and Clark County

$78.0 million budget in the latest fiscal year on record, which ended June 30, 2024.

Where the money comes from

County taxes62%Fines and other14%Federal tax money11%Fees for services (garbage collection, road charges)6.4%State tax money5.1%Local tax money0.8%
Full Lewis and Clark County breakdown

What stands out

62%

of Lewis and Clark County's money comes from property tax.A typical U.S. county of 50,000 to 250,000 people gets 28%.

County taxes62%

Property tax
62%$54.3 million
Other taxes
0.3%$258 thousand
What's in other taxesOccupation and business licenses; motor vehicle licenses and 2 more
  • Occupation and business licenses$223 thousand
  • Motor vehicle licenses$23 thousand
  • Other licenses$9 thousand
  • Alcoholic beverage licenses$3 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services6.4%

Fees for services
6.4%$5.6 million
What's in fees for servicesGarbage collection; other service charges and 1 more
  • Garbage collection$3.2 million
  • Other service charges$1.9 million
  • Road charges$480 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money11%

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

From the federal government
11%$9.7 million

State tax money5.1%

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

From the state
5.1%$4.5 million

Local tax money0.8%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From other local governments
0.8%$682 thousand

Fines and other14%

Interest, rents and other
14%$12.2 million
Fines
0.5%$421 thousand
Lewis and Clark County page →

Where the money goes

Police, fire, courts and jails41%Sent to other local governments18%Running the government and other costs16%Roads, transit and parking12%Health and hospitals7.7%All other spending6.3%

What stands out

18%

of Lewis and Clark County's spending goes to local governments.Most U.S. counties of 50,000 to 250,000 people spend nothing on this.

Full Lewis and Clark County breakdown

Spending by category100%

Police, fire, courts and jails
41%$31.6 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice and courts and legal services
  • Police$25.3 million
  • Courts and legal services$6.3 million
Sent to other local governments
18%$13.7 million
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$13.7 million
Running the government and other costs
16%$12.4 million
What's in running the government and other costsCentral staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology) and finance, tax collection and budgeting
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$9.8 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$2.6 million
Roads, transit and parking
12%$9.4 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways
  • Roads and highways$9.4 million
Health and hospitals
7.7%$6.0 million
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$6.0 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
2.6%$2.0 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation
  • Parks and recreation$2.0 million
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
1.6%$1.2 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesGarbage and solid waste
  • Garbage and solid waste$1.2 million
Social services
1.5%$1.1 million
What's in social servicesWelfare institutions
  • Welfare institutions$1.1 million
Interest on debt
0.7%$536 thousand
Lewis and Clark County page →

Your city

City of Helena

$70.6 million budget in the latest fiscal year on record, which ended June 30, 2024.

Where the money comes from

Fees for services (water, road charges)45%City taxes23%Fines and other18%State tax money12%Federal tax money2.1%
Full Helena breakdown

What stands out

17%

of Helena's money comes from interest, rents and other revenue.A typical U.S. city of 10,000 to 50,000 people gets 4.9%.

City taxes23%

Property tax
22%$17.1 million
Other taxes
0.8%$619 thousand
What's in other taxesOccupation and business licenses and other licenses
  • Occupation and business licenses$544 thousand
  • Other licenses$75 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services45%

Fees for services
45%$34.7 million
What's in fees for servicesWater; road charges and 7 more
  • Water$9.7 million
  • Road charges$6.8 million
  • Garbage collection$6.5 million
  • Sewer$6.4 million
  • Parks and recreation$2.4 million
  • Parking$1.6 million
  • Other service charges$1.1 million
  • Transit fares$71 thousand
  • Parks, land and natural resources$3 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money2.1%

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

From the federal government
2.1%$1.6 million

State tax money12%

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

From the state
12%$9.6 million

County and local tax money<0.1%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From the county and other local governments
<0.1%$10 thousand

Fines and other18%

Interest, rents and other
17%$13.4 million
Fines
0.8%$597 thousand
Helena page →

Where the money goes

Water, sewer, trash and utilities30%Police, fire, courts and jails28%Roads, transit and parking18%Running the government and other costs12%Parks, recreation and libraries9.4%All other spending3.4%

What stands out

18%

of Helena's spending goes to roads, transit and parking.A typical U.S. city of 10,000 to 50,000 people spends 10%.

Full Helena breakdown

Spending by category100%

Water, sewer, trash and utilities
30%$20.9 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesWater supply; garbage and solid waste and 1 more
  • Water supply$9.9 million
  • Garbage and solid waste$5.6 million
  • Sewer systems$5.3 million
Police, fire, courts and jails
28%$19.6 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; fire protection and 2 more
  • Police$10.8 million
  • Fire protection$6.8 million
  • Inspections and regulation$1.3 million
  • Courts and legal services$708 thousand
Roads, transit and parking
18%$12.6 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways; parking and 1 more
  • Roads and highways$9.4 million
  • Parking$1.9 million
  • Public transit$1.4 million
Running the government and other costs
12%$8.5 million
What's in running the government and other costsCentral staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology); other and not broken out and 2 more
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$2.4 million
  • Other and not broken out$2.3 million
  • Government buildings$2.2 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$1.6 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
9.4%$6.6 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation
  • Parks and recreation$6.6 million
Environment and natural resources
2.0%$1.4 million
What's in environment and natural resourcesNatural resources, farming and conservation
  • Natural resources, farming and conservation$1.4 million
Interest on debt
0.9%$650 thousand
What's in interest on debtInterest on general debt and interest on water supply debt
  • Interest on general debt$507 thousand
  • Interest on water supply debt$143 thousand
Health and hospitals
0.2%$155 thousand
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$155 thousand
Housing and community development
0.2%$134 thousand
Helena page →

Your schools

Helena Public Schools

$107 million budget in the latest fiscal year on record, which ended June 30, 2024.

Where the money comes from

State tax money48%School district taxes36%County and local tax money10%Fines and other3.0%Fees for services (school lunches, school tuition and transportation)2.6%

What stands out

10%

of Helena Public Schools' money comes from county and other local tax money.A typical school district with 5,000 to 25,000 students gets 1%.

Full Helena Public Schools breakdown

School district taxes36%

Property tax
36%$40.5 million

Fees for services2.6%

Fees for services
2.6%$3.0 million
What's in fees for servicesOther school charges; school lunches and 1 more
  • Other school charges$1.7 million
  • School lunches$931 thousand
  • School tuition and transportation$352 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money<0.1%

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

From the federal government
<0.1%$57 thousand

State tax money48%

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

From the state
48%$55.2 million

County and local tax money10%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From the county and other local governments
10%$11.9 million

Fines and other3.0%

Interest, rents and other
3.0%$3.4 million
Helena Public Schools page →

Where the money goes

Schools and colleges98%Interest on debt1.9%Sent to other local governments0.6%
Full Helena Public Schools breakdown

Spending by category100%

Schools and colleges
98%$104 million
What's in schools and collegesElementary and secondary schools
  • Elementary and secondary schools$104 million
Interest on debt
1.9%$2.1 million
Sent to other local governments
0.6%$607 thousand
What's in sent to other local governmentsSent to school districts
  • Sent to school districts$607 thousand
Helena Public Schools 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.

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

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

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

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.