ZIP 59911 · Lake County, MT

Six governments run on your community's money

This page shows every government that serves ZIP 59911: 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 59911?
59911 is served by the State of Montana, Lake County, Swan Lake-Salmon Prairie El 73, Bigfork Public Schools, Missoula County Public Schools and Flathead County. In each one's latest recorded fiscal year, State of Montana spent $9.11 billion (fiscal year ended June 30, 2024), Lake County spent $39.5 million (fiscal year ended June 30, 2024), Swan Lake-Salmon Prairie El 73 spent $180 thousand (fiscal year ended June 30, 2025), Bigfork Public Schools spent $13.5 million (fiscal year ended June 30, 2025), Missoula County Public Schools spent $146 million (fiscal year ended June 30, 2025) and Flathead County spent $135 million (fiscal year ended June 30, 2024). Each government's money is separate.

Which governments collect property tax in 59911?
Of the governments serving 59911, State of Montana collected $481 million (fiscal year ended June 30, 2024), Flathead County collected $64.9 million (fiscal year ended June 30, 2024), Missoula County Public Schools collected $53.6 million (fiscal year ended June 30, 2025), Lake County collected $20.7 million (fiscal year ended June 30, 2024), Bigfork Public Schools collected $5.6 million (fiscal year ended June 30, 2025) and Swan Lake-Salmon Prairie El 73 collected $91 thousand (fiscal year ended June 30, 2025) in property tax. These are each government's total collections, not a bill for 59911.

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: Lake County, Flathead County, Swan Lake-Salmon Prairie El 73 and Bigfork Public Schools

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 59911

State of Montana$481 million

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

Flathead County$64.9 million

44% of its $146 million in revenue · fiscal year ended June 30, 2024

Missoula County Public Schools$53.6 million

37% of its $146 million in revenue · fiscal year ended June 30, 2025

Lake County$20.7 million

55% of its $37.6 million in revenue · fiscal year ended June 30, 2024

Bigfork Public Schools$5.6 million

42% of its $13.4 million in revenue · fiscal year ended June 30, 2025

Swan Lake-Salmon Prairie El 73$91 thousand

50% of its $181 thousand 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 counties

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

Lake County

$39.5 million budget in the latest fiscal year on record, which ended June 30, 2024.

About 86% of this ZIP is in Lake County.

Where the money comes from

County taxes59%Fines and other14%Federal tax money12%Fees for services (garbage collection, airport)8.2%State tax money7.1%Local tax money0.2%
Full Lake County breakdown

What stands out

55%

of Lake County's money comes from property tax.A typical U.S. county of under 50,000 people gets 28%.

County taxes59%

Property tax
55%$20.7 million
Other taxes
3.5%$1.3 million
What's in other taxesMotor vehicle licenses; occupation and business licenses and 3 more
  • Motor vehicle licenses$941 thousand
  • Occupation and business licenses$158 thousand
  • Other taxes not classified elsewhere$111 thousand
  • Other licenses$90 thousand
  • Alcoholic beverage licenses$9 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services8.2%

Fees for services
8.2%$3.1 million
What's in fees for servicesOther service charges; garbage collection and 1 more
  • Other service charges$1.3 million
  • Garbage collection$1.2 million
  • Airport$638 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money12%

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

From the federal government
12%$4.6 million

State tax money7.1%

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

From the state
7.1%$2.7 million

Local tax money0.2%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From other local governments
0.2%$89 thousand

Fines and other14%

Interest, rents and other
14%$5.1 million
Fines
0.2%$93 thousand
Lake County page →

Where the money goes

Running the government and other costs30%Roads, transit and parking19%Police, fire, courts and jails18%Sent to other local governments16%Water, sewer, trash and utilities10%All other spending6.7%

What stands out

16%

of Lake County's spending goes to local governments.Most U.S. counties of under 50,000 people spend nothing on this.

Full Lake County breakdown

Spending by category100%

Running the government and other costs
30%$12.0 million
What's in running the government and other costsOther and not broken out; central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology) and 2 more
  • Other and not broken out$5.4 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$3.3 million
  • Government buildings$2.0 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$1.3 million
Roads, transit and parking
19%$7.5 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways and airports
  • Roads and highways$5.8 million
  • Airports$1.6 million
Police, fire, courts and jails
18%$7.2 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; prisons and jails and 1 more
  • Police$3.9 million
  • Prisons and jails$1.7 million
  • Courts and legal services$1.5 million
Sent to other local governments
16%$6.2 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$6.2 million
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
10%$4.0 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesGarbage and solid waste
  • Garbage and solid waste$4.0 million
Health and hospitals
4.7%$1.8 million
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$1.8 million
Environment and natural resources
1.4%$550 thousand
What's in environment and natural resourcesNatural resources, farming and conservation
  • Natural resources, farming and conservation$550 thousand
Interest on debt
0.5%$215 thousand
Parks, recreation and libraries
<0.1%$26 thousand
What's in parks, recreation and librariesLibraries and parks and recreation
  • Libraries$14 thousand
  • Parks and recreation$12 thousand
Lake County page →

Flathead County

$135 million budget in the latest fiscal year on record, which ended June 30, 2024.

About 14% of this ZIP is in Flathead County.

Where the money comes from

County taxes45%Fees for services (airport, garbage collection)21%Federal tax money15%Fines and other12%State tax money6.7%Local tax money0.1%

What stands out

15%

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

Full Flathead County breakdown

County taxes45%

Property tax
44%$64.9 million
Other taxes
0.3%$404 thousand
What's in other taxesOther licenses; amusement licenses and 2 more
  • Other licenses$269 thousand
  • Amusement licenses$53 thousand
  • Alcoholic beverage licenses$50 thousand
  • Occupation and business licenses$32 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services21%

Fees for services
21%$30.5 million
What's in fees for servicesAirport; garbage collection and 5 more
  • Airport$13.0 million
  • Garbage collection$9.0 million
  • Other service charges$6.1 million
  • Parks, land and natural resources$1.4 million
  • Road charges$602 thousand
  • Parks and recreation$353 thousand
  • Transit fares$41 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%$22.5 million

State tax money6.7%

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

From the state
6.7%$9.8 million

Local tax money0.1%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From other local governments
0.1%$180 thousand

Fines and other12%

Interest, rents and other
12%$17.3 million
Fines
0.4%$526 thousand
Flathead County page →

Where the money goes

Running the government and other costs26%Roads, transit and parking20%Sent to other local governments19%Police, fire, courts and jails18%Health and hospitals7.1%All other spending10%

What stands out

19%

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

Full Flathead County breakdown

Spending by category100%

Running the government and other costs
26%$35.1 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)$16.9 million
  • Other and not broken out$13.8 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$2.8 million
  • Government buildings$1.6 million
Roads, transit and parking
20%$27.1 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways; airports and 1 more
  • Roads and highways$13.6 million
  • Airports$11.8 million
  • Public transit$1.7 million
Sent to other local governments
19%$25.2 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$25.2 million
Police, fire, courts and jails
18%$23.9 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; courts and legal services and 2 more
  • Police$19.1 million
  • Courts and legal services$4.2 million
  • Prisons and jails$359 thousand
  • Fire protection$267 thousand
Health and hospitals
7.1%$9.6 million
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$9.6 million
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
6.3%$8.5 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesGarbage and solid waste
  • Garbage and solid waste$8.5 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
2.8%$3.7 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesLibraries and parks and recreation
  • Libraries$2.5 million
  • Parks and recreation$1.3 million
Environment and natural resources
1.0%$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
0.2%$260 thousand
Social services
<0.1%$90 thousand
What's in social servicesOther public welfare
  • Other public welfare$90 thousand
Schools and colleges
<0.1%$22 thousand
What's in schools and collegesElementary and secondary schools
  • Elementary and secondary schools$22 thousand
Flathead County page →

Your schools

Swan Lake-Salmon Prairie El 73

$180 thousand budget in fiscal year 2025 (ended June 30, 2025), from the Montana Office of Public Instruction.

About 67% of this ZIP is in Swan Lake-Salmon Prairie El 73.

Where the money comes from

School district taxes50%Federal tax money24%State tax money20%County and local tax money4.8%Fines and other1.1%
Full Swan Lake-Salmon Prairie El 73 breakdown

School district taxes50%

Property tax
50%$91 thousand

Federal tax money24%

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

From the federal government
24%$44 thousand

State tax money20%

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

From the state
20%$36 thousand

County and local tax money4.8%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From the county and other local governments
4.8%$9 thousand

Fines and other1.1%

Interest, rents and other
1.1%$2 thousand
Swan Lake-Salmon Prairie El 73 page →

Where the money goes

Schools and colleges100%
Full Swan Lake-Salmon Prairie El 73 breakdown

Spending by category100%

Schools and colleges
100%$180 thousand
Swan Lake-Salmon Prairie El 73 page →

Bigfork Public Schools

$13.5 million budget in fiscal year 2025 (ended June 30, 2025), from the Montana Office of Public Instruction.

About 21% of this ZIP is in Bigfork Public Schools.

Where the money comes from

School district taxes42%State tax money36%County and local tax money8.3%Federal tax money6.3%Fines and other4.3%Fees for services3.2%
Full Bigfork Public Schools breakdown

School district taxes42%

Property tax
42%$5.6 million

Fees for services3.2%

Fees for services
3.2%$430 thousand

Federal tax money6.3%

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

From the federal government
6.3%$843 thousand

State tax money36%

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

From the state
36%$4.8 million

County and local tax money8.3%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From the county and other local governments
8.3%$1.1 million

Fines and other4.3%

Interest, rents and other
4.3%$569 thousand
Bigfork Public Schools page →

Where the money goes

Schools and colleges93%Debt payments (principal and interest)7.5%
Full Bigfork Public Schools breakdown

Spending by category100%

Schools and colleges
93%$12.5 million
Debt payments (principal and interest)
7.5%$1.0 million
Bigfork Public Schools page →

Missoula County Public Schools

$146 million budget in fiscal year 2025 (ended June 30, 2025), from the Montana Office of Public Instruction.

About 18% of this ZIP is in Missoula County Public Schools.

Where the money comes from

State tax money42%School district taxes37%County and local tax money8.9%Federal tax money7.4%Fees for services3.1%Fines and other2.4%
Full Missoula County Public Schools breakdown

School district taxes37%

Property tax
37%$53.6 million

Fees for services3.1%

Fees for services
3.1%$4.5 million

Federal tax money7.4%

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

From the federal government
7.4%$10.8 million

State tax money42%

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

From the state
42%$60.9 million

County and local tax money8.9%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From the county and other local governments
8.9%$13.0 million

Fines and other2.4%

Interest, rents and other
2.4%$3.4 million
Missoula County Public Schools page →

Where the money goes

Schools and colleges92%Debt payments (principal and interest)7.9%
Full Missoula County Public Schools breakdown

Spending by category100%

Schools and colleges
92%$135 million
Debt payments (principal and interest)
7.9%$11.5 million
Missoula County Public Schools 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.

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

Swan Lake-Salmon Prairie El 73. 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.

Bigfork Public Schools. 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.

Missoula County Public Schools. 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.

Flathead County. 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.

Not shown. Part of this ZIP is also served by Bigfork High School District, which are not matched to a finance record here.

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.