ZIP 68850 · Dawson County, NE

Three governments run on your community's money

This page shows every government that serves ZIP 68850: 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 Nebraska governments, the Nebraska Department of Education, as named under Sources and more.

Where do my taxes go in 68850?
68850 is served by the State of Nebraska, Dawson County and Lexington City School Dis 1. In each one's latest recorded fiscal year, State of Nebraska spent $16.3 billion (fiscal year ended June 30, 2024), Dawson County spent $20.4 million (fiscal year ended June 30, 2022) and Lexington City School Dis 1 spent $51.3 million (fiscal year ended August 31, 2025). Each government's money is separate.

Which governments collect property tax in 68850?
Of the governments serving 68850, Dawson County collected $11.9 million (fiscal year ended June 30, 2022), Lexington City School Dis 1 collected $8.7 million (fiscal year ended August 31, 2025) and State of Nebraska collected $126 thousand (fiscal year ended June 30, 2024) in property tax. These are each government's total collections, not a bill for 68850.

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: Dawson County and Lexington City School Dis 1

Why not this year? Nebraska governments with newer filings show school district figures from the Nebraska 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 68850

Dawson County$11.9 million

50% of its $23.7 million in revenue · fiscal year ended June 30, 2022 · estimated by the U.S. Census Bureau

Lexington City School Dis 1$8.7 million

15% of its $56.8 million in revenue · fiscal year ended August 31, 2025

State of Nebraska$126 thousand

<0.1% of its $17.0 billion in revenue · fiscal year ended June 30, 2024

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 Dawson County provides local services like police and parks.

Dawson County

$20.4 million budget in the latest fiscal year on record, which ended June 30, 2022. Estimated by the U.S. Census Bureau

About 93% of this ZIP is in Dawson County.

Where the money comes from

County taxes51%State tax money38%Fees for services (parks, land and natural resources)6.4%Fines and other4.3%
Full Dawson County breakdown

What stands out

50%

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

County taxes51%

Property tax
50%$11.9 million
Other taxes
0.4%$98 thousand
What's in other taxesOther licenses
  • Other licenses$98 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services6.4%

Fees for services
6.4%$1.5 million
What's in fees for servicesOther service charges and parks, land and natural resources
  • Other service charges$1.4 million
  • Parks, land and natural resources$71 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

State tax money38%

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

From the state
38%$9.1 million

Fines and other4.3%

Interest, rents and other
4.3%$1.0 million
Dawson County page →

Where the money goes

Running the government and other costs39%Police, fire, courts and jails32%Roads, transit and parking23%Environment and natural resources1.7%Health and hospitals1.3%All other spending2.4%

What stands out

39%

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

Full Dawson County breakdown

Spending by category100%

Running the government and other costs
39%$8.0 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$5.8 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$979 thousand
  • Government buildings$717 thousand
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$504 thousand
Police, fire, courts and jails
32%$6.6 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice and courts and legal services
  • Police$4.3 million
  • Courts and legal services$2.3 million
Roads, transit and parking
23%$4.7 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways
  • Roads and highways$4.7 million
Environment and natural resources
1.7%$356 thousand
What's in environment and natural resourcesNatural resources, farming and conservation
  • Natural resources, farming and conservation$356 thousand
Health and hospitals
1.3%$270 thousand
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$270 thousand
Social services
1.2%$245 thousand
What's in social servicesOther public welfare
  • Other public welfare$245 thousand
Sent to other local governments
0.8%$166 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$166 thousand
Parks, recreation and libraries
0.4%$86 thousand
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation
  • Parks and recreation$86 thousand
Dawson County page →

Your schools

Lexington City School Dis 1

$51.3 million budget in fiscal year 2025 (ended August 31, 2025), from the Nebraska Department of Education.

About 85% of this ZIP is in Lexington City School Dis 1.

Where the money comes from

State tax money62%Federal tax money17%School district taxes17%Fees for services2.2%Fines and other0.9%County and local tax money0.5%
Full Lexington City School Dis 1 breakdown

School district taxes17%

Property tax
15%$8.7 million
Other taxes
1.7%$993 thousand

Fees for services2.2%

Fees for services
2.2%$1.2 million

Federal tax money17%

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

From the federal government
17%$9.9 million

State tax money62%

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

From the state
62%$35.2 million

County and local tax money0.5%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From the county and other local governments
0.5%$292 thousand

Fines and other0.9%

Interest, rents and other
0.9%$508 thousand
Fines
<0.1%$3 thousand
Lexington City School Dis 1 page →

Where the money goes

Schools and colleges100%Sent to other local governments0.2%
Full Lexington City School Dis 1 breakdown

Spending by category100%

Schools and colleges
100%$51.2 million
Sent to other local governments
0.2%$108 thousand
Lexington City School Dis 1 page →

Your state

State of Nebraska

$16.3 billion budget in the latest fiscal year on record, which ended June 30, 2024.

Where the money comes from

State taxes48%Federal tax money35%Fines and other10%Fees for services (college tuition, university housing and dining)6.8%Local tax money0.3%
Full Nebraska breakdown

What stands out

10%

of Nebraska's money comes from business income taxes.A typical state government gets 3.8%.

State taxes48%

Sales tax
18%$2.97 billion
Individual income tax
15%$2.48 billion
Business income tax
10%$1.72 billion
Other taxes
5.5%$937 million
What's in other taxesMotor fuel taxes; motor vehicle licenses and 15 more
  • Motor fuel taxes$415 million
  • Motor vehicle licenses$130 million
  • Insurance premium taxes$94.2 million
  • Public utility taxes$65.9 million
  • Tobacco taxes$43.7 million
  • Occupation and business licenses$33.6 million
  • Alcoholic beverage taxes$32.7 million
  • Other selective sales taxes$28.7 million
  • Real estate and stock transfer taxes$22.6 million
  • Amusement taxes$21.9 million
  • Hunting and fishing licenses$16.7 million
  • Corporation licenses$12.5 million
  • Driver's licenses$11.6 million
  • Severance taxes$3.7 million
  • Alcoholic beverage licenses$1.4 million
  • Other licenses$1.2 million
  • Amusement licenses$559 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Property tax
<0.1%$126 thousand

Fees for services6.8%

Fees for services
6.8%$1.15 billion
What's in fees for servicesCollege tuition; university housing and dining and 10 more
  • College tuition$490 million
  • University housing and dining$377 million
  • Other service charges$147 million
  • Other school charges$50.4 million
  • Parks, land and natural resources$43.5 million
  • Hospital bills$30.6 million
  • Parks and recreation$10.7 million
  • Housing$2.8 million
  • Road charges$533 thousand
  • Airport$225 thousand
  • Other education charges$221 thousand
  • Garbage collection$95 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money35%

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

From the federal government
35%$5.91 billion

Local tax money0.3%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From local governments
0.3%$46.3 million

Fines and other10%

Interest, rents and other
10%$1.76 billion
Fines
<0.1%$12.8 million
Nebraska page →

Where the money goes

Social services31%Sent to local governments26%Schools and colleges18%Roads, transit and parking7.5%Police, fire, courts and jails5.6%All other spending12%

What stands out

18%

of Nebraska's spending goes to schools and colleges.A typical state government spends 15%.

Full Nebraska breakdown

Spending by category100%

Social services
31%$5.03 billion
What's in social servicesOther public welfare; welfare institutions and 2 more
  • Other public welfare$4.89 billion
  • Welfare institutions$77.5 million
  • Unemployment and social insurance offices$45.4 million
  • Veterans' services$14.6 million
Sent to local governments
26%$4.22 billion
What's in sent to local governmentsSent to school districts; sent to local governments: general support and 14 more
  • Sent to school districts$2.32 billion
  • Sent to local governments: general support$1.11 billion
  • Sent to local governments: other and not broken out$449 million
  • Sent to school districts (colleges)$124 million
  • Sent to local governments: natural resources, farming and conservation$71.3 million
  • Sent to local governments: public health$66.9 million
  • Sent to local governments: roads and highways$27.2 million
  • Sent to local governments: sewer systems$16.8 million
  • Sent to local governments: airports$15.7 million
  • Sent to local governments: police$8.2 million
  • Sent to local governments: garbage and solid waste$6.8 million
  • Sent to local governments: other government administration$2.4 million
  • Sent to local governments: libraries$2.1 million
  • Sent to local governments: courts and legal services$860 thousand
  • Sent to local governments: parks and recreation$686 thousand
  • Sent to local governments: inspections and regulation$61 thousand
Schools and colleges
18%$2.93 billion
What's in schools and collegesColleges and universities; college housing, dining and bookstores and 2 more
  • Colleges and universities$1.98 billion
  • College housing, dining and bookstores$562 million
  • Scholarships and other education subsidies$271 million
  • Other education$125 million
Roads, transit and parking
7.5%$1.21 billion
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways and airports
  • Roads and highways$1.21 billion
  • Airports$1.8 million
Police, fire, courts and jails
5.6%$906 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPrisons and jails; probation, parole and other corrections and 3 more
  • Prisons and jails$377 million
  • Probation, parole and other corrections$221 million
  • Police$128 million
  • Courts and legal services$119 million
  • Inspections and regulation$59.7 million
Running the government and other costs
4.9%$796 million
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$420 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$247 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$91.0 million
  • Other government administration$27.8 million
  • Government buildings$10.2 million
Health and hospitals
3.9%$641 million
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health and hospitals
  • Public health$380 million
  • Hospitals$260 million
Environment and natural resources
2.2%$354 million
What's in environment and natural resourcesNatural resources, farming and conservation
  • Natural resources, farming and conservation$354 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
0.5%$80.0 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation and libraries
  • Parks and recreation$75.9 million
  • Libraries$4.0 million
Interest on debt
0.5%$79.1 million
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
<0.1%$5.4 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesGarbage and solid waste
  • Garbage and solid waste$5.4 million
Housing and community development
<0.1%$1.1 million
Nebraska page →
Sources and moreEach government's source, fiscal year and how a ZIP is matched

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

Dawson County. U.S. Census Bureau, 2022 Census of Governments, Finance, individual unit file, fiscal year ended June 30, 2022. Most of this government's figures were estimated by the U.S. Census Bureau from a sample; the government did not report them itself. The Census record for this government is from the 2022 survey, the newest on file.

Lexington City School Dis 1. Nebraska Department of Education, School District Annual Financial Report, school year 2024/25, fiscal year ended August 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 August 31, 2023.

How these figures are counted. Revenue and spending are the Annual Financial Report figures that a Nebraska government filed with the Nebraska Department of Education for the 2024-25 school year, ended August 31, 2025, grouped into the same categories as the Census figures. The report covers all of the district's funds, such as the general, building, bond, employee benefit, school nutrition and activities funds. Borrowing, transfers between the district's own funds and loans between funds are not counted.

Debt payments. Debt payments include principal as well as interest. The Census figures leave principal out, so spending can be higher than the Census figure for the same district.

Federal and state money. Federal money passed through the state counts as federal here, so Nebraska school pages show more federal and less state money than the earlier Census figures did.

Cash basis. Lexington City School Dis 1 reports on a cash basis, so these are money received and paid out during the year, and a year with a big construction project or loan repayment can show more spending than revenue.

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.