ZIP 78520 · Brownsville, TX

Four governments run on your community's money

This page shows every government that serves ZIP 78520: 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 Texas governments, the Texas Education Agency, as named under Sources and more.

Where do my taxes go in 78520?
78520 is served by the State of Texas, Cameron County, Brownsville Independent School District 901 and the City of Brownsville. In each one's latest recorded fiscal year, State of Texas spent $211.3 billion (fiscal year ended August 31, 2023), Cameron County spent $300 million (fiscal year ended September 30, 2023), Brownsville Independent School District 901 spent $598 million (fiscal year ended August 31, 2025) and City of Brownsville spent $469 million (fiscal year ended September 30, 2023). Each government's money is separate.

Which governments collect property tax in 78520?
Of the governments serving 78520, Cameron County collected $107 million (fiscal year ended September 30, 2023), Brownsville Independent School District 901 collected $80.4 million (fiscal year ended August 31, 2025) and City of Brownsville collected $56.9 million (fiscal year ended September 30, 2023) in property tax. These are each government's total collections, not a bill for 78520.

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: Cameron County, Brownsville and Brownsville Independent School District 901

Why not this year? Texas governments with newer filings show school district figures from the Texas Education Agency (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 78520

Cameron County$107 million

38% of its $279 million in revenue · fiscal year ended September 30, 2023 · estimated by the U.S. Census Bureau

Brownsville Independent School District 901$80.4 million

14% of its $588 million in revenue · fiscal year ended August 31, 2025

City of Brownsville$56.9 million

11% of its $515 million in revenue · fiscal year ended September 30, 2023

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

Cameron County

$300 million budget in the latest fiscal year on record, which ended September 30, 2023. Estimated by the U.S. Census Bureau

Where the money comes from

County taxes61%Fees for services (tolls, parks and recreation)15%Fines and other9.4%State tax money8.0%Federal tax money6.1%Local tax money0.5%
Full Cameron County breakdown

What stands out

23%

of Cameron County's money comes from taxes other than property, sales and income taxes.A typical U.S. county of 250,000+ people gets 2.5%.

County taxes61%

Property tax
38%$107 million
Other taxes
23%$63.7 million
What's in other taxesOther selective sales taxes; motor vehicle licenses and 3 more
  • Other selective sales taxes$54.2 million
  • Motor vehicle licenses$8.0 million
  • Other licenses$1.4 million
  • Alcoholic beverage licenses$137 thousand
  • Amusement licenses$16 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services15%

Fees for services
15%$41.9 million
What's in fees for servicesTolls on roads and bridges; parks and recreation and 3 more
  • Tolls on roads and bridges$20.1 million
  • Parks and recreation$13.4 million
  • Other service charges$8.0 million
  • Road charges$337 thousand
  • Airport$71 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money6.1%

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

From the federal government
6.1%$17.0 million

State tax money8.0%

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

From the state
8.0%$22.4 million

Local tax money0.5%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From other local governments
0.5%$1.4 million

Fines and other9.4%

Fines
6.2%$17.4 million
Interest, rents and other
3.2%$8.8 million
Cameron County page →

Where the money goes

Police, fire, courts and jails31%Sent to other local governments20%Running the government and other costs15%Roads, transit and parking14%Parks, recreation and libraries5.3%All other spending14%

What stands out

20%

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

Full Cameron County breakdown

Spending by category100%

Police, fire, courts and jails
31%$93.2 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPrisons and jails; police and 4 more
  • Prisons and jails$29.5 million
  • Police$26.9 million
  • Courts and legal services$25.2 million
  • Probation, parole and other corrections$10.0 million
  • Inspections and regulation$1.1 million
  • Fire protection$484 thousand
Sent to other local governments
20%$60.5 million
What's in sent to other local governmentsSent to the state government and sent to local governments: other and not broken out
  • Sent to the state government$53.9 million
  • Sent to local governments: other and not broken out$6.6 million
Running the government and other costs
15%$45.3 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$30.4 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$7.5 million
  • Government buildings$4.8 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$2.6 million
Roads, transit and parking
14%$43.2 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways; toll roads and bridges and 1 more
  • Roads and highways$34.6 million
  • Toll roads and bridges$8.4 million
  • Airports$128 thousand
Parks, recreation and libraries
5.3%$16.0 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation
  • Parks and recreation$16.0 million
Health and hospitals
4.7%$14.2 million
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$14.2 million
Housing and community development
4.6%$13.7 million
Interest on debt
2.5%$7.4 million
Social services
1.7%$5.2 million
What's in social servicesOther public welfare
  • Other public welfare$5.2 million
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
0.4%$1.1 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesSewer systems
  • Sewer systems$1.1 million
Environment and natural resources
<0.1%$296 thousand
What's in environment and natural resourcesNatural resources, farming and conservation
  • Natural resources, farming and conservation$296 thousand
Cameron County page →

Your city

City of Brownsville

$469 million budget in the latest fiscal year on record, which ended September 30, 2023.

About 65% of this ZIP is in Brownsville.

Where the money comes from

Fees for services (electric power, water)64%City taxes21%Federal tax money7.5%Fines and other5.6%County and local tax money1.5%State tax money0.3%

What stands out

64%

of Brownsville's money comes from fees for services such as water, sewer and parking.A typical U.S. city of 50,000+ people gets 30%.

Full Brownsville breakdown

City taxes21%

Property tax
11%$56.9 million
Sales tax
8.5%$43.8 million
Other taxes
1.9%$9.6 million
What's in other taxesPublic utility taxes; other selective sales taxes and 3 more
  • Public utility taxes$4.9 million
  • Other selective sales taxes$2.2 million
  • Occupation and business licenses$1.9 million
  • Other licenses$604 thousand
  • Alcoholic beverage licenses$76 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services64%

Fees for services
64%$328 million
What's in fees for servicesElectric power; water and 7 more
  • Electric power$222 million
  • Water$35.7 million
  • Sewer$28.3 million
  • Garbage collection$18.1 million
  • Other service charges$17.0 million
  • Airport$3.1 million
  • Parks and recreation$2.4 million
  • Transit fares$1.5 million
  • Parking$161 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money7.5%

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

From the federal government
7.5%$38.5 million

State tax money0.3%

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

From the state
0.3%$1.4 million

County and local tax money1.5%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From the county and other local governments
1.5%$7.5 million

Fines and other5.6%

Interest, rents and other
5.2%$26.5 million
Fines
0.4%$2.2 million
Brownsville page →

Where the money goes

Water, sewer, trash and utilities51%Police, fire, courts and jails18%Roads, transit and parking11%Running the government and other costs11%Interest on debt3.8%All other spending5.6%

What stands out

51%

of Brownsville's spending goes to water, sewer, trash and other utilities.A typical U.S. city of 50,000+ people spends 20%.

Full Brownsville breakdown

Spending by category100%

Water, sewer, trash and utilities
51%$239 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesElectric power; sewer systems and 2 more
  • Electric power$169 million
  • Sewer systems$30.6 million
  • Water supply$28.5 million
  • Garbage and solid waste$10.3 million
Police, fire, courts and jails
18%$83.8 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; fire protection and 3 more
  • Police$50.5 million
  • Fire protection$26.8 million
  • Courts and legal services$3.3 million
  • Inspections and regulation$2.5 million
  • Prisons and jails$692 thousand
Roads, transit and parking
11%$51.7 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways; public transit and 2 more
  • Roads and highways$32.6 million
  • Public transit$11.3 million
  • Airports$6.6 million
  • Parking$1.2 million
Running the government and other costs
11%$50.7 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)$32.3 million
  • Other and not broken out$13.7 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$4.6 million
  • Government buildings$126 thousand
Interest on debt
3.8%$17.9 million
What's in interest on debtInterest on electric power debt; interest on general debt and 1 more
  • Interest on electric power debt$7.8 million
  • Interest on general debt$6.6 million
  • Interest on water supply debt$3.5 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
3.6%$16.8 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation and libraries
  • Parks and recreation$12.3 million
  • Libraries$4.5 million
Health and hospitals
1.0%$4.6 million
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$4.6 million
Sent to other local governments
0.6%$2.6 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$2.6 million
Housing and community development
0.3%$1.5 million
Social services
<0.1%$463 thousand
What's in social servicesOther public welfare
  • Other public welfare$463 thousand
Brownsville page →

Your schools

Brownsville Independent School District 901

$598 million budget in fiscal year 2025 (ended August 31, 2025), from the Texas Education Agency.

About 90% of this ZIP is in Brownsville Independent School District 901.

Where the money comes from

State tax money68%Federal tax money15%School district taxes14%Fines and other2.5%Fees for services0.8%
Full Brownsville Independent School District 901 breakdown

School district taxes14%

Property tax
14%$80.4 million

Fees for services0.8%

Fees for services
0.8%$4.5 million

Federal tax money15%

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

From the federal government
15%$87.0 million

State tax money68%

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

From the state
68%$401 million

Fines and other2.5%

Interest, rents and other
2.5%$14.7 million
Brownsville Independent School District 901 page →

Where the money goes

Schools and colleges95%Debt payments (principal and interest)4.8%Sent to other local governments0.2%
Full Brownsville Independent School District 901 breakdown

Spending by category100%

Schools and colleges
95%$569 million
Debt payments (principal and interest)
4.8%$28.6 million
Sent to other local governments
0.2%$1.2 million
Brownsville Independent School District 901 page →

Your state

State of Texas

$211.3 billion budget in the latest fiscal year on record, which ended August 31, 2023.

Where the money comes from

State taxes42%Federal tax money33%Fees for services (hospital bills, college tuition)12%Fines and other11%Local tax money2.2%
Full Texas breakdown

What stands out

26%

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

State taxes42%

Sales tax
26%$54.3 billion
Other taxes
16%$33.0 billion
What's in other taxesOther selective sales taxes; severance taxes and 15 more
  • Other selective sales taxes$8.63 billion
  • Severance taxes$8.60 billion
  • Insurance premium taxes$4.34 billion
  • Motor fuel taxes$3.85 billion
  • Motor vehicle licenses$2.37 billion
  • Alcoholic beverage taxes$1.79 billion
  • Tobacco taxes$1.10 billion
  • Public utility taxes$875 million
  • Occupation and business licenses$677 million
  • Driver's licenses$192 million
  • Other licenses$171 million
  • Corporation licenses$164 million
  • Hunting and fishing licenses$113 million
  • Alcoholic beverage licenses$101 million
  • Amusement taxes$26.6 million
  • Public utility licenses$21.0 million
  • Amusement licenses$3.6 million

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services12%

Fees for services
12%$24.1 billion
What's in fees for servicesHospital bills; college tuition and 12 more
  • Hospital bills$11.5 billion
  • College tuition$8.99 billion
  • University housing and dining$1.91 billion
  • Other service charges$1.07 billion
  • Tolls on roads and bridges$430 million
  • Parks, land and natural resources$81.9 million
  • Parks and recreation$74.6 million
  • Housing$26.4 million
  • Road charges$26.2 million
  • Other education charges$24.4 million
  • School lunches$287 thousand
  • Garbage collection$166 thousand
  • Sewer$79 thousand
  • Other school charges$38 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money33%

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

From the federal government
33%$68.4 billion

Local tax money2.2%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From local governments
2.2%$4.68 billion

Fines and other11%

Interest, rents and other
11%$23.2 billion
Fines
0.1%$305 million
Texas page →

Where the money goes

Social services27%Sent to local governments23%Schools and colleges20%Health and hospitals8.9%Roads, transit and parking8.8%All other spending11%

What stands out

20%

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

Full Texas breakdown

Spending by category100%

Social services
27%$58.0 billion
What's in social servicesOther public welfare; veterans' services and 2 more
  • Other public welfare$57.2 billion
  • Veterans' services$514 million
  • Welfare institutions$157 million
  • Unemployment and social insurance offices$119 million
Sent to local governments
23%$49.0 billion
What's in sent to local governmentsSent to school districts; sent to local governments: other and not broken out and 18 more
  • Sent to school districts$41.9 billion
  • Sent to local governments: other and not broken out$1.99 billion
  • Sent to school districts (colleges)$1.65 billion
  • Sent to local governments: other public welfare$1.09 billion
  • Sent to local governments: public health$563 million
  • Sent to local governments: prisons and jails$523 million
  • Sent to local governments: general support$360 million
  • Sent to local governments: natural resources, farming and conservation$181 million
  • Sent to local governments: courts and legal services$153 million
  • Sent to local governments: roads and highways$127 million
  • Sent to local governments: police$126 million
  • Sent to local governments: other government administration$112 million
  • Sent to local governments: airports$106 million
  • Sent to local governments: parks and recreation$60.2 million
  • Sent to local governments: hospitals$23.2 million
  • Sent to local governments: housing and community development$17.4 million
  • Sent to local governments: garbage and solid waste$6.2 million
  • Sent to local governments: other education$5.6 million
  • Sent to local governments: inspections and regulation$2.1 million
  • Sent to local governments: libraries$1.7 million
Schools and colleges
20%$42.7 billion
What's in schools and collegesColleges and universities; college housing, dining and bookstores and 3 more
  • Colleges and universities$35.7 billion
  • College housing, dining and bookstores$2.81 billion
  • Scholarships and other education subsidies$2.73 billion
  • Other education$1.28 billion
  • Elementary and secondary schools$124 million
Health and hospitals
8.9%$18.8 billion
What's in health and hospitalsHospitals and public health
  • Hospitals$14.7 billion
  • Public health$4.09 billion
Roads, transit and parking
8.8%$18.7 billion
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways; toll roads and bridges and 3 more
  • Roads and highways$18.4 billion
  • Toll roads and bridges$179 million
  • Public transit$59.6 million
  • Airports$16.0 million
  • Ports and harbors$15.0 million
Running the government and other costs
5.4%$11.3 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$6.05 billion
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$4.68 billion
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$277 million
  • Government buildings$238 million
  • Other government administration$90.9 million
Police, fire, courts and jails
4.1%$8.70 billion
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPrisons and jails; police and 3 more
  • Prisons and jails$4.75 billion
  • Police$1.87 billion
  • Courts and legal services$1.07 billion
  • Inspections and regulation$850 million
  • Probation, parole and other corrections$170 million
Interest on debt
0.9%$1.81 billion
Environment and natural resources
0.7%$1.42 billion
What's in environment and natural resourcesNatural resources, farming and conservation
  • Natural resources, farming and conservation$1.42 billion
Parks, recreation and libraries
0.3%$543 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation and libraries
  • Parks and recreation$499 million
  • Libraries$44.2 million
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
<0.1%$207 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesSewer systems and garbage and solid waste
  • Sewer systems$120 million
  • Garbage and solid waste$87.6 million
Housing and community development
<0.1%$107 million
Texas page →
Sources and moreEach government's source, fiscal year and how a ZIP is matched

State of Texas. U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, individual unit file, fiscal year ended August 31, 2023.

Cameron County. U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, individual unit file, fiscal year ended September 30, 2023. Most of this government's figures were estimated by the U.S. Census Bureau from a sample; the government did not report them itself.

Brownsville Independent School District 901. Texas Education Agency, PEIMS financial actual data, 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.

City of Brownsville. U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, individual unit file, fiscal year ended September 30, 2023.

How these figures are counted. Texas school district figures are the audited annual financial data that districts report to the Texas Education Agency (PEIMS) for the 2024-25 school year, grouped into the same categories as the Census figures. They cover all governmental funds plus food service and other enterprise funds, and leave out bond proceeds, transfers between a district's own funds and internal service funds. The "Debt payments" line includes principal as well as interest, so spending can be higher than the Census figure for the same district.

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.