ZIP 78959 · Gonzales County, TX

Five governments run on your community's money

This page shows every government that serves ZIP 78959: 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 78959?
78959 is served by the State of Texas, Waelder Independent School District 905, Gonzales County, Fayette County and Flatonia Independent School District 901. In each one's latest recorded fiscal year, State of Texas spent $211.3 billion (fiscal year ended August 31, 2023), Waelder Independent School District 905 spent $11.4 million (fiscal year ended August 31, 2025), Gonzales County spent $21.4 million (fiscal year ended September 30, 2023), Fayette County spent $24.0 million (fiscal year ended December 31, 2021) and Flatonia Independent School District 901 spent $11.4 million (fiscal year ended August 31, 2025). Each government's money is separate.

Which governments collect property tax in 78959?
Of the governments serving 78959, Gonzales County collected $15.5 million (fiscal year ended September 30, 2023), Fayette County collected $15.2 million (fiscal year ended December 31, 2021), Flatonia Independent School District 901 collected $6.1 million (fiscal year ended August 31, 2025) and Waelder Independent School District 905 collected $2.6 million (fiscal year ended August 31, 2025) in property tax. These are each government's total collections, not a bill for 78959.

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: Gonzales County, Fayette County, Waelder Independent School District 905 and Flatonia 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 78959

Gonzales County$15.5 million

69% of its $22.4 million in revenue · fiscal year ended September 30, 2023

Fayette County$15.2 million

66% of its $23.0 million in revenue · fiscal year ended December 31, 2021 · estimated by the U.S. Census Bureau

Flatonia Independent School District 901$6.1 million

44% of its $13.9 million in revenue · fiscal year ended August 31, 2025

Waelder Independent School District 905$2.6 million

35% of its $7.6 million in revenue · fiscal year ended August 31, 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 Gonzales County and Fayette County provides local services like police and parks.

Gonzales County

$21.4 million budget in the latest fiscal year on record, which ended September 30, 2023.

About 80% of this ZIP is in Gonzales County.

Where the money comes from

County taxes86%Fines and other7.8%Fees for services3.6%State tax money1.6%Federal tax money1.4%
Full Gonzales County breakdown

What stands out

69%

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

County taxes86%

Property tax
69%$15.5 million
Sales tax
12%$2.8 million
Other taxes
4.2%$954 thousand
What's in other taxesMotor vehicle licenses and other licenses
  • Motor vehicle licenses$835 thousand
  • Other licenses$119 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services3.6%

Fees for services
3.6%$814 thousand
What's in fees for servicesOther service charges
  • Other service charges$814 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money1.4%

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

From the federal government
1.4%$321 thousand

State tax money1.6%

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

From the state
1.6%$349 thousand

Fines and other7.8%

Interest, rents and other
4.1%$926 thousand
Fines
3.7%$823 thousand
Gonzales County page →

Where the money goes

Police, fire, courts and jails45%Roads, transit and parking27%Running the government and other costs27%Environment and natural resources0.8%

What stands out

45%

of Gonzales County's spending goes to police, fire, courts and jails.A typical U.S. county of under 50,000 people spends 20%.

Full Gonzales County breakdown

Spending by category100%

Police, fire, courts and jails
45%$9.6 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; prisons and jails and 3 more
  • Police$4.7 million
  • Prisons and jails$2.5 million
  • Courts and legal services$2.0 million
  • Inspections and regulation$268 thousand
  • Probation, parole and other corrections$168 thousand
Roads, transit and parking
27%$5.9 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways
  • Roads and highways$5.9 million
Running the government and other costs
27%$5.8 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$2.3 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$1.6 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$1.2 million
  • Government buildings$655 thousand
Environment and natural resources
0.8%$176 thousand
What's in environment and natural resourcesNatural resources, farming and conservation
  • Natural resources, farming and conservation$176 thousand
Social services
<0.1%$5 thousand
What's in social servicesOther public welfare
  • Other public welfare$5 thousand
Gonzales County page →

Fayette County

$24.0 million budget in the latest fiscal year on record, which ended December 31, 2021. Estimated by the U.S. Census Bureau

About 16% of this ZIP is in Fayette County.

Where the money comes from

County taxes82%Fines and other14%Local tax money3.3%State tax money<0.1%
Full Fayette County breakdown

What stands out

66%

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

County taxes82%

Property tax
66%$15.2 million
Other taxes
10%$2.3 million
What's in other taxesMotor vehicle licenses
  • Motor vehicle licenses$2.3 million

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Sales tax
5.9%$1.4 million

State tax money<0.1%

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

From the state
<0.1%$16 thousand

Local tax money3.3%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From other local governments
3.3%$758 thousand

Fines and other14%

Interest, rents and other
13%$2.9 million
Fines
1.5%$341 thousand
Fayette County page →

Where the money goes

Police, fire, courts and jails33%Running the government and other costs30%Roads, transit and parking24%Social services4.0%Health and hospitals3.8%All other spending5.1%

What stands out

33%

of Fayette County's spending goes to police, fire, courts and jails.A typical U.S. county of under 50,000 people spends 20%.

Full Fayette County breakdown

Spending by category100%

Police, fire, courts and jails
33%$7.8 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPrisons and jails; police and 3 more
  • Prisons and jails$2.8 million
  • Police$2.3 million
  • Courts and legal services$2.1 million
  • Fire protection$378 thousand
  • Probation, parole and other corrections$268 thousand
Running the government and other costs
30%$7.3 million
What's in running the government and other costsGovernment buildings; finance, tax collection and budgeting and 2 more
  • Government buildings$4.1 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$1.5 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$1.4 million
  • Other and not broken out$208 thousand
Roads, transit and parking
24%$5.8 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways
  • Roads and highways$5.8 million
Social services
4.0%$957 thousand
What's in social servicesOther public welfare
  • Other public welfare$957 thousand
Health and hospitals
3.8%$918 thousand
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$918 thousand
Environment and natural resources
3.0%$722 thousand
What's in environment and natural resourcesNatural resources, farming and conservation
  • Natural resources, farming and conservation$722 thousand
Parks, recreation and libraries
1.0%$246 thousand
What's in parks, recreation and librariesLibraries
  • Libraries$246 thousand
Housing and community development
1.0%$235 thousand
Interest on debt
0.1%$26 thousand
Fayette County page →

Your schools

Waelder Independent School District 905

$11.4 million budget in fiscal year 2025 (ended August 31, 2025), from the Texas Education Agency.

About 82% of this ZIP is in Waelder Independent School District 905.

Where the money comes from

State tax money49%School district taxes35%Federal tax money13%Fines and other3.2%Fees for services0.4%
Full Waelder Independent School District 905 breakdown

School district taxes35%

Property tax
35%$2.6 million

Fees for services0.4%

Fees for services
0.4%$33 thousand

Federal tax money13%

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

From the federal government
13%$988 thousand

State tax money49%

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

From the state
49%$3.7 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%$840

Fines and other3.2%

Interest, rents and other
3.2%$246 thousand
Waelder Independent School District 905 page →

Where the money goes

Schools and colleges94%Debt payments (principal and interest)5.2%Sent to other local governments1.0%
Full Waelder Independent School District 905 breakdown

Spending by category100%

Schools and colleges
94%$10.7 million
Debt payments (principal and interest)
5.2%$592 thousand
Sent to other local governments
1.0%$110 thousand
Waelder Independent School District 905 page →

Flatonia Independent School District 901

$11.4 million budget in fiscal year 2025 (ended August 31, 2025), from the Texas Education Agency.

About 16% of this ZIP is in Flatonia Independent School District 901.

Where the money comes from

School district taxes44%State tax money32%Fines and other20%Federal tax money3.2%Fees for services1.5%
Full Flatonia Independent School District 901 breakdown

School district taxes44%

Property tax
44%$6.1 million

Fees for services1.5%

Fees for services
1.5%$215 thousand

Federal tax money3.2%

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

From the federal government
3.2%$451 thousand

State tax money32%

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

From the state
32%$4.5 million

Fines and other20%

Interest, rents and other
20%$2.7 million
Flatonia Independent School District 901 page →

Where the money goes

Schools and colleges90%Debt payments (principal and interest)7.6%Sent to other local governments2.8%
Full Flatonia Independent School District 901 breakdown

Spending by category100%

Schools and colleges
90%$10.2 million
Debt payments (principal and interest)
7.6%$865 thousand
Sent to other local governments
2.8%$322 thousand
Flatonia 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.

Waelder Independent School District 905. 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.

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

Fayette County. U.S. Census Bureau, 2022 Census of Governments, Finance, individual unit file, fiscal year ended December 31, 2021. 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.

Flatonia 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.

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.