State of Colorado
$48.1 billion budget in the latest fiscal year on record, which ended June 30, 2024.
Where the money comes from
What stands out
13%
of Colorado's money comes from fees for services such as water, sewer and parking.A typical state government gets 10%.
Full Colorado breakdown
State taxes42%
Individual income tax
17%$7.52 billion
Sales tax
10%$4.67 billion
Other taxes
9.6%$4.38 billion
What's in other taxesOther selective sales taxes; motor fuel taxes and 13 more
- Other selective sales taxes$1.61 billion
- Motor fuel taxes$719 million
- Insurance premium taxes$548 million
- Motor vehicle licenses$458 million
- Tobacco taxes$332 million
- Severance taxes$187 million
- Amusement taxes$176 million
- Hunting and fishing licenses$124 million
- Occupation and business licenses$68.6 million
- Alcoholic beverage taxes$56.0 million
- Driver's licenses$44.1 million
- Corporation licenses$27.9 million
- Public utility licenses$20.3 million
- Alcoholic beverage licenses$10.6 million
- Amusement licenses$1.0 million
Amounts are by Census tax category.
Business income tax
5.7%$2.59 billion
Fees for services13%
Fees for services
13%$6.13 billion
What's in fees for servicesCollege tuition; hospital bills and 9 more
- College tuition$2.98 billion
- Hospital bills$1.63 billion
- University housing and dining$807 million
- Other service charges$305 million
- Road charges$223 million
- Tolls on roads and bridges$77.4 million
- Parks, land and natural resources$71.6 million
- Parks and recreation$25.7 million
- Other education charges$4.2 million
- Garbage collection$3.8 million
- Housing$402 thousand
Amounts are by Census type of charge.
Federal tax money36%
Grants from Washington, paid for by the federal taxes residents also pay.
From the federal government
36%$16.4 billion
Local tax money0.2%
Money passed on by the county or other local governments.
From local governments
0.2%$94.6 million
Fines and other8.1%
Interest, rents and other
7.2%$3.29 billion
Fines
0.8%$380 million
Where the money goes
What stands out
22%
of Colorado's spending goes to schools and colleges.A typical state government spends 15%.
Full Colorado breakdown
Spending by category100%
Social services
29%$13.7 billion
What's in social servicesOther public welfare; unemployment and social insurance offices and 2 more
- Other public welfare$13.6 billion
- Unemployment and social insurance offices$121 million
- Welfare institutions$62.3 million
- Veterans' services$4.2 million
Sent to local governments
22%$10.7 billion
What's in sent to local governmentsSent to school districts; sent to local governments: other public welfare and 21 more
- Sent to school districts$7.25 billion
- Sent to local governments: other public welfare$1.04 billion
- Sent to local governments: roads and highways$745 million
- Sent to local governments: other and not broken out$441 million
- Sent to local governments: general support$346 million
- Sent to local governments: public health$255 million
- Sent to local governments: other education$242 million
- Sent to local governments: probation, parole and other corrections$172 million
- Sent to local governments: natural resources, farming and conservation$79.9 million
- Sent to local governments: other government administration$43.6 million
- Sent to local governments: airports$43.4 million
- Sent to local governments: courts and legal services$37.8 million
- Sent to local governments: parks and recreation$16.9 million
- Sent to school districts (colleges)$10.2 million
- Sent to the federal government$7.7 million
- Sent to local governments: central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$4.9 million
- Sent to local governments: police$4.5 million
- Sent to local governments: finance, tax collection and budgeting$3.5 million
- Sent to local governments: housing and community development$2.7 million
- Sent to local governments: garbage and solid waste$2.5 million
- Sent to local governments: libraries$1.6 million
- Sent to local governments: inspections and regulation$1.0 million
- Sent to local governments: hospitals$538 thousand
Schools and colleges
22%$10.5 billion
What's in schools and collegesColleges and universities; scholarships and other education subsidies and 2 more
- Colleges and universities$7.14 billion
- Scholarships and other education subsidies$1.24 billion
- College housing, dining and bookstores$1.15 billion
- Other education$973 million
Health and hospitals
7.5%$3.60 billion
What's in health and hospitalsHospitals and public health
- Hospitals$1.85 billion
- Public health$1.75 billion
Police, fire, courts and jails
5.8%$2.78 billion
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsProbation, parole and other corrections; courts and legal services and 3 more
- Probation, parole and other corrections$1.06 billion
- Courts and legal services$956 million
- Police$333 million
- Inspections and regulation$218 million
- Prisons and jails$209 million
Running the government and other costs
5.5%$2.66 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$1.38 billion
- Finance, tax collection and budgeting$868 million
- Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$264 million
- Other government administration$132 million
- Government buildings$22.0 million
Roads, transit and parking
3.7%$1.76 billion
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways; toll roads and bridges and 2 more
- Roads and highways$1.70 billion
- Toll roads and bridges$63.7 million
- Airports$2.5 million
- Public transit$23 thousand
Interest on debt
2.4%$1.13 billion
What's in interest on debtInterest on general debt and interest on water supply debt
- Interest on general debt$1.13 billion
- Interest on water supply debt$5.7 million
Environment and natural resources
1.2%$589 million
What's in environment and natural resourcesNatural resources, farming and conservation
- Natural resources, farming and conservation$589 million
Housing and community development
0.9%$420 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
0.3%$159 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation and libraries
- Parks and recreation$150 million
- Libraries$8.9 million
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
<0.1%$20.8 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesGarbage and solid waste; sewer systems and 1 more
- Garbage and solid waste$11.8 million
- Sewer systems$4.8 million
- Water supply$4.3 million