County Commons · California

California: state government and every county

The state's own money — what it collects and what it spends on — its official offices, how to vote, and a page for each of its 58 counties. Every number from official public records, with sources.

39,431,263 people (2024 Census estimate, −0.2% since 2020) · 58 counties

The state's money — California state government, fiscal 2023

The state government took in $417.5 billion and spent $473.8 billion · $12,015 per resident. It owed $162 billion in debt at year's end.

Of every $100 it spends

Public welfare$42.76 · $201.8 billion
Education$28.98 · $136.8 billion
Other and unallocable$5.96 · $28.1 billion
Highways$5.33 · $25.2 billion
Hospitals$4.52 · $21.3 billion
Governmental administration$3.07 · $14.5 billion
Health$2.64 · $12.5 billion
Correction$2.50 · $11.8 billion
Natural resources$2.41 · $11.4 billion
Interest on general debt$1.10 · $5.2 billion
Police protection$0.49 · $2.3 billion
Parks and recreation$0.23 · $1.1 billion

✓ These 12 functions add to the state's general expenditure, $472 billion, exactly. “Public welfare” is mostly Medicaid. Money the state passes to counties, cities and school districts is counted in the function it pays for.

Where its money comes from

Taxes$220.6 billion
Individual income tax$96.4 billion
General sales tax$53.6 billion
Corporate income tax$29.9 billion
Selective sales taxes (fuel, tobacco, alcohol and others)$21.8 billion
License taxes (vehicles, businesses, hunting and others)$13.3 billion
Property tax (state share)$3.4 billion
Other taxes (severance, transfer and others)$2.2 billion
From other governments (mostly federal aid)$138 billion
Charges and fees (tuition, tolls, hospital charges)$37.7 billion
Other general revenue (interest, rents, settlements)$21 billion
Pension and insurance trust earnings and contributions$103.9 billion

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2023 Annual Survey of State Government Finances (State Totals), last revised Sept. 16, 2025. These are the state government's own books — counties, cities and school districts are separate.

State government — official sites

Official state website: ca.gov
Governor: Gavin Newsom

Source: USA.gov state government directory.

Voting

General election: Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Ballots mailed; drop boxes open: 2026-10-05. Last day to register to vote: 2026-10-19. Early in-person voting: 2026-10-24 to 2026-11-03. Election Day: 2026-11-03. Last day for mailed ballots to arrive: 2026-11-10.

Source: California Secretary of State — Nov. 3, 2026 key dates · California Official Voter Information Guide — dates to remember · California Secretary of State — make a plan to vote

Full County Commons sites in California

San Francisco County — the budget line by line, your tax bill, audits, offices and elections.

Every county in California — 58; ★ has a full site

Every state