County Commons · North Carolina

North Carolina: 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 100 counties. Every number from official public records, with sources.

11,046,024 people (2024 Census estimate, +5.7% since 2020) · 100 counties

The state's money — North Carolina state government, fiscal 2023

The state government took in $81.1 billion and spent $79.3 billion · $7,175 per resident. It owed $12.8 billion in debt at year's end.

Of every $100 it spends

Education$35.39 · $28 billion
Public welfare$30.40 · $24.1 billion
Highways$8.88 · $7 billion
Governmental administration$6.75 · $5.3 billion
Other and unallocable$5.54 · $4.4 billion
Hospitals$4.16 · $3.3 billion
Health$2.93 · $2.3 billion
Correction$2.54 · $2 billion
Natural resources$1.27 · $1 billion
Police protection$0.95 · $750.2 million
Interest on general debt$0.78 · $618.3 million
Parks and recreation$0.41 · $327.8 million

✓ These 12 functions add to the state's general expenditure, $79.2 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$38.9 billion
Individual income tax$16.9 billion
General sales tax$11.9 billion
Selective sales taxes (fuel, tobacco, alcohol and others)$5.7 billion
License taxes (vehicles, businesses, hunting and others)$2.7 billion
Corporate income tax$1.6 billion
Other taxes (severance, transfer and others)$130 million
From other governments (mostly federal aid)$28.8 billion
Charges and fees (tuition, tolls, hospital charges)$8.4 billion
Other general revenue (interest, rents, settlements)$5 billion
Pension and insurance trust earnings and contributions$10.2 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: nc.gov
Governor: Josh Stein

Source: USA.gov state government directory.

Voting

General election: Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Last day to register to vote: 2026-10-09. Early voting: 2026-10-15 to 2026-10-31. Mail ballot request deadline: 2026-10-20. Election Day: 2026-11-03.

Source: NC State Board of Elections: upcoming election · NC State Board of Elections: vote in person · NC State Board of Elections: voter ID

Full County Commons sites in North Carolina

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

Every county in North Carolina — 100; ★ has a full site

Every state