County Commons · North Dakota
North Dakota: 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 53 counties. Every number from official public records, with sources.
796,568 people (2024 Census estimate, +2.2% since 2020) · 53 counties
The state's money — North Dakota state government, fiscal 2023
The state government took in $10.3 billion and spent $9.3 billion · $11,716 per resident. It owed $4.2 billion in debt at year's end.
Of every $100 it spends
Education$31.48 · $2.9 billion
Public welfare$23.62 · $2.2 billion
Other and unallocable$19.48 · $1.8 billion
Highways$10.34 · $959.1 million
Governmental administration$3.83 · $354.9 million
Natural resources$2.97 · $275.1 million
Health$2.95 · $273.9 million
Interest on general debt$2.39 · $221.7 million
Correction$1.45 · $134.5 million
Hospitals$0.58 · $53.7 million
Police protection$0.46 · $42.6 million
Parks and recreation$0.45 · $41.4 million
✓ These 12 functions add to the state's general expenditure, $9.3 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$6 billion
Other taxes (severance, transfer and others)$3.2 billion
General sales tax$1.3 billion
Selective sales taxes (fuel, tobacco, alcohol and others)$554.1 million
Individual income tax$495.4 million
Corporate income tax$324.1 million
License taxes (vehicles, businesses, hunting and others)$231.2 million
Property tax (state share)$5.5 million
From other governments (mostly federal aid)$2.9 billion
Charges and fees (tuition, tolls, hospital charges)$1 billion
Other general revenue (interest, rents, settlements)$388.9 million
Pension and insurance trust earnings and contributions$694.9 million
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.