County Commons · Washington
Washington: 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 39 counties. Every number from official public records, with sources.
7,958,180 people (2024 Census estimate, +3.0% since 2020) · 39 counties
The state's money — Washington state government, fiscal 2023
The state government took in $74.2 billion and spent $74.4 billion · $9,348 per resident. It owed $24.5 billion in debt at year's end.
Of every $100 it spends
Education$38.52 · $28.6 billion
Public welfare$25.34 · $18.8 billion
Health$7.77 · $5.8 billion
Hospitals$7.29 · $5.4 billion
Other and unallocable$6.59 · $4.9 billion
Highways$5.47 · $4.1 billion
Governmental administration$2.27 · $1.7 billion
Correction$1.95 · $1.4 billion
Natural resources$1.84 · $1.4 billion
Interest on general debt$1.56 · $1.2 billion
Police protection$0.82 · $610.4 million
Parks and recreation$0.59 · $438.5 million
✓ These 12 functions add to the state's general expenditure, $74.4 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 billion
General sales tax$22.8 billion
Selective sales taxes (fuel, tobacco, alcohol and others)$5.3 billion
Property tax (state share)$4.5 billion
Other taxes (severance, transfer and others)$2.5 billion
License taxes (vehicles, businesses, hunting and others)$2.1 billion
Individual income tax$846.8 million
From other governments (mostly federal aid)$24.5 billion
Charges and fees (tuition, tolls, hospital charges)$7.2 billion
Other general revenue (interest, rents, settlements)$4.4 billion
Pension and insurance trust earnings and contributions$12.6 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.