County Commons · West Virginia
West Virginia: 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 55 counties. Every number from official public records, with sources.
1,769,979 people (2024 Census estimate, −1.2% since 2020) · 55 counties
The state's money — West Virginia state government, fiscal 2023
The state government took in $18.9 billion and spent $18.2 billion · $10,263 per resident. It owed $20.2 billion in debt at year's end.
Of every $100 it spends
Public welfare$37.04 · $6.7 billion
Education$30.20 · $5.5 billion
Highways$9.76 · $1.8 billion
Other and unallocable$7.38 · $1.3 billion
Governmental administration$4.79 · $863.7 million
Health$2.71 · $488.5 million
Correction$2.56 · $462.3 million
Natural resources$1.65 · $297.3 million
Hospitals$1.29 · $231.9 million
Interest on general debt$1.25 · $226.3 million
Police protection$0.74 · $133.9 million
Parks and recreation$0.64 · $115.1 million
✓ These 12 functions add to the state's general expenditure, $18 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$7.6 billion
Individual income tax$2.7 billion
General sales tax$1.8 billion
Selective sales taxes (fuel, tobacco, alcohol and others)$1.6 billion
Other taxes (severance, transfer and others)$867.3 million
Corporate income tax$420 million
License taxes (vehicles, businesses, hunting and others)$188.6 million
Property tax (state share)$7.7 million
From other governments (mostly federal aid)$8 billion
Charges and fees (tuition, tolls, hospital charges)$1.8 billion
Other general revenue (interest, rents, settlements)$1.3 billion
Pension and insurance trust earnings and contributions$942.8 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.