Where state taxes goSouth Carolina, fiscal 2023
Where do my state taxes go in South Carolina?
Of every dollar South Carolina's state government spends, 37¢ goes to education and 25¢ to public welfare.$42.3 billion of general spending in fiscal year 2023 (July 2022 to June 2023): $7,855 per resident, 35th highest of the 50 states. 40% of the money came from the federal government.
Where the money goes
General spending rose 12.7% on fiscal 2022 ($37.6 billion). The table under the chart has each function per resident, its rank and its change.
Education and public welfare take 62% of South Carolina's spending
State government general expenditure by function, fiscal year 2023 (July 2022 to June 2023). Small print: the share in all 50 states combined.
| Function | Spending | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Education 32% in all states | $15.7B | 37.0% |
| Public welfare 36% in all states | $10.8B | 25.4% |
| Hospitals 5% in all states | $4.1B | 9.6% |
| Other 9% in all states | $3.9B | 9.1% |
| Highways 6% in all states | $2.4B | 5.7% |
| Government administration 4% in all states | $2.3B | 5.4% |
| Public health 3% in all states | $1.2B | 2.8% |
| Prisons and corrections 2% in all states | $761.6M | 1.8% |
| Natural resources 1% in all states | $388.4M | 0.9% |
| State police 1% in all states | $323.0M | 0.8% |
| Parks and recreation 0% in all states | $321.5M | 0.8% |
| Interest on debt 1% in all states | $273.2M | 0.6% |
Per resident, rank and change for every function
| Function | South Carolina per resident | All states per resident | Rank (1 = most) | Change since 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Education | $2,906 | $2,787 | 21 of 50 | +5% |
| Public welfare | $1,997 | $3,193 | 41 of 50 | +9% |
| Hospitals | $755 | $408 | 9 of 50 | +17% |
| Public health | $223 | $288 | 29 of 50 | -33% |
| Highways | $446 | $534 | 37 of 50 | +25% |
| State police | $60 | $74 | 33 of 50 | +27% |
| Prisons and corrections | $141 | $197 | 43 of 50 | +18% |
| Natural resources | $72 | $112 | 36 of 50 | +22% |
| Parks and recreation | $60 | $29 | 8 of 50 | +38% |
| Government administration | $427 | $321 | 18 of 50 | +112% |
| Interest on debt | $51 | $109 | 41 of 50 | +86% |
| Other | $718 | $782 | 26 of 50 | +32% |
U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of State Government Finances, 2023.
On your state tax bill
Your state taxes split in proportion to South Carolina's 2023 general spending. State spending is funded by taxes, federal funds and fees together, so this shows how a tax dollar divides, not which dollar pays for what.
| Goes to | Of $1,000 | Of $2,500 | Of $5,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education | $370 | $925 | $1,850 |
| Public welfare | $254 | $635 | $1,271 |
| Hospitals | $96 | $240 | $480 |
| Other | $91 | $229 | $457 |
| Highways | $57 | $142 | $284 |
| Everything else | $132 | $329 | $658 |
Where the money comes from
South Carolina collected $5.8 billion in individual income tax in fiscal 2023, 37% of its tax revenue.
Federal funds are South Carolina's largest source of general revenue
State government general revenue by source, fiscal year 2023 (July 2022 to June 2023)
| Source | Revenue | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Federal funds | $17.8B | 40.2% |
| Charges and fees (tuition, hospitals, tolls) | $7.9B | 17.9% |
| Individual income tax | $5.8B | 13.1% |
| General sales tax | $5.1B | 11.6% |
| Interest, lottery and other | $2.9B | 6.6% |
| Selective sales taxes (fuel, tobacco, alcohol, insurance) | $2.3B | 5.3% |
| Corporate income tax | $1.4B | 3.1% |
| Licenses (vehicles, businesses, hunting) | $757.2M | 1.7% |
| Other taxes (severance, estate and others) | $196.7M | 0.4% |
| Property tax | $96.8M | 0.2% |
U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of State Government Finances, 2023.
Federal money and South Carolina
Federal taxes paid by South Carolina residents and businesses: how much federal tax South Carolina pays. Federal spending in the state: federal money in South Carolina. For federal taxes, see where your federal taxes go.
Questions and answers
- Where do my state taxes go in South Carolina?
- Of every dollar South Carolina's state government spent in fiscal year 2023 (July 2022 to June 2023), 37¢ went to education, 25¢ to public welfare and 10¢ to hospitals. Total general spending was $42.3 billion.
- How much does South Carolina spend per person?
- $7,855 per resident in fiscal 2023, 35th highest of the 50 states (all states together: $8,834).
- How much of South Carolina's budget comes from the federal government?
- 40% of general revenue ($17.8 billion) in fiscal 2023 came from the federal government, the largest part for Medicaid. By that share South Carolina ranks 19th of the 50 states (1st = most reliant). Taxes were 35%.
- Does South Carolina have a state income tax?
- South Carolina collected $5.8 billion in individual income tax in fiscal 2023, 37% of its tax revenue.
- How much does South Carolina spend on education and Medicaid?
- Education $15.7 billion (37%) and public welfare, mostly Medicaid, $10.8 billion (25%) in fiscal 2023. Education spending includes aid to local school districts, which then add their own property-tax money.
- How much debt does South Carolina's state government have?
- $15.0 billion at the end of fiscal 2023, $2,781 per resident. Local governments' debt is separate.
Other states
- Georgia$6,188 per resident
- North Carolina$7,282 per resident
- Virginia$8,847 per resident
- Alabama$7,982 per resident
- Maryland$9,257 per resident
- Pennsylvania$9,464 per resident
Sources and notes
- U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of State Government Finances, "ASFIN State Totals" tables for 2022 and 2023 (Last Revised: September 16, 2025). Thousands of dollars in the source. Public domain.
- General expenditure is the state government's spending excluding its utilities, liquor stores and insurance trust funds (state employee pensions and unemployment benefits). It includes aid passed to local governments.
- Fiscal years end on 30 June in 46 states; New York (31 March), Texas (31 August), and Alabama and Michigan (30 September) differ.
- Population: U.S. Census Bureau, Vintage 2025 estimates, July 2023.