Where state taxes goUtah, fiscal 2023
Where do my state taxes go in Utah?
Of every dollar Utah's state government spends, 44¢ goes to education and 23¢ to public welfare.$29.9 billion of general spending in fiscal year 2023 (July 2022 to June 2023): $8,659 per resident, 29th highest of the 50 states. 28% of the money came from the federal government.
Where the money goes
General spending rose 6.7% on fiscal 2022 ($28.0 billion). The table under the chart has each function per resident, its rank and its change.
Education and public welfare take 67% of Utah'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 | $13.1B | 43.8% |
| Public welfare 36% in all states | $6.8B | 22.9% |
| Hospitals 5% in all states | $3.2B | 10.8% |
| Highways 6% in all states | $1.7B | 5.6% |
| Government administration 4% in all states | $1.6B | 5.4% |
| Other 9% in all states | $1.4B | 4.7% |
| Public health 3% in all states | $575.4M | 1.9% |
| Prisons and corrections 2% in all states | $515.9M | 1.7% |
| Natural resources 1% in all states | $389.2M | 1.3% |
| State police 1% in all states | $240.4M | 0.8% |
| Interest on debt 1% in all states | $200.6M | 0.7% |
| Parks and recreation 0% in all states | $117.0M | 0.4% |
Per resident, rank and change for every function
| Function | Utah per resident | All states per resident | Rank (1 = most) | Change since 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Education | $3,794 | $2,787 | 5 of 50 | +8% |
| Public welfare | $1,981 | $3,193 | 43 of 50 | +6% |
| Hospitals | $934 | $408 | 5 of 50 | +6% |
| Public health | $167 | $288 | 37 of 50 | -9% |
| Highways | $484 | $534 | 31 of 50 | -2% |
| State police | $70 | $74 | 25 of 50 | +17% |
| Prisons and corrections | $150 | $197 | 39 of 50 | +11% |
| Natural resources | $113 | $112 | 23 of 50 | +28% |
| Parks and recreation | $34 | $29 | 23 of 50 | +27% |
| Government administration | $472 | $321 | 14 of 50 | +7% |
| Interest on debt | $58 | $109 | 36 of 50 | +8% |
| Other | $403 | $782 | 42 of 50 | +13% |
U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of State Government Finances, 2023.
On your state tax bill
Your state taxes split in proportion to Utah'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 | $438 | $1,095 | $2,191 |
| Public welfare | $229 | $572 | $1,144 |
| Hospitals | $108 | $270 | $539 |
| Highways | $56 | $140 | $280 |
| Government administration | $54 | $136 | $272 |
| Everything else | $115 | $287 | $574 |
Where the money comes from
Utah collected $6.5 billion in individual income tax in fiscal 2023, 48% of its tax revenue.
Federal funds are Utah'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 | $8.6B | 28.0% |
| Charges and fees (tuition, hospitals, tolls) | $6.7B | 21.7% |
| Individual income tax | $6.5B | 21.1% |
| General sales tax | $4.6B | 14.8% |
| Interest, lottery and other | $2.0B | 6.5% |
| Selective sales taxes (fuel, tobacco, alcohol, insurance) | $1.0B | 3.3% |
| Corporate income tax | $866.8M | 2.8% |
| Licenses (vehicles, businesses, hunting) | $404.3M | 1.3% |
| Other taxes (severance, estate and others) | $140.0M | 0.5% |
U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of State Government Finances, 2023.
Federal money and Utah
Federal taxes paid by Utah residents and businesses: how much federal tax Utah pays. Federal spending in the state: federal money in Utah. For federal taxes, see where your federal taxes go.
Questions and answers
- Where do my state taxes go in Utah?
- Of every dollar Utah's state government spent in fiscal year 2023 (July 2022 to June 2023), 44¢ went to education, 23¢ to public welfare and 11¢ to hospitals. Total general spending was $29.9 billion.
- How much does Utah spend per person?
- $8,659 per resident in fiscal 2023, 29th highest of the 50 states (all states together: $8,834).
- How much of Utah's budget comes from the federal government?
- 28% of general revenue ($8.6 billion) in fiscal 2023 came from the federal government, the largest part for Medicaid. By that share Utah ranks 47th of the 50 states (1st = most reliant). Taxes were 44%.
- Does Utah have a state income tax?
- Utah collected $6.5 billion in individual income tax in fiscal 2023, 48% of its tax revenue.
- How much does Utah spend on education and Medicaid?
- Education $13.1 billion (44%) and public welfare, mostly Medicaid, $6.8 billion (23%) in fiscal 2023. Education spending includes aid to local school districts, which then add their own property-tax money.
- How much debt does Utah's state government have?
- $6.7 billion at the end of fiscal 2023, $1,928 per resident. Local governments' debt is separate.
Other states
- Arizona$8,134 per resident
- California$12,045 per resident
- Colorado$7,272 per resident
- Nevada$7,388 per resident
- Idaho$7,235 per resident
- Nebraska$7,574 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.