Budget & taxes

How Manatee County gets and spends its money, and what you pay in property taxes.

$1.51 billionManatee County's budget, Oct. 1, 2026 to Sept. 30, 2027: $1.45 billion coming in this year, plus cash carried over from past years.

Where Manatee County's money comes from and where it goes. Tap a slice or a row for more.

Where it comes from

Property taxes: $523.0 million, 36%Utility bills: $377.0 million, 26%Other fees and charges: $142.0 million, 10%Other taxes: $127.7 million, 9%State and other governments: $91.5 million, 6%Interest and other: $185.4 million, 13%$1.45BComing in this year
Property taxes$523.0 million36%

The county's eight property taxes, including the general fund, roads, parks, libraries, children's services and the unincorporated-area tax.

Utility bills$377.0 million26%

What customers pay for county water, sewer and other utility service.

Other fees and charges$142.0 million10%

Charges for county services other than utilities.

Other taxes$127.7 million9%

Taxes other than property taxes, including the tourist tax on hotel stays.

State and other governments$91.5 million6%

Money from the state, including a share of state sales tax, and from other governments.

  • State$69.9 million
  • Other governments$21.6 million
Interest and other$185.4 million13%

Interest on county money, licenses and permits, fines and other income.

  • Other income$124.8 million
  • Interest$42.0 million
  • Licenses and permits$16.7 million
  • Fines$1.8 million

Where it goes

Public safety: $380.8 million, 25%Utilities and environment: $348.6 million, 23%Saved for building projects: $339.8 million, 22%Running the county: $174.1 million, 12%Roads and transit: $94.7 million, 6%Everything else: $173.0 million, 11%$1.51BCounty budget
Public safety$380.8 million25%

The Sheriff's Office and jail, ambulances, building permits and inspections, and code enforcement.

  • Sheriff's Office$280.2 million
  • Public Safety department: EMS, 911, emergency management$71.0 million
Utilities and environment$348.6 million23%

Water, sewer and the landfill, plus agriculture and environmental programs.

  • Utilities department$232.2 million
Saved for building projects$339.8 million22%

Money set aside for roads, water plants and other projects in the county's five-year plan.

Running the county$174.1 million12%

County administration and debt payments, plus the Clerk, Tax Collector, Property Appraiser and Supervisor of Elections.

  • Tax Collector$21.4 million
  • Clerk of Court$11.6 million
  • Property Appraiser$8.5 million
  • Supervisor of Elections$3.7 million
Roads and transit$94.7 million6%

Road maintenance and the county bus system.

Everything else$173.0 million11%

Parks and libraries, human services, an emergency reserve, economic development and payments to other governments.

  • Parks, libraries and recreation$57.3 million
  • Human services, including children's services$47.5 million
  • Emergency reserve$36.3 million
  • Economic development$27.8 million
  • Payments to other governments$4.0 million

Your 2026 property tax, by who gets it. Tap a slice or a row for more.

Where's the home?
Fire district on your bill

Typical homestead here: $338,000. Yours is on your August TRIM notice or your page on the Property Appraiser's site.

Homestead exemption?
More options

Some newer neighborhoods have a community development district fee on the tax bill.

For a homestead in Parrish assessed at $338,000, the typical value there.

Manatee County: $1,901, 44%School Board: $1,964, 45%Water and other districts: $100, 2%Fire district: $389, 9%$4,3532026 estimate
Manatee County$1,90144%

County government: the Sheriff's Office, EMS, roads, parks, libraries and more.

  • County operating tax (6.0206 mills)$1,725
  • Unincorporated area services (0.6109 mills)$175
School Board$1,96445%

Manatee County's public schools, including 1 mill that voters approved.

  • School Board (6.275 mills)$1,964
Water and other districts$1002%

The Southwest Florida Water Management District, Mosquito Control and the West Coast Inland Navigation District.

  • Southwest Florida Water Management District (0.1831 mills)$52
  • Mosquito Control District (0.1256 mills)$36
  • West Coast Inland Navigation District (0.0394 mills)$11
Fire district$3899%

Your independent fire district: North River Fire or Parrish Fire.

  • Parrish Fire District assessment$389

An estimate, not your tax bill or tax advice. It uses the final 2026 tax rates the Property Appraiser posted Oct. 5 and the fire fees each district adopted for 2026-27. Your bill depends on the Property Appraiser's value and your exemptions. Check with the Property Appraiser and the Tax Collector.

Shown for a typical homestead in Parrish. Turn on JavaScript to try your own numbers.

The biggest county projects around Palmetto, Parrish and Ellenton in the five-year plan. Each is on the map.

See everything being built on the map

The budget over time, next to the number of homes

From FY23 to FY26 the budget grew 28% and the number of homes grew 11%, so the budget per home went from $4,864 to $5,613.

Budget yearBudgetHomesPer home
FY23$1.07B220,462$4,864
FY24$1.22B228,660$5,338
FY25$1.33B236,532$5,615
FY26$1.37B243,784$5,613
FY27$1.51B2026 count comes out in 2027

Budget: the net budget as adopted each year. Homes: the Census Bureau's estimate of homes (housing units) in Manatee County on July 1 before each budget year starts.

Reserves: $1.144 billion

Money held in reserve across all county funds. Much of it is set aside for specific uses, like utilities, impact fees and building projects. County policy sets a minimum reserve of 20% of operating spending.

Debt: $1.136 billion

Bonds, notes and loans as of Sept. 30, 2025, about $2,559 per resident. Credit ratings: AAA from Fitch and Aaa from Moody's, the top ratings, on most county bonds.

What each community development district in Palmetto and Parrish charges per home.

CDD fees by community

Key dates for taxpayers
  • August: the Property Appraiser mails TRIM notices with your value and the proposed tax rates.
  • September: county, city, school and district budget hearings set the rates.
  • November: tax bills go out. Pay in November for 4% off (3% in December, 2% in January, 1% in February). Taxes are due by March 31.
Sources (12) · Info updated

Typical home values are the median assessed value of homesteaded single-family homes on the Property Appraiser's 2026 roll.

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