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Data from U.S. Census Bureau · 2026 · Methodology
CitySpend

Appleton, WI

Population: 75,133 (2022) · Small Cities (50K–100K)

A
87/100

Excellent fiscal health — strong reserves, low debt, well-funded pensions

Total Spending
$1.1B
Per Capita
$15,241
Total Revenue
$2.8B
Total Debt
$0

Spending Breakdown

Other
28.6%$327.8M
Utilities
17.6%$201.9M
Housing & Community Development
17.6%$201.8M
Public Welfare
15.8%$181.2M
Interest on Debt
8.2%$94.4M
Health
4.5%$51.4M
Parks & Recreation
4.3%$49.7M
Fire Protection
1.3%$15.5M
Sewerage
0.8%$9.7M
Highways & Roads
0.5%$6.1M
Hospitals
0.5%$5.6M

Spending data sourced from the Census Bureau's Annual Survey of State & Local Government Finances. Per-capita comparisons use the Lincoln Institute's Fiscally Standardized Cities methodology for fair cross-city benchmarking.

Revenue Sources

Property Tax
4.2%$116.5M
Sales Tax
1.5%$41.9M
Income Tax
0.6%$17.0M
Intergovernmental
15.4%$427.7M
Charges & Fees
5.1%$140.9M
Other
4.9%$136.5M

Per Capita Spending by Department

Fire Protection$206/person
Highways & Roads$81/person
Parks & Recreation$661/person
Health$684/person

Score Breakdown

Budget Balance & Reserves (25%)100/100
Debt Burden (20%)100/100
Pension Funding (20%)76/100
Spending Efficiency (15%)81/100
Revenue Diversity (10%)100/100
Trend Direction (10%)50/100

Compare Cities

See how Appleton stacks up against another city.

vs Milwaukee, WIvs Madison, WIvs Green Bay, WI
Data source: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances (2023). Population from American Community Survey.

Other Cities in Wisconsin

Milwaukee, WI

Pop. 573K

C
Total Spending
$11.1B
Per Capita
$19,417

Madison, WI

Pop. 269K

A
Total Spending
$5.9B
Per Capita
$21,859

Green Bay, WI

Pop. 107K

B
Total Spending
$1.6B
Per Capita
$14,610

Kenosha, WI

Pop. 99K

B
Total Spending
$1.9B
Per Capita
$19,120

Compare Appleton With

Milwaukee, WI

Spending: $19,417/person · Grade: C

Madison, WI

Spending: $21,859/person · Grade: A

Green Bay, WI

Spending: $14,610/person · Grade: B

Kenosha, WI

Spending: $19,120/person · Grade: B

Frequently Asked Questions

Appleton, WI spends $15,241 per resident, based on total expenditures of $1.1B for a population of 75,133. The city has a Fiscal Health Score of A (87/100).

Appleton, WI has total expenditures of $1.1B and total revenue of $2.8B. The city carries $0 in total debt, based on Census Bureau data from 2023.

Appleton, WI employs 0 government workers, of which 0 are full-time. The average government salary is $0, with 0.0 employees per 10,000 residents.

Appleton, WI has a Fiscal Health Score of A (87/100). This score evaluates budget balance, debt burden, pension funding, spending efficiency, revenue diversity, and 3-year fiscal trajectory compared to peer cities of similar population.

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