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

Atlanta, GA

Population: 494,838 (2022) · Large Cities (250K+)

A
85/100

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

Total Spending
$12.6B
Per Capita
$25,457
Total Revenue
$77.6B
Total Debt
$0

Spending Breakdown

Other
32.5%$4.1B
Utilities
31.5%$4.0B
Housing & Community Development
18.0%$2.3B
Public Welfare
6.2%$785.5M
Parks & Recreation
5.0%$630.6M
Highways & Roads
2.0%$253.8M
Fire Protection
1.8%$229.6M
Sewerage
1.3%$169.5M
Police
1.2%$155.6M
Hospitals
0.2%$27.0M
Education
0.1%$12.5M

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
0.3%$207.2M
Income Tax
0.8%$639.5M
Intergovernmental
5.8%$4.5B
Charges & Fees
3.6%$2.8B
Other
3.5%$2.7B

Per Capita Spending by Department

Police$315/person
Fire Protection$464/person
Highways & Roads$513/person
Parks & Recreation$1,274/person
Education$25/person

Score Breakdown

Budget Balance & Reserves (25%)100/100
Debt Burden (20%)100/100
Pension Funding (20%)76/100
Spending Efficiency (15%)64/100
Revenue Diversity (10%)100/100
Trend Direction (10%)50/100

Compare Cities

See how Atlanta stacks up against another city.

vs Columbus, GAvs Augusta-Richmond County consolidated government (balance), GAvs Macon-Bibb County, GA
Data source: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances (2023). Population from American Community Survey.

Other Cities in Georgia

Columbus, GA

Pop. 205K

A
Total Spending
$3.2B
Per Capita
$15,522

Augusta-Richmond County consolidated government (balance), GA

Pop. 202K

B
Total Spending
$3.9B
Per Capita
$19,144

Macon-Bibb County, GA

Pop. 157K

C
Total Spending
$2.3B
Per Capita
$14,678

Savannah, GA

Pop. 148K

C
Total Spending
$3.6B
Per Capita
$24,281

Compare Atlanta With

Columbus, GA

Spending: $15,522/person · Grade: A

Augusta-Richmond County consolidated government (balance), GA

Spending: $19,144/person · Grade: B

Macon-Bibb County, GA

Spending: $14,678/person · Grade: C

Savannah, GA

Spending: $24,281/person · Grade: C

Frequently Asked Questions

Atlanta, GA spends $25,457 per resident, based on total expenditures of $12.6B for a population of 494,838. The city has a Fiscal Health Score of A (85/100).

Atlanta, GA has total expenditures of $12.6B and total revenue of $77.6B. The city carries $0 in total debt, based on Census Bureau data from 2023.

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

Atlanta, GA has a Fiscal Health Score of A (85/100). 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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