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

Battle Creek, MI

Population: 52,469 (2022) · Small Cities (50K–100K)

C
50/100

Average fiscal health — some areas of concern

Total Spending
$1.2B
Per Capita
$22,547
Total Revenue
$835.7M
Total Debt
$19.9M

Spending Breakdown

Other
39.3%$464.7M
Housing & Community Development
19.5%$230.6M
Fire Protection
13.6%$161.2M
Public Welfare
10.7%$126.9M
Hospitals
6.0%$71.3M
Interest on Debt
4.0%$47.2M
Utilities
3.7%$43.5M
Parks & Recreation
2.6%$30.7M
Highways & Roads
0.6%$6.9M

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

Sales Tax
2.7%$22.9M
Income Tax
4.5%$37.5M
Intergovernmental
15.1%$126.5M
Charges & Fees
12.9%$108.1M
Other
26.4%$220.5M

Per Capita Spending by Department

Fire Protection$3,072/person
Highways & Roads$132/person
Parks & Recreation$586/person

Score Breakdown

Budget Balance & Reserves (25%)0/100
Debt Burden (20%)74/100
Pension Funding (20%)76/100
Spending Efficiency (15%)34/100
Revenue Diversity (10%)100/100
Trend Direction (10%)50/100

Debt Overview

Total Debt$19.9M
Long-Term Debt$22.0M
Debt Per Capita$378
Cash & Securities$162K

Compare Cities

See how Battle Creek stacks up against another city.

vs Detroit, MIvs Grand Rapids, MIvs Warren, MI
Data source: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances (2023). Population from American Community Survey.

Other Cities in Michigan

Detroit, MI

Pop. 637K

B
Total Spending
$19.8B
Per Capita
$31,087

Grand Rapids, MI

Pop. 198K

D
Total Spending
$4.4B
Per Capita
$22,146

Warren, MI

Pop. 139K

C
Total Spending
$2.1B
Per Capita
$15,235

Sterling Heights, MI

Pop. 134K

B
Total Spending
$1.7B
Per Capita
$12,550

Compare Battle Creek With

Detroit, MI

Spending: $31,087/person · Grade: B

Grand Rapids, MI

Spending: $22,146/person · Grade: D

Warren, MI

Spending: $15,235/person · Grade: C

Sterling Heights, MI

Spending: $12,550/person · Grade: B

Frequently Asked Questions

Battle Creek, MI spends $22,547 per resident, based on total expenditures of $1.2B for a population of 52,469. The city has a Fiscal Health Score of C (50/100).

Battle Creek, MI has total expenditures of $1.2B and total revenue of $835.7M. The city carries $19.9M in total debt, based on Census Bureau data from 2023.

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

Battle Creek, MI has a Fiscal Health Score of C (50/100). 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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