Skip to main content
Data from U.S. Census Bureau · 2026 · Methodology
CitySpend

Boulder, CO

Population: 106,598 (2022) · Mid-Size Cities (100K–250K)

D
43/100

Below average — significant fiscal challenges in multiple areas

Total Spending
$4.2B
Per Capita
$39,636
Total Revenue
$2.8B
Total Debt
$0

Spending Breakdown

Other
42.1%$1.8B
Utilities
18.1%$765.9M
Housing & Community Development
15.4%$649.5M
Hospitals
8.0%$338.7M
Fire Protection
6.5%$276.1M
Public Welfare
5.0%$211.4M
Parks & Recreation
4.2%$178.9M
Highways & Roads
0.6%$27.2M

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
0.1%$2.0M
Income Tax
3.1%$87.5M
Intergovernmental
100.0%$2.8B
Other
9.2%$258.3M

Per Capita Spending by Department

Fire Protection$2,590/person
Highways & Roads$255/person
Parks & Recreation$1,678/person

Score Breakdown

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

Compare Cities

See how Boulder stacks up against another city.

vs Denver, COvs Colorado Springs, COvs Aurora, CO
Data source: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances (2023). Population from American Community Survey.

Other Cities in Colorado

Denver, CO

Pop. 711K

C
Total Spending
$23.9B
Per Capita
$33,582

Colorado Springs, CO

Pop. 480K

C
Total Spending
$6.3B
Per Capita
$13,222

Aurora, CO

Pop. 387K

B
Total Spending
$6.7B
Per Capita
$17,400

Fort Collins, CO

Pop. 169K

D
Total Spending
$4.4B
Per Capita
$26,163

Compare Boulder With

Denver, CO

Spending: $33,582/person · Grade: C

Colorado Springs, CO

Spending: $13,222/person · Grade: C

Aurora, CO

Spending: $17,400/person · Grade: B

Fort Collins, CO

Spending: $26,163/person · Grade: D

Frequently Asked Questions

Boulder, CO spends $39,636 per resident, based on total expenditures of $4.2B for a population of 106,598. The city has a Fiscal Health Score of D (43/100).

Boulder, CO has total expenditures of $4.2B and total revenue of $2.8B. The city carries $0 in total debt, based on Census Bureau data from 2023.

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

Boulder, CO has a Fiscal Health Score of D (43/100). 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.

Last updated: