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

Brownsville, TX

Population: 186,999 (2022) · Mid-Size Cities (100K–250K)

A
85/100

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

Total Spending
$1.9B
Per Capita
$9,921
Total Revenue
$4.5B
Total Debt
$13.0M

Spending Breakdown

Other
37.7%$699.4M
Housing & Community Development
24.9%$461.7M
Utilities
15.5%$287.5M
Public Welfare
7.4%$136.8M
Parks & Recreation
5.3%$98.6M
Interest on Debt
3.5%$65.5M
Fire Protection
2.2%$40.0M
Health
1.9%$35.1M
Sewerage
1.1%$20.1M
Police
0.3%$5.0M
Hospitals
0.2%$4.5M
Highways & Roads
0.1%$1.1M

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
0.7%$33.1M
Income Tax
3.8%$171.3M
Intergovernmental
16.1%$724.3M
Charges & Fees
6.7%$303.1M
Other
8.4%$377.7M

Per Capita Spending by Department

Police$26/person
Fire Protection$214/person
Highways & Roads$6/person
Parks & Recreation$527/person
Health$188/person

Score Breakdown

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

Debt Overview

Total Debt$13.0M
Long-Term Debt$136.9M
Debt Per Capita$70
Cash & Securities$35.0M

Compare Cities

See how Brownsville stacks up against another city.

vs Houston, TXvs San Antonio, TXvs Dallas, TX
Data source: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances (2023). Population from American Community Survey.

Other Cities in Texas

Houston, TX

Pop. 2.3M

A
Total Spending
$33.1B
Per Capita
$14,400

San Antonio, TX

Pop. 1.4M

B
Total Spending
$24.5B
Per Capita
$16,943

Dallas, TX

Pop. 1.3M

C
Total Spending
$45.3B
Per Capita
$34,849

Austin, TX

Pop. 958K

B
Total Spending
$20.9B
Per Capita
$21,772

Compare Brownsville With

Houston, TX

Spending: $14,400/person · Grade: A

San Antonio, TX

Spending: $16,943/person · Grade: B

Dallas, TX

Spending: $34,849/person · Grade: C

Austin, TX

Spending: $21,772/person · Grade: B

Frequently Asked Questions

Brownsville, TX spends $9,921 per resident, based on total expenditures of $1.9B for a population of 186,999. The city has a Fiscal Health Score of A (85/100).

Brownsville, TX has total expenditures of $1.9B and total revenue of $4.5B. The city carries $13.0M in total debt, based on Census Bureau data from 2023.

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

Brownsville, TX 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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