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

Carson, CA

Population: 94,475 (2022) · Small Cities (50K–100K)

A
80/100

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

Total Spending
$1.2B
Per Capita
$12,719
Total Revenue
$1.9B
Total Debt
$0

Spending Breakdown

Other
40.3%$484.3M
Housing & Community Development
20.8%$249.7M
Public Welfare
16.2%$195.0M
Parks & Recreation
13.3%$159.5M
Sewerage
3.3%$39.8M
Interest on Debt
3.0%$35.9M
Hospitals
2.8%$33.7M
Utilities
0.3%$3.8M

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
0.8%$15.4M
Intergovernmental
100.0%$1.9B
Other
2.4%$45.6M

Per Capita Spending by Department

Parks & Recreation$1,688/person

Score Breakdown

Budget Balance & Reserves (25%)100/100
Debt Burden (20%)100/100
Pension Funding (20%)76/100
Spending Efficiency (15%)98/100
Revenue Diversity (10%)0/100
Trend Direction (10%)50/100

Compare Cities

See how Carson stacks up against another city.

vs Los Angeles, CAvs San Diego, CAvs San Jose, CA
Data source: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances (2023). Population from American Community Survey.

Other Cities in California

Los Angeles, CA

Pop. 3.9M

D
Total Spending
$331.6B
Per Capita
$85,432

San Diego, CA

Pop. 1.4M

C
Total Spending
$59.9B
Per Capita
$43,306

San Jose, CA

Pop. 1.0M

A
Total Spending
$18.0B
Per Capita
$17,934

San Francisco, CA

Pop. 851K

D
Total Spending
$156.7B
Per Capita
$184,131

Compare Carson With

Los Angeles, CA

Spending: $85,432/person · Grade: D

San Diego, CA

Spending: $43,306/person · Grade: C

San Jose, CA

Spending: $17,934/person · Grade: A

San Francisco, CA

Spending: $184,131/person · Grade: D

Frequently Asked Questions

Carson, CA spends $12,719 per resident, based on total expenditures of $1.2B for a population of 94,475. The city has a Fiscal Health Score of A (80/100).

Carson, CA has total expenditures of $1.2B and total revenue of $1.9B. The city carries $0 in total debt, based on Census Bureau data from 2023.

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

Carson, CA has a Fiscal Health Score of A (80/100). 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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