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

Evanston, IL

Population: 77,181 (2022) · Small Cities (50K–100K)

A
82/100

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

Total Spending
$1.6B
Per Capita
$21,161
Total Revenue
$4.1B
Total Debt
$0

Spending Breakdown

Other
40.9%$667.7M
Housing & Community Development
29.1%$475.8M
Utilities
9.2%$149.5M
Hospitals
7.0%$114.3M
Parks & Recreation
7.0%$113.5M
Health
4.8%$78.6M
Public Welfare
2.1%$33.8M

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
2.1%$86.8M
Income Tax
1.3%$52.0M
Intergovernmental
17.1%$706.8M
Charges & Fees
5.4%$222.3M
Other
5.8%$241.3M

Per Capita Spending by Department

Parks & Recreation$1,471/person
Health$1,019/person

Score Breakdown

Budget Balance & Reserves (25%)100/100
Debt Burden (20%)100/100
Pension Funding (20%)76/100
Spending Efficiency (15%)43/100
Revenue Diversity (10%)100/100
Trend Direction (10%)50/100

Compare Cities

See how Evanston stacks up against another city.

vs Chicago, ILvs Aurora, ILvs Joliet, IL
Data source: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances (2023). Population from American Community Survey.

Other Cities in Illinois

Chicago, IL

Pop. 2.7M

C
Total Spending
$94.0B
Per Capita
$34,551

Aurora, IL

Pop. 181K

A
Total Spending
$2.8B
Per Capita
$15,301

Joliet, IL

Pop. 150K

D
Total Spending
$2.8B
Per Capita
$18,675

Naperville, IL

Pop. 149K

D
Total Spending
$2.3B
Per Capita
$15,751

Compare Evanston With

Chicago, IL

Spending: $34,551/person · Grade: C

Aurora, IL

Spending: $15,301/person · Grade: A

Joliet, IL

Spending: $18,675/person · Grade: D

Naperville, IL

Spending: $15,751/person · Grade: D

Frequently Asked Questions

Evanston, IL spends $21,161 per resident, based on total expenditures of $1.6B for a population of 77,181. The city has a Fiscal Health Score of A (82/100).

Evanston, IL has total expenditures of $1.6B and total revenue of $4.1B. The city carries $0 in total debt, based on Census Bureau data from 2023.

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

Evanston, IL has a Fiscal Health Score of A (82/100). 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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