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

Grand Junction, CO

Population: 65,918 (2022) · Small Cities (50K–100K)

D
43/100

Below average — significant fiscal challenges in multiple areas

Total Spending
$1.5B
Per Capita
$21,998
Total Revenue
$1.5B
Total Debt
$99.7M

Spending Breakdown

Other
33.8%$490.4M
Housing & Community Development
24.7%$357.8M
Fire Protection
11.7%$168.9M
Parks & Recreation
10.0%$145.1M
Utilities
8.2%$118.5M
Public Welfare
6.7%$96.5M
Highways & Roads
2.3%$34.0M
Hospitals
2.2%$32.3M
Sewerage
0.5%$6.5M

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
3.1%$46.8M
Income Tax
3.5%$52.6M
Intergovernmental
3.2%$48.6M
Charges & Fees
5.9%$88.1M
Other
25.7%$385.2M

Per Capita Spending by Department

Fire Protection$2,563/person
Highways & Roads$516/person
Parks & Recreation$2,201/person

Score Breakdown

Budget Balance & Reserves (25%)30/100
Debt Burden (20%)0/100
Pension Funding (20%)76/100
Spending Efficiency (15%)37/100
Revenue Diversity (10%)100/100
Trend Direction (10%)50/100

Debt Overview

Total Debt$99.7M
Long-Term Debt$91.7M
Debt Per Capita$1,513
Cash & Securities$912K

Compare Cities

See how Grand Junction 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 Grand Junction 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

Grand Junction, CO spends $21,998 per resident, based on total expenditures of $1.5B for a population of 65,918. The city has a Fiscal Health Score of D (43/100).

Grand Junction, CO has total expenditures of $1.5B and total revenue of $1.5B. The city carries $99.7M in total debt, based on Census Bureau data from 2023.

Grand Junction, 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.

Grand Junction, 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.

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