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

Lakewood, CO

Population: 156,149 (2022) · Mid-Size Cities (100K–250K)

C
56/100

Average fiscal health — some areas of concern

Total Spending
$1.6B
Per Capita
$10,295
Total Revenue
$199.2M
Total Debt
$182K

Spending Breakdown

Housing & Community Development
36.4%$585.5M
Other
26.3%$422.3M
Parks & Recreation
21.9%$351.4M
Public Welfare
10.3%$165.7M
Fire Protection
2.0%$32.0M
Sewerage
1.7%$27.5M
Utilities
0.8%$12.4M
Hospitals
0.7%$10.9M

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
70.3%$140.1M
Intergovernmental
100.0%$199.2M
Charges & Fees
6.5%$12.9M
Other
166.8%$332.3M

Per Capita Spending by Department

Fire Protection$205/person
Parks & Recreation$2,250/person

Score Breakdown

Budget Balance & Reserves (25%)5/100
Debt Burden (20%)100/100
Pension Funding (20%)76/100
Spending Efficiency (15%)100/100
Revenue Diversity (10%)0/100
Trend Direction (10%)50/100

Debt Overview

Total Debt$182K
Long-Term Debt$197.0M
Debt Per Capita$1
Cash & Securities$4.8M

Compare Cities

See how Lakewood 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 Lakewood 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

Lakewood, CO spends $10,295 per resident, based on total expenditures of $1.6B for a population of 156,149. The city has a Fiscal Health Score of C (56/100).

Lakewood, CO has total expenditures of $1.6B and total revenue of $199.2M. The city carries $182K in total debt, based on Census Bureau data from 2023.

Lakewood, 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.

Lakewood, CO has a Fiscal Health Score of C (56/100). 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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