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

Lakewood, NJ

Population: 68,555 (2022) · Small Cities (50K–100K)

D
39/100

Below average — significant fiscal challenges in multiple areas

Total Spending
$910.2M
Per Capita
$13,278
Total Revenue
$513.5M
Total Debt
$44.4M

Spending Breakdown

Housing & Community Development
28.9%$263.4M
Other
24.4%$221.8M
Hospitals
17.4%$158.8M
Utilities
16.4%$149.4M
Public Welfare
5.5%$50.0M
Sewerage
2.3%$21.1M
Fire Protection
2.0%$18.6M
Parks & Recreation
1.3%$12.0M
Highways & Roads
0.9%$8.5M
Interest on Debt
0.7%$6.6M

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

Property Tax
0.0%$242K
Intergovernmental
100.0%$513.5M
Charges & Fees
25.3%$130.1M
Other
12.1%$62.4M

Per Capita Spending by Department

Fire Protection$272/person
Highways & Roads$125/person
Parks & Recreation$174/person

Score Breakdown

Budget Balance & Reserves (25%)4/100
Debt Burden (20%)19/100
Pension Funding (20%)76/100
Spending Efficiency (15%)94/100
Revenue Diversity (10%)0/100
Trend Direction (10%)50/100

Debt Overview

Total Debt$44.4M
Long-Term Debt$0
Debt Per Capita$648
Cash & Securities$1.9M

Compare Cities

See how Lakewood stacks up against another city.

vs Newark, NJvs Jersey City, NJvs Paterson, NJ
Data source: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances (2023). Population from American Community Survey.

Other Cities in New Jersey

Newark, NJ

Pop. 307K

C
Total Spending
$6.2B
Per Capita
$20,014

Jersey City, NJ

Pop. 288K

B
Total Spending
$6.1B
Per Capita
$21,136

Paterson, NJ

Pop. 158K

C
Total Spending
$2.5B
Per Capita
$16,110

Elizabeth, NJ

Pop. 136K

C
Total Spending
$2.9B
Per Capita
$21,067

Compare Lakewood With

Newark, NJ

Spending: $20,014/person · Grade: C

Jersey City, NJ

Spending: $21,136/person · Grade: B

Paterson, NJ

Spending: $16,110/person · Grade: C

Elizabeth, NJ

Spending: $21,067/person · Grade: C

Frequently Asked Questions

Lakewood, NJ spends $13,278 per resident, based on total expenditures of $910.2M for a population of 68,555. The city has a Fiscal Health Score of D (39/100).

Lakewood, NJ has total expenditures of $910.2M and total revenue of $513.5M. The city carries $44.4M in total debt, based on Census Bureau data from 2023.

Lakewood, NJ 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, NJ has a Fiscal Health Score of D (39/100). 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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