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

Laredo, TX

Population: 255,293 (2022) · Large Cities (250K+)

A
85/100

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

Total Spending
$4.2B
Per Capita
$16,559
Total Revenue
$8.7B
Total Debt
$177.2M

Spending Breakdown

Other
29.1%$1.2B
Housing & Community Development
20.1%$849.0M
Public Welfare
17.4%$735.5M
Utilities
13.9%$587.5M
Parks & Recreation
9.5%$402.5M
Interest on Debt
4.4%$184.9M
Hospitals
2.7%$112.2M
Fire Protection
1.0%$43.8M
Health
0.9%$38.6M
Sewerage
0.8%$32.4M
Education
0.2%$6.7M
Highways & Roads
0.1%$5.9M

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
1.0%$83.5M
Income Tax
3.4%$297.7M
Intergovernmental
14.5%$1.3B
Charges & Fees
7.4%$649.9M
Other
12.9%$1.1B

Per Capita Spending by Department

Fire Protection$172/person
Highways & Roads$23/person
Parks & Recreation$1,577/person
Education$26/person
Health$151/person

Score Breakdown

Budget Balance & Reserves (25%)88/100
Debt Burden (20%)87/100
Pension Funding (20%)76/100
Spending Efficiency (15%)100/100
Revenue Diversity (10%)100/100
Trend Direction (10%)50/100

Debt Overview

Total Debt$177.2M
Long-Term Debt$45.0M
Debt Per Capita$694
Cash & Securities$103.7M

Compare Cities

See how Laredo stacks up against another city.

vs Houston, TXvs San Antonio, TXvs Dallas, TX
Data source: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances (2023). Population from American Community Survey.

Other Cities in Texas

Houston, TX

Pop. 2.3M

A
Total Spending
$33.1B
Per Capita
$14,400

San Antonio, TX

Pop. 1.4M

B
Total Spending
$24.5B
Per Capita
$16,943

Dallas, TX

Pop. 1.3M

C
Total Spending
$45.3B
Per Capita
$34,849

Austin, TX

Pop. 958K

B
Total Spending
$20.9B
Per Capita
$21,772

Compare Laredo With

Houston, TX

Spending: $14,400/person · Grade: A

San Antonio, TX

Spending: $16,943/person · Grade: B

Dallas, TX

Spending: $34,849/person · Grade: C

Austin, TX

Spending: $21,772/person · Grade: B

Frequently Asked Questions

Laredo, TX spends $16,559 per resident, based on total expenditures of $4.2B for a population of 255,293. The city has a Fiscal Health Score of A (85/100).

Laredo, TX has total expenditures of $4.2B and total revenue of $8.7B. The city carries $177.2M in total debt, based on Census Bureau data from 2023.

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

Laredo, TX has a Fiscal Health Score of A (85/100). 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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