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

Los Angeles, CA

Population: 3,881,041 (2022) · Large Cities (250K+)

D
47/100

Below average — significant fiscal challenges in multiple areas

Total Spending
$331.6B
Per Capita
$85,432
Total Revenue
$68.3B
Total Debt
$0

Spending Breakdown

Other
38.8%$128.8B
Utilities
25.7%$85.4B
General Administration
13.6%$45.0B
Housing & Community Development
7.4%$24.5B
Police
4.8%$16.0B
Hospitals
2.5%$8.3B
Parks & Recreation
1.6%$5.2B
Public Welfare
1.5%$5.0B
Fire Protection
1.2%$4.1B
Education
1.0%$3.2B
Interest on Debt
0.7%$2.4B
Highways & Roads
0.6%$2.0B
Health
0.5%$1.6B
Sewerage
0.0%$130.6M

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
0.4%$249.6M
Sales Tax
0.4%$300.7M
Income Tax
1.7%$1.2B
Intergovernmental
0.8%$518.6M
Charges & Fees
2.6%$1.8B
Other
51.4%$35.1B

Per Capita Spending by Department

Police$4,111/person
Fire Protection$1,057/person
Highways & Roads$503/person
Parks & Recreation$1,347/person
Education$829/person
Health$409/person

Score Breakdown

Budget Balance & Reserves (25%)0/100
Debt Burden (20%)100/100
Pension Funding (20%)76/100
Spending Efficiency (15%)0/100
Revenue Diversity (10%)65/100
Trend Direction (10%)50/100

Compare Cities

See how Los Angeles stacks up against another city.

vs San Diego, CAvs San Jose, CAvs San Francisco, CA
Data source: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances (2023). Population from American Community Survey.

Other Cities in California

Frequently Asked Questions

Los Angeles, CA spends $85,432 per resident, based on total expenditures of $331.6B for a population of 3,881,041. The city has a Fiscal Health Score of D (47/100).

Los Angeles, CA has total expenditures of $331.6B and total revenue of $68.3B. The city carries $0 in total debt, based on Census Bureau data from 2023.

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

Los Angeles, CA has a Fiscal Health Score of D (47/100). 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.