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

Louisville/Jefferson County metro government (balance), KY

Population: 629,176 (2022) · Large Cities (250K+)

D
35/100

Below average — significant fiscal challenges in multiple areas

Total Spending
$12.7B
Per Capita
$20,200
Total Revenue
$5.4B
Total Debt
$2.2B

Spending Breakdown

Other
26.5%$3.4B
Utilities
19.0%$2.4B
Housing & Community Development
11.8%$1.5B
Public Welfare
9.2%$1.2B
Interest on Debt
7.5%$954.4M
Fire Protection
5.6%$712.0M
Parks & Recreation
5.3%$673.1M
Education
4.7%$601.4M
Hospitals
3.9%$489.9M
Police
3.5%$440.8M
Health
1.9%$238.4M
Sewerage
1.2%$156.4M

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
13.2%$716.2M
Income Tax
0.3%$15.1M
Intergovernmental
4.8%$259.0M
Charges & Fees
44.4%$2.4B
Other
103.0%$5.6B

Per Capita Spending by Department

Police$701/person
Fire Protection$1,132/person
Parks & Recreation$1,070/person
Education$956/person
Health$379/person

Score Breakdown

Budget Balance & Reserves (25%)8/100
Debt Burden (20%)0/100
Pension Funding (20%)76/100
Spending Efficiency (15%)88/100
Revenue Diversity (10%)0/100
Trend Direction (10%)50/100

Debt Overview

Total Debt$2.2B
Long-Term Debt$186.0M
Debt Per Capita$3,553
Cash & Securities$66.8M

Compare Cities

See how Louisville/Jefferson County metro government (balance) stacks up against another city.

vs Lexington-Fayette urban county, KYvs Bowling Green, KYvs Owensboro, KY
Data source: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances (2023). Population from American Community Survey.

Other Cities in Kentucky

Lexington-Fayette urban county, KY

Pop. 321K

A
Total Spending
$4.3B
Per Capita
$13,449

Bowling Green, KY

Pop. 72K

A
Total Spending
$754.7M
Per Capita
$10,426

Owensboro, KY

Pop. 60K

A
Total Spending
$823.4M
Per Capita
$13,719

Compare Louisville/Jefferson County metro government (balance) With

Lexington-Fayette urban county, KY

Spending: $13,449/person · Grade: A

Bowling Green, KY

Spending: $10,426/person · Grade: A

Owensboro, KY

Spending: $13,719/person · Grade: A

Frequently Asked Questions

Louisville/Jefferson County metro government (balance), KY spends $20,200 per resident, based on total expenditures of $12.7B for a population of 629,176. The city has a Fiscal Health Score of D (35/100).

Louisville/Jefferson County metro government (balance), KY has total expenditures of $12.7B and total revenue of $5.4B. The city carries $2.2B in total debt, based on Census Bureau data from 2023.

Louisville/Jefferson County metro government (balance), KY employs 0 government workers, of which 0 are full-time. The average government salary is $0, with 0.0 employees per 10,000 residents.

Louisville/Jefferson County metro government (balance), KY has a Fiscal Health Score of D (35/100). 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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