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

Madison, WI

Population: 268,516 (2022) · Large Cities (250K+)

A
87/100

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

Total Spending
$5.9B
Per Capita
$21,859
Total Revenue
$11.3B
Total Debt
$0

Spending Breakdown

Other
30.5%$1.8B
Utilities
15.6%$914.7M
Housing & Community Development
14.2%$832.3M
Interest on Debt
11.2%$658.2M
Public Welfare
8.1%$475.0M
Hospitals
7.6%$446.7M
Parks & Recreation
7.2%$422.1M
Health
3.4%$199.8M
Fire Protection
1.2%$70.8M
Sewerage
0.8%$44.6M
Highways & Roads
0.2%$12.6M
Education
0.0%$12K

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
1.8%$206.7M
Sales Tax
2.8%$316.2M
Income Tax
0.1%$8.7M
Intergovernmental
18.9%$2.1B
Charges & Fees
4.2%$471.1M
Other
5.7%$639.4M

Per Capita Spending by Department

Fire Protection$264/person
Highways & Roads$47/person
Parks & Recreation$1,572/person
Education$0/person
Health$744/person

Score Breakdown

Budget Balance & Reserves (25%)100/100
Debt Burden (20%)100/100
Pension Funding (20%)76/100
Spending Efficiency (15%)80/100
Revenue Diversity (10%)100/100
Trend Direction (10%)50/100

Compare Cities

See how Madison stacks up against another city.

vs Milwaukee, WIvs Green Bay, WIvs Kenosha, WI
Data source: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances (2023). Population from American Community Survey.

Other Cities in Wisconsin

Milwaukee, WI

Pop. 573K

C
Total Spending
$11.1B
Per Capita
$19,417

Green Bay, WI

Pop. 107K

B
Total Spending
$1.6B
Per Capita
$14,610

Kenosha, WI

Pop. 99K

B
Total Spending
$1.9B
Per Capita
$19,120

Racine, WI

Pop. 77K

B
Total Spending
$1.9B
Per Capita
$24,108

Compare Madison With

Milwaukee, WI

Spending: $19,417/person · Grade: C

Green Bay, WI

Spending: $14,610/person · Grade: B

Kenosha, WI

Spending: $19,120/person · Grade: B

Racine, WI

Spending: $24,108/person · Grade: B

Frequently Asked Questions

Madison, WI spends $21,859 per resident, based on total expenditures of $5.9B for a population of 268,516. The city has a Fiscal Health Score of A (87/100).

Madison, WI has total expenditures of $5.9B and total revenue of $11.3B. The city carries $0 in total debt, based on Census Bureau data from 2023.

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

Madison, WI has a Fiscal Health Score of A (87/100). 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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