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

McAllen, TX

Population: 142,722 (2022) · Mid-Size Cities (100K–250K)

C
58/100

Average fiscal health — some areas of concern

Total Spending
$2.2B
Per Capita
$15,551
Total Revenue
$595.5M
Total Debt
$29.0M

Spending Breakdown

Other
25.1%$557.2M
Housing & Community Development
20.7%$460.3M
Utilities
19.7%$437.0M
Public Welfare
12.0%$267.1M
Parks & Recreation
11.0%$243.5M
Fire Protection
4.1%$91.9M
Health
2.4%$53.5M
Interest on Debt
2.1%$47.7M
Hospitals
1.3%$27.8M
Highways & Roads
0.9%$18.9M
Sewerage
0.7%$14.8M

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
15.1%$89.8M
Income Tax
41.0%$244.3M
Intergovernmental
100.0%$595.5M
Charges & Fees
43.2%$257.6M
Other
51.9%$309.4M

Per Capita Spending by Department

Fire Protection$644/person
Highways & Roads$132/person
Parks & Recreation$1,706/person
Health$375/person

Score Breakdown

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

Debt Overview

Total Debt$29.0M
Long-Term Debt$142K
Debt Per Capita$203
Cash & Securities$26.5M

Compare Cities

See how McAllen 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 McAllen 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

McAllen, TX spends $15,551 per resident, based on total expenditures of $2.2B for a population of 142,722. The city has a Fiscal Health Score of C (58/100).

McAllen, TX has total expenditures of $2.2B and total revenue of $595.5M. The city carries $29.0M in total debt, based on Census Bureau data from 2023.

McAllen, 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.

McAllen, TX has a Fiscal Health Score of C (58/100). 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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