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

Mesquite, TX

Population: 149,439 (2022) · Mid-Size Cities (100K–250K)

B
72/100

Good fiscal health — above-average across most metrics

Total Spending
$1.9B
Per Capita
$12,966
Total Revenue
$3.5B
Total Debt
$140.2M

Spending Breakdown

Other
26.4%$510.7M
Utilities
23.4%$452.5M
Housing & Community Development
23.2%$449.3M
Hospitals
10.4%$200.7M
Parks & Recreation
6.3%$121.4M
Public Welfare
3.5%$67.4M
Fire Protection
2.7%$51.5M
Highways & Roads
1.7%$33.2M
Sewerage
1.3%$26.1M
Health
1.3%$24.9M

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
0.9%$30.4M
Income Tax
3.5%$120.9M
Intergovernmental
23.7%$826.5M
Charges & Fees
13.1%$457.2M
Other
14.4%$502.8M

Per Capita Spending by Department

Fire Protection$345/person
Highways & Roads$222/person
Parks & Recreation$812/person
Health$167/person

Score Breakdown

Budget Balance & Reserves (25%)79/100
Debt Burden (20%)37/100
Pension Funding (20%)76/100
Spending Efficiency (15%)100/100
Revenue Diversity (10%)100/100
Trend Direction (10%)50/100

Debt Overview

Total Debt$140.2M
Long-Term Debt$164.0M
Debt Per Capita$938
Cash & Securities$34.0M

Compare Cities

See how Mesquite 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 Mesquite 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

Mesquite, TX spends $12,966 per resident, based on total expenditures of $1.9B for a population of 149,439. The city has a Fiscal Health Score of B (72/100).

Mesquite, TX has total expenditures of $1.9B and total revenue of $3.5B. The city carries $140.2M in total debt, based on Census Bureau data from 2023.

Mesquite, 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.

Mesquite, TX has a Fiscal Health Score of B (72/100). 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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