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

Modesto, CA

Population: 218,308 (2022) · Mid-Size Cities (100K–250K)

B
75/100

Good fiscal health — above-average across most metrics

Total Spending
$2.9B
Per Capita
$13,306
Total Revenue
$3.7B
Total Debt
$0

Spending Breakdown

Other
34.7%$1.0B
Housing & Community Development
23.4%$680.6M
Utilities
22.7%$660.0M
Public Welfare
6.4%$186.4M
Parks & Recreation
6.2%$180.0M
Hospitals
5.4%$156.7M
Sewerage
1.1%$32.3M

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
1.6%$60.5M
Income Tax
4.2%$156.2M
Intergovernmental
100.0%$3.7B
Charges & Fees
21.9%$819.2M
Other
28.3%$1.1B

Per Capita Spending by Department

Parks & Recreation$825/person

Score Breakdown

Budget Balance & Reserves (25%)78/100
Debt Burden (20%)100/100
Pension Funding (20%)76/100
Spending Efficiency (15%)100/100
Revenue Diversity (10%)0/100
Trend Direction (10%)50/100

Compare Cities

See how Modesto stacks up against another city.

vs Los Angeles, CAvs San Diego, CAvs San Jose, 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

Los Angeles, CA

Pop. 3.9M

D
Total Spending
$331.6B
Per Capita
$85,432

San Diego, CA

Pop. 1.4M

C
Total Spending
$59.9B
Per Capita
$43,306

San Jose, CA

Pop. 1.0M

A
Total Spending
$18.0B
Per Capita
$17,934

San Francisco, CA

Pop. 851K

D
Total Spending
$156.7B
Per Capita
$184,131

Compare Modesto With

Los Angeles, CA

Spending: $85,432/person · Grade: D

San Diego, CA

Spending: $43,306/person · Grade: C

San Jose, CA

Spending: $17,934/person · Grade: A

San Francisco, CA

Spending: $184,131/person · Grade: D

Frequently Asked Questions

Modesto, CA spends $13,306 per resident, based on total expenditures of $2.9B for a population of 218,308. The city has a Fiscal Health Score of B (75/100).

Modesto, CA has total expenditures of $2.9B and total revenue of $3.7B. The city carries $0 in total debt, based on Census Bureau data from 2023.

Modesto, 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.

Modesto, CA has a Fiscal Health Score of B (75/100). 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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