Palo Alto, CA
Population: 67,901 (2022) · Small Cities (50K–100K)
Below average — significant fiscal challenges in multiple areas
Spending Breakdown
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
Per Capita Spending by Department
Score Breakdown
Debt Overview
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Frequently Asked Questions
Palo Alto, CA spends $40,221 per resident, based on total expenditures of $2.7B for a population of 67,901. The city has a Fiscal Health Score of D (35/100).
Palo Alto, CA has total expenditures of $2.7B and total revenue of $4.5B. The city carries $85.6M in total debt, based on Census Bureau data from 2023.
Palo Alto, 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.
Palo Alto, CA 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.