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

Santa Monica, CA

Population: 92,168 (2022) · Small Cities (50K–100K)

D
45/100

Below average — significant fiscal challenges in multiple areas

Total Spending
$7.4B
Per Capita
$79,891
Total Revenue
$6.0B
Total Debt
$0

Spending Breakdown

Other
28.7%$2.1B
Interest on Debt
21.1%$1.6B
Housing & Community Development
15.2%$1.1B
Hospitals
9.1%$668.8M
Utilities
8.1%$597.0M
Parks & Recreation
8.0%$591.6M
Public Welfare
3.8%$277.5M
Sewerage
2.7%$199.3M
Fire Protection
1.5%$113.7M
Health
1.4%$101.0M
Education
0.4%$27.4M

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
8.8%$530.0M
Income Tax
4.8%$290.3M
Intergovernmental
100.0%$6.0B
Charges & Fees
6.2%$372.9M
Other
12.4%$748.1M

Per Capita Spending by Department

Fire Protection$1,233/person
Parks & Recreation$6,419/person
Education$297/person
Health$1,096/person

Score Breakdown

Budget Balance & Reserves (25%)19/100
Debt Burden (20%)100/100
Pension Funding (20%)76/100
Spending Efficiency (15%)0/100
Revenue Diversity (10%)0/100
Trend Direction (10%)50/100

Compare Cities

See how Santa Monica 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 Santa Monica 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

Santa Monica, CA spends $79,891 per resident, based on total expenditures of $7.4B for a population of 92,168. The city has a Fiscal Health Score of D (45/100).

Santa Monica, CA has total expenditures of $7.4B and total revenue of $6.0B. The city carries $0 in total debt, based on Census Bureau data from 2023.

Santa Monica, 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.

Santa Monica, CA has a Fiscal Health Score of D (45/100). 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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