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

South Bend, IN

Population: 103,084 (2022) · Mid-Size Cities (100K–250K)

D
48/100

Below average — significant fiscal challenges in multiple areas

Total Spending
$3.7B
Per Capita
$35,719
Total Revenue
$1.9B
Total Debt
$29.7M

Spending Breakdown

Other
65.7%$2.4B
Housing & Community Development
7.1%$259.7M
Fire Protection
5.9%$216.5M
Parks & Recreation
5.5%$203.4M
Utilities
5.3%$196.8M
Public Welfare
4.2%$155.6M
Interest on Debt
3.0%$112.2M
Hospitals
2.2%$82.4M
Sewerage
1.0%$35.9M
Highways & Roads
0.0%$232K

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

Property Tax
0.1%$1.1M
Sales Tax
4.2%$78.2M
Income Tax
5.2%$98.4M
Intergovernmental
100.0%$1.9B
Charges & Fees
15.2%$286.0M
Other
36.2%$683.0M

Per Capita Spending by Department

Fire Protection$2,100/person
Highways & Roads$2/person
Parks & Recreation$1,973/person

Score Breakdown

Budget Balance & Reserves (25%)33/100
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

Debt Overview

Total Debt$29.7M
Long-Term Debt$4.9M
Debt Per Capita$288
Cash & Securities$73.6M

Compare Cities

See how South Bend stacks up against another city.

vs Indianapolis city (balance), INvs Fort Wayne, INvs Evansville, IN
Data source: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances (2023). Population from American Community Survey.

Other Cities in Indiana

Indianapolis city (balance), IN

Pop. 882K

B
Total Spending
$40.6B
Per Capita
$46,045

Fort Wayne, IN

Pop. 265K

A
Total Spending
$2.8B
Per Capita
$10,590

Evansville, IN

Pop. 117K

B
Total Spending
$1.7B
Per Capita
$14,467

Carmel, IN

Pop. 99K

C
Total Spending
$1.6B
Per Capita
$16,389

Compare South Bend With

Indianapolis city (balance), IN

Spending: $46,045/person · Grade: B

Fort Wayne, IN

Spending: $10,590/person · Grade: A

Evansville, IN

Spending: $14,467/person · Grade: B

Carmel, IN

Spending: $16,389/person · Grade: C

Frequently Asked Questions

South Bend, IN spends $35,719 per resident, based on total expenditures of $3.7B for a population of 103,084. The city has a Fiscal Health Score of D (48/100).

South Bend, IN has total expenditures of $3.7B and total revenue of $1.9B. The city carries $29.7M in total debt, based on Census Bureau data from 2023.

South Bend, IN employs 0 government workers, of which 0 are full-time. The average government salary is $0, with 0.0 employees per 10,000 residents.

South Bend, IN has a Fiscal Health Score of D (48/100). 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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