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

Tuscaloosa, AL

Population: 105,797 (2022) · Mid-Size Cities (100K–250K)

C
55/100

Average fiscal health — some areas of concern

Total Spending
$1.2B
Per Capita
$10,894
Total Revenue
$0
Total Debt
$0

Spending Breakdown

Other
29.9%$344.1M
Public Welfare
22.2%$255.9M
Housing & Community Development
17.6%$202.8M
Police
11.6%$133.3M
Fire Protection
9.6%$110.4M
Health
5.0%$57.2M
Parks & Recreation
3.4%$39.7M
Utilities
0.8%$9.3M

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.

Per Capita Spending by Department

Police$1,260/person
Fire Protection$1,043/person
Parks & Recreation$375/person
Health$540/person

Score Breakdown

Budget Balance & Reserves (25%)0/100
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 Tuscaloosa stacks up against another city.

vs Huntsville, ALvs Birmingham, ALvs Montgomery, AL
Data source: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances (2023). Population from American Community Survey.

Other Cities in Alabama

Huntsville, AL

Pop. 215K

C
Total Spending
$3.4B
Per Capita
$16,033

Birmingham, AL

Pop. 200K

C
Total Spending
$6.2B
Per Capita
$30,790

Montgomery, AL

Pop. 200K

C
Total Spending
$946.6M
Per Capita
$4,738

Mobile, AL

Pop. 186K

C
Total Spending
$2.9B
Per Capita
$15,777

Compare Tuscaloosa With

Huntsville, AL

Spending: $16,033/person · Grade: C

Birmingham, AL

Spending: $30,790/person · Grade: C

Montgomery, AL

Spending: $4,738/person · Grade: C

Mobile, AL

Spending: $15,777/person · Grade: C

Frequently Asked Questions

Tuscaloosa, AL spends $10,894 per resident, based on total expenditures of $1.2B for a population of 105,797. The city has a Fiscal Health Score of C (55/100).

Tuscaloosa, AL has total expenditures of $1.2B and total revenue of $0. The city carries $0 in total debt, based on Census Bureau data from 2023.

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

Tuscaloosa, AL has a Fiscal Health Score of C (55/100). 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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