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

Vancouver, WA

Population: 190,700 (2022) · Mid-Size Cities (100K–250K)

D
45/100

Below average — significant fiscal challenges in multiple areas

Total Spending
$2.6B
Per Capita
$13,434
Total Revenue
$1.1B
Total Debt
$165.1M

Spending Breakdown

Other
34.3%$880.0M
Housing & Community Development
26.8%$685.3M
Utilities
18.5%$473.1M
Public Welfare
7.2%$184.7M
Parks & Recreation
6.5%$166.1M
Hospitals
4.9%$126.0M
Sewerage
1.8%$46.0M
Education
0.0%$622K

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
0.5%$5.9M
Sales Tax
8.0%$86.9M
Income Tax
2.4%$26.7M
Intergovernmental
2.5%$27.0M
Charges & Fees
46.2%$503.6M
Other
113.8%$1.2B

Per Capita Spending by Department

Parks & Recreation$871/person
Education$3/person

Score Breakdown

Budget Balance & Reserves (25%)1/100
Debt Burden (20%)46/100
Pension Funding (20%)76/100
Spending Efficiency (15%)100/100
Revenue Diversity (10%)0/100
Trend Direction (10%)50/100

Debt Overview

Total Debt$165.1M
Long-Term Debt$176.2M
Debt Per Capita$866
Cash & Securities$1.2M

Compare Cities

See how Vancouver stacks up against another city.

vs Seattle, WAvs Spokane, WAvs Tacoma, WA
Data source: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances (2023). Population from American Community Survey.

Other Cities in Washington

Seattle, WA

Pop. 735K

C
Total Spending
$25.3B
Per Capita
$34,463

Spokane, WA

Pop. 228K

B
Total Spending
$3.7B
Per Capita
$16,224

Tacoma, WA

Pop. 219K

C
Total Spending
$5.2B
Per Capita
$23,896

Bellevue, WA

Pop. 151K

C
Total Spending
$3.3B
Per Capita
$22,065

Compare Vancouver With

Seattle, WA

Spending: $34,463/person · Grade: C

Spokane, WA

Spending: $16,224/person · Grade: B

Tacoma, WA

Spending: $23,896/person · Grade: C

Bellevue, WA

Spending: $22,065/person · Grade: C

Frequently Asked Questions

Vancouver, WA spends $13,434 per resident, based on total expenditures of $2.6B for a population of 190,700. The city has a Fiscal Health Score of D (45/100).

Vancouver, WA has total expenditures of $2.6B and total revenue of $1.1B. The city carries $165.1M in total debt, based on Census Bureau data from 2023.

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

Vancouver, WA 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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