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

Waco, TX

Population: 140,545 (2022) · Mid-Size Cities (100K–250K)

B
68/100

Good fiscal health — above-average across most metrics

Total Spending
$2.5B
Per Capita
$17,963
Total Revenue
$18.7B
Total Debt
$141.1M

Spending Breakdown

Other
31.5%$795.4M
Utilities
19.9%$503.0M
Housing & Community Development
19.2%$483.9M
Parks & Recreation
12.7%$321.2M
Public Welfare
5.2%$131.9M
Interest on Debt
3.1%$78.1M
Hospitals
2.6%$65.7M
Highways & Roads
2.0%$50.4M
Health
1.7%$42.5M
Sewerage
1.1%$28.1M
Fire Protection
1.0%$24.3M

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.

Revenue Sources

Sales Tax
0.5%$92.0M
Income Tax
1.5%$276.6M
Intergovernmental
6.5%$1.2B
Charges & Fees
3.2%$604.7M
Other
2.8%$529.8M

Per Capita Spending by Department

Fire Protection$173/person
Highways & Roads$358/person
Parks & Recreation$2,286/person
Health$303/person

Score Breakdown

Budget Balance & Reserves (25%)85/100
Debt Burden (20%)29/100
Pension Funding (20%)76/100
Spending Efficiency (15%)74/100
Revenue Diversity (10%)100/100
Trend Direction (10%)50/100

Debt Overview

Total Debt$141.1M
Long-Term Debt$260.1M
Debt Per Capita$1,004
Cash & Securities$52.6M

Compare Cities

See how Waco stacks up against another city.

vs Houston, TXvs San Antonio, TXvs Dallas, TX
Data source: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances (2023). Population from American Community Survey.

Other Cities in Texas

Houston, TX

Pop. 2.3M

A
Total Spending
$33.1B
Per Capita
$14,400

San Antonio, TX

Pop. 1.4M

B
Total Spending
$24.5B
Per Capita
$16,943

Dallas, TX

Pop. 1.3M

C
Total Spending
$45.3B
Per Capita
$34,849

Austin, TX

Pop. 958K

B
Total Spending
$20.9B
Per Capita
$21,772

Compare Waco With

Houston, TX

Spending: $14,400/person · Grade: A

San Antonio, TX

Spending: $16,943/person · Grade: B

Dallas, TX

Spending: $34,849/person · Grade: C

Austin, TX

Spending: $21,772/person · Grade: B

Frequently Asked Questions

Waco, TX spends $17,963 per resident, based on total expenditures of $2.5B for a population of 140,545. The city has a Fiscal Health Score of B (68/100).

Waco, TX has total expenditures of $2.5B and total revenue of $18.7B. The city carries $141.1M in total debt, based on Census Bureau data from 2023.

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

Waco, TX has a Fiscal Health Score of B (68/100). 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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