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

Waterbury, CT

Population: 114,480 (2022) · Mid-Size Cities (100K–250K)

D
41/100

Below average — significant fiscal challenges in multiple areas

Total Spending
$6.3B
Per Capita
$55,426
Total Revenue
$4.8B
Total Debt
$12.3M

Spending Breakdown

Education
61.2%$3.9B
Other
21.8%$1.4B
Housing & Community Development
6.5%$415.2M
Fire Protection
4.4%$279.2M
Public Welfare
3.2%$202.4M
Utilities
1.6%$99.5M
Hospitals
0.6%$35.8M
Health
0.3%$19.8M
Parks & Recreation
0.3%$18.5M
Sewerage
0.1%$8.4M

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
0.6%$28.7M
Income Tax
0.0%$392K
Intergovernmental
100.0%$4.8B
Charges & Fees
3.0%$143.0M
Other
5.9%$284.5M

Per Capita Spending by Department

Fire Protection$2,439/person
Parks & Recreation$161/person
Education$33,920/person
Health$173/person

Score Breakdown

Budget Balance & Reserves (25%)2/100
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$12.3M
Long-Term Debt$0
Debt Per Capita$108
Cash & Securities$3.2M

Compare Cities

See how Waterbury stacks up against another city.

vs Bridgeport, CTvs New Haven, CTvs Stamford, CT
Data source: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances (2023). Population from American Community Survey.

Other Cities in Connecticut

Bridgeport, CT

Pop. 148K

B
Total Spending
$7.1B
Per Capita
$48,031

New Haven, CT

Pop. 136K

C
Total Spending
$9.0B
Per Capita
$66,510

Stamford, CT

Pop. 135K

C
Total Spending
$7.1B
Per Capita
$52,355

Hartford, CT

Pop. 121K

C
Total Spending
$9.3B
Per Capita
$76,660

Compare Waterbury With

Bridgeport, CT

Spending: $48,031/person · Grade: B

New Haven, CT

Spending: $66,510/person · Grade: C

Stamford, CT

Spending: $52,355/person · Grade: C

Hartford, CT

Spending: $76,660/person · Grade: C

Frequently Asked Questions

Waterbury, CT spends $55,426 per resident, based on total expenditures of $6.3B for a population of 114,480. The city has a Fiscal Health Score of D (41/100).

Waterbury, CT has total expenditures of $6.3B and total revenue of $4.8B. The city carries $12.3M in total debt, based on Census Bureau data from 2023.

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

Waterbury, CT has a Fiscal Health Score of D (41/100). 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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