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

Waukesha, WI

Population: 70,945 (2022) · Small Cities (50K–100K)

C
53/100

Average fiscal health — some areas of concern

Total Spending
$2.7B
Per Capita
$38,315
Total Revenue
$851.5M
Total Debt
$0

Spending Breakdown

Other
49.6%$1.3B
Utilities
15.9%$433.2M
Housing & Community Development
12.4%$337.4M
Police
7.6%$207.7M
Parks & Recreation
4.4%$119.0M
Highways & Roads
3.1%$85.4M
Public Welfare
3.1%$84.1M
Fire Protection
2.2%$60.7M
Health
1.4%$37.1M
Interest on Debt
0.2%$6.2M

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
0.0%$52K
Sales Tax
7.4%$63.2M
Intergovernmental
27.1%$230.5M
Other
19.9%$169.5M

Per Capita Spending by Department

Police$2,927/person
Fire Protection$856/person
Highways & Roads$1,204/person
Parks & Recreation$1,677/person
Health$523/person

Score Breakdown

Budget Balance & Reserves (25%)13/100
Debt Burden (20%)100/100
Pension Funding (20%)76/100
Spending Efficiency (15%)0/100
Revenue Diversity (10%)100/100
Trend Direction (10%)50/100

Compare Cities

See how Waukesha stacks up against another city.

vs Milwaukee, WIvs Madison, WIvs Green Bay, WI
Data source: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances (2023). Population from American Community Survey.

Other Cities in Wisconsin

Milwaukee, WI

Pop. 573K

C
Total Spending
$11.1B
Per Capita
$19,417

Madison, WI

Pop. 269K

A
Total Spending
$5.9B
Per Capita
$21,859

Green Bay, WI

Pop. 107K

B
Total Spending
$1.6B
Per Capita
$14,610

Kenosha, WI

Pop. 99K

B
Total Spending
$1.9B
Per Capita
$19,120

Compare Waukesha With

Milwaukee, WI

Spending: $19,417/person · Grade: C

Madison, WI

Spending: $21,859/person · Grade: A

Green Bay, WI

Spending: $14,610/person · Grade: B

Kenosha, WI

Spending: $19,120/person · Grade: B

Frequently Asked Questions

Waukesha, WI spends $38,315 per resident, based on total expenditures of $2.7B for a population of 70,945. The city has a Fiscal Health Score of C (53/100).

Waukesha, WI has total expenditures of $2.7B and total revenue of $851.5M. The city carries $0 in total debt, based on Census Bureau data from 2023.

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

Waukesha, WI has a Fiscal Health Score of C (53/100). 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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