Albuquerque, NM vs Wichita, KS
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Albuquerque, NM outspends Wichita, KS by a wide margin per resident — $17,237 versus $7,986, a 116% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Wichita, KS holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 90/100 (grade A) against 81/100 (grade A) for Albuquerque, NM — a 9-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, Wichita, KS carries the lighter load at $132 per resident versus $613 for Albuquerque, NM. Both cities pour the most per-resident dollars into the same function: parks and recreation leads in Albuquerque, NM at $1,990 per resident and in Wichita, KS at $874.
They also fund themselves differently: charges and fees is the largest single revenue source in Albuquerque, NM at 11% of total revenue, whereas Wichita, KS relies most on intergovernmental transfers at 14%.
Summary
Albuquerque spends 115.8% more per capita than Wichita ($9,251/person difference). Wichita, KS has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (A, 90/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $36 | $0 |
| Sales Tax | $355 | $246 |
| Income Tax | $1,580 | $57 |
| Intergovernmental | $1,897 | $3,895 |
| Charges & Fees | $2,633 | $3,193 |
| Other | $2,174 | $2,783 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $440 | $152 |
| Highways & Roads | $172 | $126 |
| Education | $0 | $2 |
| Public Welfare | $419 | $441 |
| Health | $291 | $254 |
| Hospitals | $328 | $113 |
| Parks & Recreation | $1,990 | $874 |
| Housing | $4,080 | $2,618 |
| Utilities | $5,212 | $1,225 |
| Interest on Debt | $1,096 | $70 |
| Other | $3,209 | $2,111 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.