Ames, IA vs Cedar Rapids, IA
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Ames, IA outspends Cedar Rapids, IA by a wide margin per resident — $44,915 versus $23,973, a 87% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Cedar Rapids, IA holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 53/100 (grade C) against 34/100 (grade F) for Ames, IA — a 19-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, Ames, IA carries the lighter load at $680 per resident versus $1,391 for Cedar Rapids, IA. Their budgets diverge on where the largest per-resident dollars go: Ames, IA leads with health at $765 per resident, while Cedar Rapids, IA leads with parks and recreation at $1,165.
On the revenue side both lean hardest on intergovernmental transfers — 10% of total revenue in Ames, IA and 16% in Cedar Rapids, IA.
Summary
Ames spends 87.4% more per capita than Cedar Rapids ($20,942/person difference). Cedar Rapids, IA has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (C, 53/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $5 | $8 |
| Sales Tax | $413 | $2,450 |
| Income Tax | $648 | $1,513 |
| Intergovernmental | $3,359 | $5,898 |
| Charges & Fees | $1,979 | $3,261 |
| Other | $2,187 | $4,807 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $155 | $466 |
| Highways & Roads | $61 | $102 |
| Education | $41 | $0 |
| Public Welfare | $3,950 | $1,987 |
| Health | $765 | $567 |
| Hospitals | $83 | $612 |
| Parks & Recreation | $648 | $1,165 |
| Housing | $1,535 | $4,126 |
| Sewerage | $268 | $314 |
| Utilities | $2,103 | $4,004 |
| Interest on Debt | $1,924 | $737 |
| General Admin | $30,834 | $0 |
| Other | $2,548 | $9,894 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.