Ames, IA vs Council Bluffs, IA
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Ames, IA outspends Council Bluffs, IA by a wide margin per resident — $44,915 versus $17,662, a 154% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Council Bluffs, IA holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 43/100 (grade D) against 34/100 (grade F) for Ames, IA — a 9-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, Ames, IA carries the lighter load at $680 per resident versus $994 for Council Bluffs, IA. Their budgets diverge on where the largest per-resident dollars go: Ames, IA leads with health at $765 per resident, while Council Bluffs, IA leads with parks and recreation at $1,587.
They also fund themselves differently: intergovernmental transfers is the largest single revenue source in Ames, IA at 10% of total revenue, whereas Council Bluffs, IA relies most on other revenue at 24%.
Summary
Ames spends 154.3% more per capita than Council Bluffs ($27,253/person difference). Council Bluffs, IA has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (D, 43/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $5 | $0 |
| Sales Tax | $413 | $234 |
| Income Tax | $648 | $1,036 |
| Intergovernmental | $3,359 | $383 |
| Charges & Fees | $1,979 | $2,374 |
| Other | $2,187 | $3,427 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $155 | $850 |
| Highways & Roads | $61 | $373 |
| Education | $41 | $0 |
| Public Welfare | $3,950 | $1,494 |
| Health | $765 | $562 |
| Hospitals | $83 | $138 |
| Parks & Recreation | $648 | $1,587 |
| Housing | $1,535 | $3,385 |
| Sewerage | $268 | $181 |
| Utilities | $2,103 | $3,119 |
| Interest on Debt | $1,924 | $278 |
| General Admin | $30,834 | $0 |
| Other | $2,548 | $5,695 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.