Ames, IA vs Waterloo, IA
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Ames, IA outspends Waterloo, IA by a wide margin per resident — $44,915 versus $17,802, a 152% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Waterloo, IA holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 71/100 (grade B) against 34/100 (grade F) for Ames, IA — a 37-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, Waterloo, IA carries the lighter load at $605 per resident versus $680 for Ames, IA. Their budgets diverge on where the largest per-resident dollars go: Ames, IA leads with health at $765 per resident, while Waterloo, IA leads with parks and recreation at $1,325.
They also fund themselves differently: intergovernmental transfers is the largest single revenue source in Ames, IA at 10% of total revenue, whereas Waterloo, IA relies most on other revenue at 17%.
Summary
Ames spends 152.3% more per capita than Waterloo ($27,113/person difference). Waterloo, IA has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (B, 71/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $5 | $59 |
| Sales Tax | $413 | $677 |
| Income Tax | $648 | $920 |
| Intergovernmental | $3,359 | $2,021 |
| Charges & Fees | $1,979 | $1,614 |
| Other | $2,187 | $3,969 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $155 | $223 |
| Highways & Roads | $61 | $108 |
| Education | $41 | $10 |
| Public Welfare | $3,950 | $2,637 |
| Health | $765 | $431 |
| Hospitals | $83 | $1,864 |
| Parks & Recreation | $648 | $1,325 |
| Housing | $1,535 | $3,169 |
| Sewerage | $268 | $205 |
| Utilities | $2,103 | $1,874 |
| Interest on Debt | $1,924 | $0 |
| General Admin | $30,834 | $0 |
| Other | $2,548 | $5,957 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.