Ankeny, IA vs Waterloo, IA
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Waterloo, IA outspends Ankeny, IA by a wide margin per resident — $17,802 versus $9,971, a 79% 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 61/100 (grade C) for Ankeny, IA — a 10-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, Waterloo, IA carries the lighter load at $605 per resident versus $1,314 for Ankeny, IA. Both cities pour the most per-resident dollars into the same function: parks and recreation leads in Ankeny, IA at $1,069 per resident and in Waterloo, IA at $1,325.
On the revenue side both lean hardest on other revenue — 18% of total revenue in Ankeny, IA and 17% in Waterloo, IA.
Summary
Waterloo spends 44.0% more per capita than Ankeny ($7,832/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 | $0 | $59 |
| Sales Tax | $527 | $677 |
| Income Tax | $0 | $920 |
| Intergovernmental | $3,337 | $2,021 |
| Charges & Fees | $2,633 | $1,614 |
| Other | $3,353 | $3,969 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $146 | $223 |
| Highways & Roads | $10 | $108 |
| Education | $0 | $10 |
| Public Welfare | $957 | $2,637 |
| Health | $379 | $431 |
| Hospitals | $4 | $1,864 |
| Parks & Recreation | $1,069 | $1,325 |
| Housing | $2,088 | $3,169 |
| Sewerage | $313 | $205 |
| Utilities | $1,853 | $1,874 |
| Other | $3,151 | $5,957 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.