Arlington, TX vs Bakersfield, CA
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Arlington, TX and Bakersfield, CA spend within 1.7% of each other per resident — $11,769 versus $11,576 — so on the headline spending-per-capita measure the two cities are effectively neck and neck.
Arlington, TX holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 83/100 (grade A) against 56/100 (grade C) for Bakersfield, CA — a 27-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
Bakersfield, CA reports no outstanding debt per resident in its Census filing, while Arlington, TX carries $594 per resident. Both cities pour the most per-resident dollars into the same function: parks and recreation leads in Arlington, TX at $1,352 per resident and in Bakersfield, CA at $741.
On the revenue side both lean hardest on intergovernmental transfers — 41% of total revenue in Arlington, TX and 100% in Bakersfield, CA.
Summary
Arlington spends 1.7% more per capita than Bakersfield ($193/person difference). Arlington, TX has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (A, 83/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $0 | $1 |
| Sales Tax | $507 | $20 |
| Income Tax | $73 | $1,909 |
| Intergovernmental | $25,062 | $3,862 |
| Charges & Fees | $2,949 | $1,024 |
| Other | $3,897 | $1,915 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $160 | $0 |
| Highways & Roads | $149 | $0 |
| Public Welfare | $826 | $840 |
| Health | $219 | $0 |
| Hospitals | $152 | $425 |
| Parks & Recreation | $1,352 | $741 |
| Housing | $2,981 | $3,391 |
| Sewerage | $141 | $265 |
| Utilities | $1,385 | $2,679 |
| Other | $4,404 | $3,234 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.