Atlanta, GA vs Bakersfield, CA
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Atlanta, GA outspends Bakersfield, CA by a wide margin per resident — $25,457 versus $11,576, a 120% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Atlanta, GA holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 85/100 (grade A) against 56/100 (grade C) for Bakersfield, CA — a 29-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
Neither city reports outstanding debt per resident in its current Census filing, which removes debt service as a point of difference between them. Both cities pour the most per-resident dollars into the same function: parks and recreation leads in Atlanta, GA at $1,274 per resident and in Bakersfield, CA at $741.
On the revenue side both lean hardest on intergovernmental transfers — 6% of total revenue in Atlanta, GA and 100% in Bakersfield, CA.
Summary
Atlanta spends 119.9% more per capita than Bakersfield ($13,881/person difference). Atlanta, GA has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (A, 85/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $419 | $1 |
| Sales Tax | $0 | $20 |
| Income Tax | $1,292 | $1,909 |
| Intergovernmental | $9,121 | $3,862 |
| Charges & Fees | $5,645 | $1,024 |
| Other | $5,461 | $1,915 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $315 | $0 |
| Fire Protection | $464 | $0 |
| Highways & Roads | $513 | $0 |
| Education | $25 | $0 |
| Public Welfare | $1,587 | $840 |
| Hospitals | $55 | $425 |
| Parks & Recreation | $1,274 | $741 |
| Housing | $4,594 | $3,391 |
| Sewerage | $343 | $265 |
| Utilities | $8,026 | $2,679 |
| Other | $8,262 | $3,234 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.