Atlanta, GA vs Kansas City, MO
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Atlanta, GA and Kansas City, MO spend within 11.6% of each other per resident — $25,457 versus $22,820 — so on the headline spending-per-capita measure the two cities are effectively neck and neck.
Atlanta, GA holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 85/100 (grade A) against 52/100 (grade C) for Kansas City, MO — a 33-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 Kansas City, MO at $1,309.
They also fund themselves differently: intergovernmental transfers is the largest single revenue source in Atlanta, GA at 6% of total revenue, whereas Kansas City, MO relies most on other revenue at 835%.
Summary
Atlanta spends 11.6% more per capita than Kansas City ($2,637/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 | $0 |
| Sales Tax | $0 | $623 |
| Income Tax | $1,292 | $0 |
| Intergovernmental | $9,121 | $7 |
| Charges & Fees | $5,645 | $3,794 |
| Other | $5,461 | $11,150 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $315 | $0 |
| Fire Protection | $464 | $119 |
| Highways & Roads | $513 | $0 |
| Education | $25 | $0 |
| Public Welfare | $1,587 | $3,018 |
| Hospitals | $55 | $1,849 |
| Parks & Recreation | $1,274 | $1,309 |
| Housing | $4,594 | $4,681 |
| Sewerage | $343 | $0 |
| Utilities | $8,026 | $3,123 |
| Other | $8,262 | $8,721 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.