Austin, TX vs Arlington, TX
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Austin, TX outspends Arlington, TX by a wide margin per resident — $21,772 versus $11,769, a 85% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Arlington, TX holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 83/100 (grade A) against 75/100 (grade B) for Austin, TX — a 8-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, Arlington, TX carries the lighter load at $594 per resident versus $1,229 for Austin, TX. Both cities pour the most per-resident dollars into the same function: parks and recreation leads in Austin, TX at $1,801 per resident and in Arlington, TX at $1,352.
On the revenue side both lean hardest on intergovernmental transfers — 18% of total revenue in Austin, TX and 41% in Arlington, TX.
Summary
Austin spends 85.0% more per capita than Arlington ($10,003/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)
| Sales Tax | $526 | $507 |
| Income Tax | $1,465 | $73 |
| Intergovernmental | $14,031 | $25,062 |
| Charges & Fees | $3,247 | $2,949 |
| Other | $5,645 | $3,897 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $634 | $160 |
| Highways & Roads | $0 | $149 |
| Education | $51 | $0 |
| Public Welfare | $1,837 | $826 |
| Health | $517 | $219 |
| Hospitals | $664 | $152 |
| Parks & Recreation | $1,801 | $1,352 |
| Housing | $3,741 | $2,981 |
| Sewerage | $865 | $141 |
| Utilities | $3,264 | $1,385 |
| Other | $8,399 | $4,404 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.