Austin, TX vs Boston, MA
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Boston, MA outspends Austin, TX by a wide margin per resident — $72,299 versus $21,772, a 232% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Austin, TX holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 75/100 (grade B) against 56/100 (grade C) for Boston, MA — a 19-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, Boston, MA carries the lighter load at $445 per resident versus $1,229 for Austin, TX. Their budgets diverge on where the largest per-resident dollars go: Austin, TX leads with parks and recreation at $1,801 per resident, while Boston, MA leads with education at $30,742.
On the revenue side both lean hardest on intergovernmental transfers — 18% of total revenue in Austin, TX and 17% in Boston, MA.
Summary
Boston spends 69.9% more per capita than Austin ($50,527/person difference). Austin, TX has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (B, 75/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Sales Tax | $526 | $78 |
| Income Tax | $1,465 | $0 |
| Intergovernmental | $14,031 | $5,357 |
| Charges & Fees | $3,247 | $2,784 |
| Other | $5,645 | $4,557 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $634 | $1,107 |
| Highways & Roads | $0 | $594 |
| Education | $51 | $30,742 |
| Public Welfare | $1,837 | $1,110 |
| Health | $517 | $725 |
| Hospitals | $664 | $2,584 |
| Parks & Recreation | $1,801 | $711 |
| Housing | $3,741 | $6,614 |
| Sewerage | $865 | $355 |
| Utilities | $3,264 | $3,402 |
| General Admin | $0 | $5,401 |
| Other | $8,399 | $18,955 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.