Austin, TX vs Colorado Springs, CO
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Austin, TX outspends Colorado Springs, CO by a wide margin per resident — $21,772 versus $13,222, a 65% 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 59/100 (grade C) for Colorado Springs, CO — a 16-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, Austin, TX carries the lighter load at $1,229 per resident versus $3,063 for Colorado Springs, CO. Their budgets diverge on where the largest per-resident dollars go: Austin, TX leads with parks and recreation at $1,801 per resident, while Colorado Springs, CO leads with fire protection at $1,266.
On the revenue side both lean hardest on intergovernmental transfers — 18% of total revenue in Austin, TX and 13% in Colorado Springs, CO.
Summary
Austin spends 64.7% more per capita than Colorado Springs ($8,550/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 | $257 |
| Income Tax | $1,465 | $0 |
| Intergovernmental | $14,031 | $6,902 |
| Charges & Fees | $3,247 | $5,676 |
| Other | $5,645 | $2,678 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $634 | $1,266 |
| Education | $51 | $0 |
| Public Welfare | $1,837 | $575 |
| Health | $517 | $0 |
| Hospitals | $664 | $416 |
| Parks & Recreation | $1,801 | $376 |
| Housing | $3,741 | $2,713 |
| Sewerage | $865 | $0 |
| Utilities | $3,264 | $2,566 |
| Interest on Debt | $0 | $190 |
| Other | $8,399 | $5,120 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.