Austin, TX vs El Paso, TX
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
El Paso, TX and Austin, TX spend within 11.4% of each other per resident — $24,259 versus $21,772 — so on the headline spending-per-capita measure the two cities are effectively neck and neck.
Austin, TX holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 75/100 (grade B) against 61/100 (grade C) for El Paso, TX — a 14-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
El Paso, TX reports no outstanding debt per resident in its Census filing, while Austin, TX carries $1,229 per resident. Their budgets diverge on where the largest per-resident dollars go: Austin, TX leads with parks and recreation at $1,801 per resident, while El Paso, TX leads with police at $1,159.
On the revenue side both lean hardest on intergovernmental transfers — 18% of total revenue in Austin, TX and 10% in El Paso, TX.
Summary
El Paso spends 10.3% more per capita than Austin ($2,487/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 | $65 |
| Income Tax | $1,465 | $12 |
| Intergovernmental | $14,031 | $690 |
| Charges & Fees | $3,247 | $31 |
| Other | $5,645 | $550 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $0 | $1,159 |
| Fire Protection | $634 | $233 |
| Highways & Roads | $0 | $83 |
| Education | $51 | $0 |
| Public Welfare | $1,837 | $299 |
| Health | $517 | $0 |
| Hospitals | $664 | $11 |
| Parks & Recreation | $1,801 | $151 |
| Housing | $3,741 | $958 |
| Sewerage | $865 | $6 |
| Utilities | $3,264 | $224 |
| Interest on Debt | $0 | $40 |
| General Admin | $0 | $17,951 |
| Other | $8,399 | $3,145 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.