Austin, TX vs Kansas City, MO
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Kansas City, MO and Austin, TX spend within 4.8% of each other per resident — $22,820 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 52/100 (grade C) for Kansas City, MO — a 23-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
Kansas City, MO reports no outstanding debt per resident in its Census filing, while Austin, TX carries $1,229 per resident. 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 Kansas City, MO at $1,309.
They also fund themselves differently: intergovernmental transfers is the largest single revenue source in Austin, TX at 18% of total revenue, whereas Kansas City, MO relies most on other revenue at 835%.
Summary
Kansas City spends 4.6% more per capita than Austin ($1,048/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 | $623 |
| Income Tax | $1,465 | $0 |
| Intergovernmental | $14,031 | $7 |
| Charges & Fees | $3,247 | $3,794 |
| Other | $5,645 | $11,150 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $634 | $119 |
| Education | $51 | $0 |
| Public Welfare | $1,837 | $3,018 |
| Health | $517 | $0 |
| Hospitals | $664 | $1,849 |
| Parks & Recreation | $1,801 | $1,309 |
| Housing | $3,741 | $4,681 |
| Sewerage | $865 | $0 |
| Utilities | $3,264 | $3,123 |
| Other | $8,399 | $8,721 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.