Austin, TX vs Las Vegas, NV
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Austin, TX outspends Las Vegas, NV by a wide margin per resident — $21,772 versus $9,085, a 140% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Las Vegas, NV edges Austin, TX on the Fiscal Health Score by 7 points — 82/100 (grade A) to 75/100 (grade B). At a margin this narrow the grade is close enough that the factor-level detail matters more than the composite.
Las Vegas, NV 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 Las Vegas, NV at $1,028.
They also fund themselves differently: intergovernmental transfers is the largest single revenue source in Austin, TX at 18% of total revenue, whereas Las Vegas, NV relies most on other revenue at 34%.
Summary
Austin spends 139.6% more per capita than Las Vegas ($12,687/person difference). Las Vegas, NV has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (A, 82/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $0 | $50 |
| Sales Tax | $526 | $386 |
| Income Tax | $1,465 | $0 |
| Intergovernmental | $14,031 | $1,137 |
| Charges & Fees | $3,247 | $0 |
| Other | $5,645 | $2,806 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $0 | $945 |
| Fire Protection | $634 | $280 |
| Highways & Roads | $0 | $45 |
| Education | $51 | $0 |
| Public Welfare | $1,837 | $705 |
| Health | $517 | $0 |
| Hospitals | $664 | $356 |
| Parks & Recreation | $1,801 | $1,028 |
| Housing | $3,741 | $23 |
| Sewerage | $865 | $332 |
| Utilities | $3,264 | $129 |
| Other | $8,399 | $5,243 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.