Bakersfield, CA vs Anaheim, CA
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Anaheim, CA outspends Bakersfield, CA by a wide margin per resident — $23,533 versus $11,576, a 103% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Anaheim, CA holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 78/100 (grade B) against 56/100 (grade C) for Bakersfield, CA — a 22-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
Neither city reports outstanding debt per resident in its current Census filing, which removes debt service as a point of difference between them. Both cities pour the most per-resident dollars into the same function: parks and recreation leads in Bakersfield, CA at $741 per resident and in Anaheim, CA at $2,078.
They also fund themselves differently: intergovernmental transfers is the largest single revenue source in Bakersfield, CA at 100% of total revenue, whereas Anaheim, CA relies most on other revenue at 5%.
Summary
Anaheim spends 50.8% more per capita than Bakersfield ($11,957/person difference). Anaheim, CA has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (B, 78/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $1 | $0 |
| Sales Tax | $20 | $1,788 |
| Income Tax | $1,909 | $2,380 |
| Intergovernmental | $3,862 | $1,297 |
| Charges & Fees | $1,024 | $2,764 |
| Other | $1,915 | $5,232 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $0 | $254 |
| Public Welfare | $840 | $813 |
| Health | $0 | $358 |
| Hospitals | $425 | $4,753 |
| Parks & Recreation | $741 | $2,078 |
| Housing | $3,391 | $5,592 |
| Sewerage | $265 | $726 |
| Utilities | $2,679 | $3,943 |
| Other | $3,234 | $5,014 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.