Bakersfield, CA vs Detroit, MI
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Detroit, MI outspends Bakersfield, CA by a wide margin per resident — $31,087 versus $11,576, a 169% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Detroit, MI holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 69/100 (grade B) against 56/100 (grade C) for Bakersfield, CA — a 13-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
Bakersfield, CA reports no outstanding debt per resident in its Census filing, while Detroit, MI carries $776 per resident. Their budgets diverge on where the largest per-resident dollars go: Bakersfield, CA leads with parks and recreation at $741 per resident, while Detroit, MI leads with fire protection at $2,429.
They also fund themselves differently: intergovernmental transfers is the largest single revenue source in Bakersfield, CA at 100% of total revenue, whereas Detroit, MI relies most on other revenue at 15%.
Summary
Detroit spends 62.8% more per capita than Bakersfield ($19,512/person difference). Detroit, MI has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (B, 69/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $1 | $44 |
| Sales Tax | $20 | $200 |
| Income Tax | $1,909 | $1,045 |
| Intergovernmental | $3,862 | $291 |
| Charges & Fees | $1,024 | $2,228 |
| Other | $1,915 | $6,892 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $0 | $2,429 |
| Public Welfare | $840 | $833 |
| Health | $0 | $396 |
| Hospitals | $425 | $2,217 |
| Parks & Recreation | $741 | $950 |
| Housing | $3,391 | $5,791 |
| Sewerage | $265 | $451 |
| Utilities | $2,679 | $2,737 |
| Interest on Debt | $0 | $2,068 |
| Other | $3,234 | $13,216 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.