Bend, OR vs Portland, OR
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Portland, OR outspends Bend, OR by a wide margin per resident — $23,675 versus $11,671, a 103% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Bend, OR holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 72/100 (grade B) against 63/100 (grade C) for Portland, OR — a 9-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, Bend, OR carries the lighter load at $597 per resident versus $1,574 for Portland, OR. Their budgets diverge on where the largest per-resident dollars go: Bend, OR leads with fire protection at $509 per resident, while Portland, OR leads with parks and recreation at $2,477.
They also fund themselves differently: other revenue is the largest single revenue source in Bend, OR at 15% of total revenue, whereas Portland, OR relies most on intergovernmental transfers at 19%.
Summary
Portland spends 50.7% more per capita than Bend ($12,003/person difference). Bend, OR has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (B, 72/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Sales Tax | $96 | $1,695 |
| Income Tax | $0 | $130 |
| Intergovernmental | $3,599 | $8,979 |
| Charges & Fees | $2,279 | $3,883 |
| Other | $5,555 | $7,916 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $509 | $1,700 |
| Highways & Roads | $315 | $139 |
| Education | $34 | $0 |
| Public Welfare | $1,287 | $3,607 |
| Hospitals | $471 | $2,893 |
| Parks & Recreation | $0 | $2,477 |
| Housing | $2,520 | $3,694 |
| Sewerage | $645 | $630 |
| Utilities | $1,020 | $1,845 |
| Other | $4,872 | $6,689 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.